Page "Virginia General District Court" Paragraph 7

If the defendant feels that the plaintiff has not provided enough information about the cause of action, he may file a motion for a " bill of particulars ", and if the court grants such a motion then the plaintiff will be ordered to provide the requested details.

If the cause of action is premised on a written instrument such as a contract or a deed, the original document must be provided to the court, and the defendant may use a motion for a bill of particulars to compel the production of this document as well.

The plaintiff, on the other hand, may file a motion for " grounds of defense ", which, if granted, will result in an order requiring the defendant to submit a written response indicating the defenses that it intends to assert.

If the plaintiff fails to respond to a bill of particulars, or the defendant fails to provide requested grounds of defense, the court may enter summary judgment against the non-responsive party.