Va. Code § 16.1-98: Fieri facias or writ of possession on judgment

Upon a judgment being rendered in a general district court a writ of fieri facias or a writ of possession shall be issued thereon only upon request of the judgment creditor, his assignee or his attorney. When the judgment is for personal property and the defendant is not given the option under § 8.01-121 to pay the amount of the judgment or surrender the property, the plaintiff may, at his option, have a writ of possession for the specific property and a writ of fieri facias for the damages or profits and costs, and if the writ of possession prove ineffectual he may have a writ of fieri facias for the alternate value. The judge or clerk shall write or stamp upon the docket of the court, or upon the original warrant or motion, the issuing of each such writ and the date of issuance.1956, c. 555; 1968, c. 260; 1974, c. 666; 1977, c. 624; 1983, c. 499.