8.01-581.2:1 - Additional parties - Virginia Statutes

§ 8.01-581.2:1. Additional parties.

The judge of the circuit court hearing the case may grant leave to amend therequest for a review panel to add additional parties or causes of action infurtherance of the ends of justice except where (i) the request for leave toamend is made less than ten days before the date set for the review panel toconvene or for the hearing or (ii) the judge finds that the request for leaveto amend is without merit. If leave to amend is granted, the judge may, uponmotion of either party, stay the review panel proceedings or continue thetrial, extend the time for completion of discovery, filing of pleadings andother procedural limitations periods, or enter such other orders as areappropriate to avoid prejudice to the parties and to avoid unnecessary delayand duplication in the proceedings.

The statute of limitations as to any party added shall be tolled from thedate of the request until completion of the panel proceedings. Leave to addadditional parties to the review panel proceeding shall not be granted if thejudge finds that the applicable statute of limitations has expired withrespect to the new or additional parties or causes of action.

(1986, c. 227; 1993, c. 928.)