The latest news and cases from the Supreme Court of Virginia
">Lawyers two for two in high court Posted in Civil Cases, Supreme Court Opinions on Sep 16th, 2010
Lawyers won in two legal malpractice cases handed down today by the Supreme Court of Virginia. In Wintergreen Partners Inc. v. McGuireWoods LLP, the high court dismissed Wintergreen’s legal malpractice suit alleging McGuireWoods’ late filing of a transcript had blown the resort’s appeal of an $8.3 million jury award for a young woman injured on [...]
Update: 09/16/2010, 4:36 p.m. It was enough. Barely three hours after Crane appeared before the Supreme Court, it issued the following order: “Upon consideration of the apology proffered by William A. Crane, the Rule to Show Cause is dismissed.” An obviously nervous and contrite William A. Crane found at least one sympathetic member of the [...]
">Old lab report procedure invalid under Melendez, court holds Posted in Criminal Cases, Supreme Court Opinions on Sep 16th, 2010
Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s holding in Melendez-Diaz, the Supreme Court of Virginia has acknowledged Virginia’s former procedure for admission of lab reports in criminal trials failed to safeguard a defendant’s rights under the Confrontation Clause. The decision today in Cypress v. Commonwealth (VLW 010-6-083) means a new trial for one drug defendant, but no [...]
">Bar groups asked to help with Koontz replacement Posted in Justices on Sep 15th, 2010
Del. Dave Albo, the Fairfax Republican who chairs the House Courts of Justice Committee, has asked the Virginia State Bar to assist in reviewing candidates who want to succeed Justice Lawrence L. Koontz Jr. on the Supreme Court of Virginia. Koontz has reached the mandatory retirement age of 70 and must step down in February. [...]
Update 09/15/2010, 9:35 a.m. William Crane will appear before the Supreme Court of Virginia at the end of its docket Thursday rather than this afternoon as originally scheduled. Crane is attending a funeral at Arlington National Cemetery today. The Supreme Court of Virginia invited Winchester attorney William A. Crane to write a brief not to [...]
">Reasonableness of water rates argued Posted in Civil Cases on Sep 14th, 2010
An attorney for the Town of Leesburg acknowledged to the Supreme Court of Virginia yesterday that town council members had to have something more than their own opinion of the reasonableness of the surcharge the town placed on Loudoun County customers of its water and sewer service. But little more than that is required, Monica [...]
">Was affidavit admitted in violation of Crawford? Posted in Criminal Cases on Sep 13th, 2010
Senior Assistant Attorney General Leah Darron wanted to talk today about harmless error because the evidence against Anthony Dale Crawford in the death of his estranged wife appeared to be overwhelming. Justices of the Supreme Court of Virginia asked her if that meant she was abandoning a contention that an affidavit the wife submitted to [...]
">Justice questions probation revocation after Alford plea Posted in Criminal Cases on Sep 13th, 2010
Virginia Supreme Court Justice Lawrence L. Koontz Jr. said during oral arguments today “the commonwealth appears to be doing through the back door what it couldn’t do through the front door” in asking for revocation of the probation of a man who entered an Alford plea to a rape charge. The trial judge accepted James [...]
