4.1-400 - Construction and purpose. - Virginia Statutes

§ 4.1-400. Construction and purpose.

This chapter shall be liberally construed and applied to promote itsunderlying purposes and policies.

The underlying purposes and policies of the chapter are:

1. To promote the interests of the parties and the public in fair businessrelations between wine wholesalers and wineries, and in the continuation ofwine wholesalerships on a fair basis;

2. To preserve and protect the existing three-tier system for thedistribution of wine, which system is deemed material to the properregulation by the Board of the distribution of alcoholic beverages;

3. To prohibit unfair treatment of wine wholesalers by wineries, promotecompliance with valid franchise agreements, and define certain rights andremedies of wineries in regard to cancellation of franchise agreements withwholesalers;

4. To establish conditions for creation and continuation of all wholesalewine distributorships, including original agreements and any renewals oramendments thereto, to the full extent consistent with the laws andConstitutions of the Commonwealth and the United States; and

5. To provide for a system of designation and registration of franchiseagreements between wineries and wholesalers with the Board as an aid to Boardregulation of the distribution of wine by wholesalers.

(Code 1950, § 4-118.22; 1985, c. 542, § 4-118.42; 1989, c. 10; 1993, c. 866.)