16.1-122.4 - Representation and removal; rights of parties.
§ 16.1-122.4. Representation and removal; rights of parties.
A. All parties shall be represented by themselves in actions before the smallclaims court except as follows:
1. A corporate or partnership plaintiff or defendant may be represented by anowner, a general partner, an officer or an employee of that corporation orpartnership who shall have all the rights and privileges given an individualto represent, plead and try a case without an attorney. An attorney may servein this capacity if he is appearing pro se, but he may not serve in arepresentative capacity.
2. A plaintiff or defendant who, in the judge's opinion, is unable tounderstand or participate on his own behalf in the hearing may be representedby a friend or relative if the representative is familiar with the facts ofthe case and is not an attorney.
B. A defendant shall have the right to remove the case to the generaldistrict court at any point preceding the handing down of the decision by thejudge and may be represented by an attorney for that purpose.
(1988, c. 799; 1997, c. 243; 2001, c. 74.)