Two are confirmed for seats on federal bench

‘Force Majeure’ May Apply to Penalties

By Deborah Elkins
Published: April 11, 2012
Tags: Environmental, Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen, U.S. District Court - Eastern District

In judicial review of a Consent Decree between plaintiff state and federal governments and defendant Hampton Roads Sanitation District covering sanitary sewer discharges that violated the Clean Water Act, the Norfolk U.S. District Court says HRSD may invoke the Consent Decree’s force majeure provision, but the provision does not bar liability for the 10 weather-related [...]

Med Student Has ADA Claim

By Deborah Elkins
Published: March 28, 2012
Tags: Civil Rights, Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen, U.S. District Court - Eastern District

A medical student may sue defendant medical school on a claim that its failure to accommodate his ADHD and depression violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act, but he may not sue the school under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act for its alleged inappropriate disclosure of confidential student information about [...]

Wright Allen goes on bench

By Paul Fletcher
Published: November 7, 2011
Tags: Federal Courts, Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen, Judgeships

Arenda L. Wright Allen took the oath of office as a U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District on Oct. 27. She becomes the first African-American woman to sit on the federal bench in Virginia. She had been an assistant federal public defender in Norfolk. She also served as an assistant U.S. attorney, prosecuting cases [...]