Chap. 180.—An ACT to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a new section num-

bered 5286-a, to provide that trial justices, civil and police justices, and civil
justices shall have jurisdiction of proceedings for partition of personal prop-
erty within certain limits as to value; to provide how such proceedings shall be
instituted and conducted; to provide for removals and appeals; and to repeal
Chapter 292 of the Acts of Assembly of 1918, approved March 16, 1918, relating
to the same matters. , [H 288]

Approved March 10, 1944

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia be amended by adding a new section
numbered fifty-two hundred eighty-six-a, as follows :

Section 5286-a. Jurisdiction of partition of personal property and
proceedings therefor.—The trial justices of the counties and the civil and
police justices and civil justices of the cities, shall have, within the limits
of the territory for which they are respectively appointed, jurisdiction of
proceedings for partition of personal property, within the limits as to
value and in accordance with the provisions hereinafter contained.

When joint owners of personal property of the value of more than
twenty dollars but not more than one thousand dollars cannot agree upon
a partition thereof. any party in interest may compel partition, the pro-
ceeding for which shall be commenced by a petition presented to the
trial justice of the county, or the civil and police justice or civil justice
of the city, wherein the property, or the greater part thereof, is located,
and a copy of the petition, together with a notice of the time and place
the petitioner will ask for a hearing thereon, shall be served on each of
the defendants at least ten days prior to the day of hearing; and all sub-
sequent proceedings shall be in accordance with the applicable provisions
of this chapter, for partition of real estate, provided that, if the partition
be made in kind, the commissioners need not necessarily be freeholders.

If the value of the property exceeds two hundred dollars, the case
shall, upon the application of any defendant, be removed by the justice
to any court of record of the county or city having jurisdiction of re-
movals from such justice, in like manner as other civil cases are so re-
moved, upon the applicant complying with all the provisions of law con-
cerning removals from trial justices, or civil and police justices, or civil
justices, in other civil cases. oo

Any party aggrieved by a final judgment rendered by the justice in
any such proceeding shall have an appeal of right to any court of record
of the county or city having jurisdiction of anpeals from such justice, to

be perfected within the time, and in all other respects in accordance with
the provisions of law concerning appeals from trial justices, or civil and
police justices, or civil justices, in other civil cases.

2. Chapter two hundred ninety-two of the Acts of the General As-
sembly of nineteen hundred eighteen, approved March sixteen, nineteen
hundred eighteen, is repealed.