Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger has vetoed a bill that would have created a path for class action lawsuits under state law, according to Virginia Lawyers Weekly, which reported the decision Sunday, June 8.
The veto blocks what would have been a significant expansion of civil litigation options for Virginians — allowing groups of plaintiffs to band together under a state-level legal framework that didn’t previously exist in the same form.
Class action suits are common in federal court, but states vary widely on whether their own statutes permit similar consolidated claims. Had the bill become law, Virginia plaintiffs and their attorneys would have gained a new tool to pursue claims against companies or government entities without filing in federal court or relying on existing, more limited procedural rules.
Spanberger’s veto puts that option on hold. Whether the General Assembly has the votes — or the appetite — to override her is unclear.
Virginia Lawyers Weekly, which covers the state’s legal community, flagged the veto as a notable development for the plaintiffs’ bar and defense firms alike. The publication didn’t detail Spanberger’s stated rationale for the rejection.
The governor’s office had not released a public veto statement as of the time of publication.
Reported by Virginia Lawyers Weekly on June 8, 2026. Read the original report.
