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DC-421

Summons for Unlawful Detainer (Civil Claim for Eviction)

Virginia · Supreme Court of Virginia

This form is a summons used to start a civil case asking the court for an eviction. It asks the defendant to appear in court on a specific date to respond to the claim.

Open the official PDFfrom Supreme Court of Virginia

Where this fits in a case

Start a case

Stage: Start a case

This form is used when a landlord or property owner (Plaintiff) is starting a case to ask the court to remove a tenant (Defendant) from a property.

Usually filed by the person starting the case.

Common questions

What does this form ask for?
This form starts a civil claim for eviction, which is called an Unlawful Detainer. It asks the court to decide if the defendant should be removed from the property. Great care must be taken to fill out the required dates and amounts owed. Great care must be taken to fill out the required dates and amounts owed.
What should the defendant do if they disagree with the case?
If the defendant disagrees with the case, they must appear in court on the return date to try the case or to ask the judge to set a new trial date.

Revision history

No changes recorded since we started tracking this form on October 10, 2026.

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