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Va. Code Ann. § 1-200 (2026)

The common law

✓ current as of May 2026
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The common law of England, insofar as it is not repugnant to the principles of the Bill of Rights and Constitution of this Commonwealth, shall continue in full force within the same, and be the rule of decision, except as altered by the General Assembly.

Code 1919, § 2, § 1-10; 2005, c. 839.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 94 cases (44 in the last 5 years), 2001–2026 · leading case: Laurence Maria Smith, s/k/a Laurence Marie Smith v. Commonwealth of Virginia, 808 S.E.2d 848 (Va. Ct. App. 2018).
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Laurence Maria Smith, s/k/a Laurence Marie Smith v. Commonwealth of Virginia, 808 S.E.2d 848 (Va. Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 5× “See Code § 1-200 (“The common law of England, insofar as it is not repugnant to the principles of the Bill of Rights and Constitution of this Commonwealth, shall continue in full force within the same, and be the rule of decision, except as altered by the General Assembly.”
Wyatt v. McDermott, 725 S.E.2d 555 (Va. 2012). · cites it 6× “The General Assembly expressly directed in Code § 1-200 that "[t]he common law of England, insofar as it is not repugnant to the principles of the Bill of Rights and Constitution of this Commonwealth, shall continue in full force within the same, and be the rule of decision,…”
Evans v. Evans, 695 S.E.2d 173 (Va. 2010). · cites it 4× “The General Assembly has proclaimed, "The common law of England, insofar as it is not repugnant to the principles of the Bill of Rights and Constitution of this Commonwealth, shall continue in full force.”
Steve Whitt v. Commonwealth of Virginia, 739 S.E.2d 254 (Va. Ct. App. 2013). · cites it 4× “” Code § 1-200. Although the evidence is mixed concerning the extent to which courts at common law had the power to permit the amendment of pleadings, it is beyond dispute that a court possessed the power to permit amendments to pleadings.”
Forest Lakes Cmty. Ass'n, Inc. v. United Land Corp. of Am., 795 S.E.2d 875 (Va. 2017). · cites it 2× “Such a continuing trespass is to be distinguished from a series of separate trespasses on land, as where A habitually crosses B's field without a privilege to do so.”
Taylor v. Commonwealth, 710 S.E.2d 518 (Va. Ct. App. 2011). · cites it 4× ““The common law of England, insofar as it is not repugnant to the principles of the Bill of Rights and Constitution of this Commonwealth, shall continue in full force within the same, and be the rule of decision, except as altered by the General Assembly.”
Lamberto Maldonado, a/k/a Lamberto Moldanado v. Commonwealth of Virginia, 829 S.E.2d 570 (Va. Ct. App. 2019). · cites it 2× “See Code § 1-200. Sir William Blackstone noted that the common law considered some twenty-two different intentional acts as “Offenses Against Public Justice.”
Com. v. Morris, 705 S.E.2d 503 (Va. 2011). · cites it 4× “[5] Code § 1-200 states that, "[t]he common law of England, insofar as it is not repugnant to the principles of the Bill of Rights and Constitution of this Commonwealth, shall continue in full force within the same, and be the rule of decision, except as altered by the General…”
In Re: Brown, 810 S.E.2d 444 (Va. 2018). · cites it 2× “"First enacted in 1776, Code § 1-200 provides that '[t]he common law of England, insofar as it is not repugnant to the principles of the Bill of Rights and Constitution of this Commonwealth, shall continue in full force within the same, and be the rule of decision, except as…”
Satterwhite v. Commonwealth, 695 S.E.2d 555 (Va. Ct. App. 2010). · cites it 4× “Code § 1-200 (recodifying former Code § 1-10).”
Dustin Scott Jones v. Commonwealth of Virginia, 826 S.E.2d 908 (Va. Ct. App. 2019). · cites it 2× “The Common Law and the Crime of Attempt Code § 1-200 states, “The common law of England, insofar as it is not repugnant to the principles of the Bill of Rights and Constitution of this Commonwealth, shall continue in full force within the same, and be the rule of decision,…”
Bevel v. Com., 717 S.E.2d 789 (Va. 2011). · cites it 4× “Likewise, to the extent that such authority might derive from the common law of England as applicable in Virginia at the time of the founding of the Jamestown colony in 1607, Code §§ 1-200 and -201, [3] we find no support for the notion that a criminal proceeding necessarily…”
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— Va. Code Ann. § 1-200(15) — 2 cases
Jefferson Green Unit Owners v. Gwinn, 551 S.E.2d 339 (Va. 2001).
Jefferson Green Unit Owners Ass'n v. Gwinn, 551 S.E.2d 339 (Va. 2001).
— Va. Code Ann. § 1-200(B) — 1 case
Martin v. City of Alexandria (Va. 2013).
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