Chap. 497.—An ACT to amend and re-enact sections 2726 and 2728 of the code
of Virginia, in relation to the action of ejectment.

Approved February 27, 1896.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That section
twenty-seven hundred and twenty-six and section twenty-seven hun-
dred and twenty-eight of the code of Virginia be, and the same are
hereby, amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

§ 2726. Who shall be defendants; when and how landlord may
defend.—The person actually occupying the premises, and any per-
son claiming title thereto, or claiming any interest therein adversely
to the plaintiff, may also, at the discretion of the plaintiff, be named
defendants in the declaration. If there be no person actually occu-
pying the premises adversely to the plaintiff, then the action must
be against some person exercising ownership thereon, or claiming
title thereto, or some interest therein, at the commencement of suit.

If a lessee be made defendant at the suit of a party claiming
against the title of his landlord, such landlord may appear and be
made a defendant with or in place of his lessee.

§ 2728. What is to be stated in the declaration.—It shall be suffi-
cient for the plaintiff to aver in his declaration that on some day
specified therein (and which shall be after his title accrued) he
was possessed of the premises claimed, and being so possessed
thereof, that the defendant afterwards, on some day to be stated,
entered into such premises, or exercised acts of ownership thereon,
or claimed title thereto, or some interest therein, to his damage such
sum as the plaintiff shall state.

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