# Va. Code Ann. § 21-297: Service and return of summons; appointment of board of viewers

> Virginia · Statutes · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_VA_T21_C6_S21-297

## Section

- **Citation:** Va. Code Ann. § 21-297
- **Heading:** Service and return of summons; appointment of board of viewers
- **Jurisdiction:** Virginia
- **Kind:** Statutes
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** Virginia Code / Title 21 / Chapter 6 / Section 21-297

## Text

The summons may be served by publication as to any defendants who cannot be personally served, as provided by law. Such summons shall be returnable to the first day of any regular term of the circuit court of the county, during which term, or some succeeding term, the court, after determining the sufficiency of the petition, shall immediately enter of record three interested resident freeholders of the proposed project in which the lands are located who have been elected by a majority of the petitioners. Such persons appointed shall constitute a board of viewers who shall select and designate an engineer, or other person experienced with drainage, deemed qualified by the board of viewers to make a preliminary survey and report thereon. After the appointment of the board the question of the sufficiency of the petition may not be again raised, unless the boundary of the district be subsequently changed by the court.

Code 1919, § 1738; 1920, p. 608; 1924, p. 708; 1926, p. 606; 1954, c. 642.

## Nearby sections

- [Va. Code Ann. § 21-292 Jurisdiction of circuit courts to establish projects](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_VA_T21_C6_S21-292.md)
- [Va. Code Ann. § 21-292.1 "District" means "project."](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_VA_T21_C6_S21-292.1.md)
- [Va. Code Ann. § 21-293 Drainage considered essential](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_VA_T21_C6_S21-293.md)
- [Va. Code Ann. § 21-294 Establishment considered public improvement](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_VA_T21_C6_S21-294.md)
- [Va. Code Ann. § 21-295 Form of petition; bond; summons of landowners not on petition](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_VA_T21_C6_S21-295.md)
- [Va. Code Ann. § 21-296 Circulation of duplicate originals of petition](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_VA_T21_C6_S21-296.md)
- [Va. Code Ann. § 21-297 Service and return of summons; appointment of board of viewers](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_VA_T21_C6_S21-297.md)
- [Va. Code Ann. § 21-298 Repealed](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_VA_T21_C6_S21-298.md)
- [Va. Code Ann. § 21-299 Notice to viewers of appointment](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_VA_T21_C6_S21-299.md)
- [Va. Code Ann. § 21-300 Filling vacancies on board](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_VA_T21_C6_S21-300.md)
- [Va. Code Ann. § 21-301 Compensation of viewers](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_VA_T21_C6_S21-301.md)
- [Va. Code Ann. § 21-302 Petition based on widening, deepening, etc., of natural streams](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_VA_T21_C6_S21-302.md)
- [Va. Code Ann. § 21-303 Withdrawal of persons signing petition](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_VA_T21_C6_S21-303.md)
- [Va. Code Ann. § 21-304 All landowners need not be listed in petition; amendments](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_VA_T21_C6_S21-304.md)

---

Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_VA_T21_C6_S21-297. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.