HB2434: Corporations; allows certain to be represented by an officer before general district courts.


HOUSE BILL NO. 2434
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the House Committee for Courts of Justice
on February 6, 2009)
(Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate Janis)
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 16.1-81.1, relating to closely held corporations; pro se representation.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 16.1-81.1 as follows:

16.1-81.1. Closely held corporations; pro se representation.

When the amount in controversy in any action at law in a general district court does not exceed the sum of $2,500, exclusive of interest, attorney fees contracted for in the instrument, and costs, a closely held corporate plaintiff or defendant may be represented by an officer of that corporation who shall have all the rights and privileges given an individual to represent, plead, and try a case without an attorney, provided that such officer has the unanimous consent of all the shareholders to do so. For the purposes of this section, a "closely held corporation" means a corporation the stock of which is held by no more than five persons and is not publicly offered or planned to be publicly offered at the time of the litigation.

HOUSE BILL NO. 2434
Offered January 14, 2009
Prefiled January 14, 2009
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 16.1-81.1, relating to closely held corporations; pro se representation.
Patron-- Janis
Committee Referral Pending

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 16.1-81.1 as follows:

16.1-81.1. Closely held corporations; pro se representation.

When the amount in controversy in any action at law in a general district court does not exceed the sum of $4,500, exclusive of interest, attorney fees contracted for in the instrument, and costs, a closely held corporate plaintiff or defendant may be represented by an officer or an employee of that corporation who shall have all the rights and privileges given an individual to represent, plead, and try a case without an attorney.