Virginia § 10.1-1000 - Definitions
Full text of Virginia Code of Virginia § 10.1-1000 — Definitions, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 10.1-1000. Definitions
As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:
"Board" means the Cave Board.
"Cave" means any naturally occurring void, cavity, recess, or system of interconnecting passages beneath the surface of the earth or within a cliff or ledge including natural subsurface water and drainage systems, but not including any mine, tunnel, aqueduct, or other man-made excavation, which is large enough to permit a person to enter. The word "cave" includes or is synonymous with cavern, sinkhole, natural pit, grotto, and rock shelter.
"Cave life" means any rare or endangered animal or other life form which normally occurs in, uses, visits, or inhabits any cave or subterranean water system.
"Commercial cave" means any cave utilized by the owner for the purposes of exhibition to the general public as a profit or nonprofit enterprise, wherein a fee is collected for entry.
"Gate" means any structure or device located to limit or prohibit access or entry to any cave.
"Material" means all or any part of any archaeological, paleontological, biological, or historical item including, but not limited to, any petroglyph, pictograph, basketry, human remains, tool, beads, pottery, projectile point, remains of historical mining activity or any other occupation found in any cave.
"Owner" means a person who owns title to land where a cave is located, including a person who owns title to a leasehold estate in such land, and including the Commonwealth and any of its agencies, departments, boards, bureaus, commissions, or authorities, as well as counties, municipalities, and other political subdivisions of the Commonwealth.
"Person" means any individual, partnership, firm, association, trust, or corporation or other legal entity.
"Sinkhole" means a closed topographic depression or basin, generally draining underground, including, but not restricted to, a doline, uvala, blind valley, or sink.
"Speleogen" means an erosional feature of the cave boundary and includes or is synonymous with anastomoses, scallops, rills, flutes, spongework, and pendants.
"Speleothem" means a natural mineral formation or deposit occurring in a cave. This includes or is synonymous with stalagmite, stalactite, helectite, shield, anthodite, gypsum flower and needle, angel's hair, soda straw, drapery, bacon, cave pearl, popcorn (coral), rimstone dam, column, palette, flowstone, et cetera. Speleothems are commonly composed of calcite, epsomite, gypsum, aragonite, celestite, and other similar minerals.
1979, c. 252, § 10-150.12; 1988, c. 891.
Frequently Asked Questions About Virginia § 10.1-1000
What does Code of Virginia § 10.1-1000 cover?
Section 10.1-1000 ("Definitions") is part of the Code of Virginia, the codified statutory law of Virginia. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.
How do I cite Virginia § 10.1-1000?
A common citation format is "Code of Virginia § 10.1-1000" (Virginia). Legal writing may require the code abbreviation, section number, and year or edition. Match the style required by your court, professor, or publisher.
Is this the official text of Virginia law?
No. This page is for research and education and may not include the most recent amendments. For official current law, check the Virginia official source linked on this page or consult a licensed Virginia attorney.
How does Virginia § 10.1-1000 apply to my situation?
Statutes are interpreted in context, and application depends on your specific facts. Only a licensed attorney in Virginia can advise on how this section applies to you. Contact your state or local bar association for a referral.
Sources & Verification
Not legal advice. Verify against the official source and consult a licensed attorney in Virginia.