Virginia lawmakers have advanced legislation that could change how collection lawsuits are filed in the state, sending a bill to the governor that would require additional attorney information to be included in consumer debt collection pleadings.
The measure, Senate Bill 189, has now passed both chambers of the Virginia legislature and is headed to the governor’s desk for his signature or veto. If enacted, the law would add a new section to the Virginia Code governing how pleadings, motions, and other filings must be signed in consumer debt collection cases. The changes are scheduled to take effect January 1, 2027, if approved .
The legislation would create a new section of the Virginia Code that imposes additional disclosure requirements on attorneys involved in consumer debt collection proceedings.
Under the bill, attorneys of record in a civil action seeking to collect or enforce a consumer debt would be required to include the following information in the initial pleading and any subsequent filing:
- The attorney’s name
- The attorney’s business address
- The attorney’s business telephone number where the attorney can be reached directly by the court and the consumer or the consumer’s attorney
The requirement would apply broadly to filings submitted in consumer debt cases, which the legislation defines as obligations arising from transactions primarily for personal, family, or household purposes .
The bill also clarifies that the summons itself is not considered an initial pleading for purposes of the requirement.
The legislation establishes specific consequences if the required attorney information is missing from a filing. If a pleading, motion, or other paper does not comply with the new signature requirements, it would be considered defective and could be deemed voidable. The filing would become invalid and subject to being stricken if the defect is not corrected within 21 days after it is brought to the attention of the attorney or party that submitted it .
If the defect is corrected within that window, however, the filing would remain valid and relate back to the original filing date.
