Chap. 705.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 3427 of the code of Virginia,
as amended and re-enacted by an act entitled, ‘An act to amend and re-enact
section 3427 of the code of Virginia in relation to how a chancery cause sub-
mitted for decision in vacation; how the decree certified and entered; its effeet,”’
approved January 28, 1896, so as to permit the court, when not advised of its
judgment, without consent of partics, to direct a chancery cause to be submitted
for decision and decree in vacation, and also to direct decrees and orders,
acted upon in term, to be entered in vacation; and to provide forthe hearing of
matters of law or fact requiring argument in open court so far as practicable.

Approved March 8, 1898.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That section
thirty-four hundred and twenty-seven of the code of Virginia, as
amended and re-enacted by an act entitled ‘‘An act to amend and re-
enact section thirty-four hundred and twenty-seven of the code of Vir-
ginia in relation to how a chancery cause submitted for decision in vaca-
tion; how the decree certified and entered; its effect,’? approved Jan-
uary twenty-seventh, eighteen hundred and ninety-six, be amended and
re-enacted so as to read as follows:

§ 3427. Any chancery cause pending in a circuit or corporation court
may, by consent of parties in term, entered of record, or by like con-
sent in vacation, be submitted to the said judge for such decision and
decree therein in vacation as might be made in term; (and such court
may, without such consent, when it desires time to consider of its
judgment in a case which has been fully heard direct any such cause to
be submitted for decision and decree in vacation). When such consent
is in vacation the judge shall certify the fact to the clerk of the court in
which the cause is pending, to be entered by him in his chancery order
book. He shall also certify the decrees and orders made by him in vaca-
tion to such clerk, to be entered in like manner.

All decrees so made and entered shall have the same force and effect
as if made and entered in term, except that in a case of a decree for
money, the same shall he effective only from the time of day at which
it, is received in the clerk’s office to be entered of record, but during a
term of such circuit or corporation court all matters of Jaw or fact re-
quiring argument shall, so far as practicable, be heard in open court in
the courthouse and not in chambers, and the court shall be kept open
for a reasonable time of each day of the term for such hearings.

2. This act shall be in force from its passage.