Originally posted by: BoomerD
For Kahleeforneeya, I can find dozens of links for free eviction forms...not so for Virginia.
The law must be written in some rare and exotic dialect that only specially trained monkeys can understand...
So, of course, you have to BUY them from either a service...or a lawyer. (if you're evicting a tenant, you SHOULD have a lawyer involved anyway to cover your ass.)
No, that isn't true, most of the court websites will have sample forms. The "problem" is, the VRLTA does protect tenants fairly well. Therefore, it's a good idea to pay someone who's done it before to help out. If a landlord is unsuccessful because of some procedural or technical deficiency, he's just lost that much more time and money.
Yeah a decent lawyer might charge you 150 or 200 an hour to handle this. However, the potential cost avoidance is significantly greater. Even if you retain an attorney just to do the paperwork and filings for you, and you handle the day(s) in court on your own, you're better off than just going at it blindly.
Plus, lawyers don't operate in a black box. You'll see the work product and get an explanation on everything. If you're a landlord, this situation may come up again in the future, and you might feel so equipped to handle it yourself going forward.
Lawyers aren't all evil, overpaid scumbags. Some are, sure, but many more do provide genuinely valuable services to their clients. Virginia also happens to be one of, if not the most, difficult states to become a licensed attorney.
And no, Virginia doesn't exactly have the easiest law to grasp. We're talking about a place that just merged its courts of law and equity three years ago. Our system of pleading is different than the majority of states in many ways, so if you're going to go about it yourself, make sure you're at least using Virginia resources.
EDIT: OP, if you're in Loudoun, as your link suggests, did you catch this on the page?
An "Eviction Packet" is available from the Loudoun County General District Court Clerk's Office, Civil Division that outlines the eviction process. The Clerk's office is located at 18 Market Street, NE, Leesburg, Virginia 20175 or you may phone 703-777-0312.
If you're set on doing it pro se, the Clerk of the GDC/CC (whichever has jurisdiction, i honestly dont know) will be helpful. Give the office a call.
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