Chap. 32.—An ACT to amend and re-enact Section 6096 of the Code of Virginia,
relating to the filing of petitions by certain persons in pending chancery causes,
so as to provide that such petitions may be filed without first obtaining leave
of court. [fH B 17]

Approved February 12, 1940

1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, That
section sixty hundred and ninety-six of the Code of Virginia be
amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

Section 6096. To authorize the filing of a petition in a pending
chancery cause in the clerk’s office and to mature the same at rules.—
Any person who would be entitled to be admitted a party to a chan-
cery cause pending in any court may for the purpose of asserting a
right or seeking relief therein, file a petition in the clerk’s office of
such court in vacation, making all persons so affected by the relief
prayed for in such petition, whether parties to the main cause or not,
parties defendant, and to have issued thereon a summons to the said
defendants, returnable to rules or to the next term, to answer the
same. And said defendants may make any defense to such petition
which they could have made if process had been awarded by a court,
by demurrer, plea, answer, or otherwise, filing the same at rules or
at term. And when such petition shall have been matured, deposi-
tions may be taken in relation to issues raised thereby. But the
court, on motion of a defendant to such petition, made at the term
to which process to answer the same is returned executed on him, or
if it be returnable to rules, at the first term after it is so returned,
may for good cause shown dismiss such petition.