Chap. 286.—An ACT for the protection of laboring-men, who are householders.
against being deprived of the exemption to which they are entitled under
section 3652 of the code of Virginia.

Approved February 11, 1896.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That it
shall be unlawful for any person to institute, or permit to be insti-
tuted, proceedings in his own name, or in the name of any other per-
gon, or to assigo or transfer, either for or without value, any claim
for debt, or liability of any kind, held by him against a resident of
this state, who is a laboring-man and a householder, for the purpose
of having payment of the same, or any part thereof, enforced out of
the wages exempted by section thirty-six hundred and fifty-two of
the code of Virginia, by proceedings in attachment or garnishment,
in courts or before justices of the peace in any other state than in
the state of Virginia, or to send out of this state Ly assignment,
transfer, or in any other manner whatsoever, either for or without
value, any claim or debt against any resident thereof, for the pur-
pose or with the intent of depriving such person of the right to have
his wages exampt from distress levy, or garnishment according to
the provisions of section thirty-six hundred and fifty-two of the code
of’ Virginia. And the person instituting such suit, or permitting
such suit to be instituted, or sending, assigning, or tranferring any
such claim or debt for the purpose or with the intent aforesaid, shall
be liable in an action of debt to the person from whom payment of
the same, or of any part thereof, shall have been enforced by attach-
ment or garnishment, or otherwise, elsewhere than in the state of
Virginia, for the full amount, payment whereof shall have been so
enforced, together with interest thereon and the costs of the attach-
ment or garnishee proceedings, as well as the costs of said action.

2. The amount recovered in such action shall stand on the same
footing with the wages of the plaintiff under section thirty-six hun-
dred and fifty-two of the code, and shall also be exempt and free
from any and all liability of the plaintiff to the defendant in the
way of set-off or otherwise.

3. The fact that the payment of a claim or debt against any per-
son entitled to the exemption provided for by section thirty-six hun-
dred and fifty-two of the code has been enforced by legal proceed-
ings in some state other than the state of Virginia, in such manner
as to deprive such person to any extent of the benefit of such ex-
emption, shall be prima facie evidence that any resident of this state,
who may at any time have been owner or holder of said claim or
debt, has violated this law.

4. This act shall be in force from the date of its passage.