8.01-386 - Judicial notice of laws.

§ 8.01-386. Judicial notice of laws.

A. Whenever, in any civil action it becomes necessary to ascertain what thelaw, statutory or otherwise, of this Commonwealth, of another state, of theUnited States, of another country, or of any political subdivision or agencyof the same is, or was, at any time, the court shall take judicial noticethereof whether specially pleaded or not.

B. The court, in taking such notice, may consult any book, record, register,journal, or other official document or publication purporting to contain,state, or explain such law, and may consider any evidence or otherinformation or argument that is offered on the subject.

(Code 1950, §§ 8-264, 8-270, 8-273; 1960, c. 504; 1977, c. 617.)