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DC-431

Tenant's Petition for Relief from Unlawful Exclusion

Virginia · Supreme Court of Virginia

This form is a petition filed by a tenant to the court asking for relief because they believe they were removed from or had essential services interrupted at their dwelling unit without legal right. It allows the tenant to ask the court to restore possession, fix unsafe conditions, or recover money for damages.

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 tenant believes their landlord has unlawfully excluded them from their rental home or caused essential services to stop. The tenant files this to ask the court to make specific orders to fix the situation.

Usually filed by the person starting the case.

Common questions

Who files this form?
The tenant, who is the Plaintiff, files this petition. The form is titled 'Tenant's Petition for Relief from Unlawful Exclusion.'
What does the tenant ask the court for?
The tenant can ask the court to let them get back into the unit, get essential services running again, fix unsafe parts of the home, or recover money for damages and fees.
Does this form require the tenant to appear?
The form notes that the tenant must appear on the return date to try the case or to set a new date for trial.

Revision history

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

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