$9M settlement set aside in family fight over mom’s millions

No Habeas Relief for Dual Pornography Convictions

By Deborah Elkins
Published: October 4, 2012
Tags: Criminal, Fairfax County Circuit Court, Judge Leslie M. Alden, Virginia Circuit Courts

A defendant convicted for possession of child pornography under 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(5)(B) who then was convicted for production of child pornography using images of a girls soccer team that had supported the federal conviction, loses his state habeas challenge in Fairfax Circuit Court alleging ineffective assistance. Petitioner alleges counsel failed to adequately research the [...]

Worker’s leg crushed due to faulty dock plate – $1,100,000 Verdict

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: August 6, 2012
Tags: Fairfax County Circuit Court, Judge Leslie M. Alden, Million-Dollar Verdicts, Personal Injury

Plaintiff was injured while unloading a truck at Fort Belvoir. He was using a dock plate whose braking system failed, allowing it to rise up uncommanded, catching his leg between the dock plate and the pallet jack he was using. His leg was severely injured and he missed two years from work. The dock plate [...]

Elder law bar upset over Fairfax case

By Peter Vieth
Published: August 2, 2012
Tags: Elder Law, Fairfax County Circuit Court, Judge Leslie M. Alden

A court case that says it may be unreasonable for a law firm serving as guardian to charge legal rates for non-legal services has elder law attorneys saying they may be driven out of the business of managing personal affairs for their wards. Recent decisions by Fairfax Circuit Judge Leslie M. Alden expressly disapprove of [...]

Law Firm Must Detail Guardian Services

By Deborah Elkins
Published: May 25, 2012
Tags: Fairfax County Circuit Court, Judge Leslie M. Alden, Virginia Circuit Courts, Wills & Trusts

On a report by the Commissioner of Accounts and review of these seven cases in which a law firm has served in multiple roles, including guardian, conservator and trustee, for incapacitated persons, the Fairfax Circuit Court orders the law firm to provide detailed descriptions of the services, who performed them and at what hourly rate, [...]

Woman died from blood clot after spinal surgery – Defense verdict

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: May 21, 2012
Tags: Fairfax County Circuit Court, Judge Leslie M. Alden, Medical Malpractice, Million-Dollar Defense Verdicts, Wrongful Death

Plaintiff’s decedent was a 31-year-old woman admitted to the hospital on Aug. 9, 2007, for spine surgery. While in the pre-operative holding area, she was found to have deep venous thrombosis (DVT) involving three vessels in her right lower leg. The spine surgeon postponed the surgery and sought medical management for the DVT from the [...]

Scenes from the VTLA

By Peter Vieth
Published: April 9, 2012
Tags: Judge Jerrauld C. Jones, Judge Leslie M. Alden, Justice LeRoy F. Millette Jr., Practice Tips, Social Media, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association

With 12 hours of continuing legal education from leaders of the bar, the court and the legislature, good advice was in plentiful supply at the annual convention of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association at The Greenbrier last month. Some samples: About Facebook “Never, ever, ever, ever tell your client to delete anything,” said Malcolm P. [...]

Full-court press against NBA’s Arenas fails

By Sarah Rodriguez
Published: April 9, 2012
Tags: Contract, Fairfax County Circuit Court, Judge Leslie M. Alden

Think a stormy relationship between a pro basketball player and a reality TV star wouldn’t find its way into the Virginia court system? It did. Memphis Grizzlies point guard Gilbert Arenas and his fiancé Laura Mendoza-Govan, a current cast member of VH1’s “Basketball Wives LA,” went through a bitter split at the end of 2010. [...]

Moving company sues basketball player for breach of contract – Motion to strike granted

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: April 9, 2012
Tags: Contract, Fairfax County Circuit Court, Judge Leslie M. Alden

This lawsuit arose from the alleged breach of a contract by defendant Gilbert Arenas, a professional basketball player, to move the contents of Arenas’ home in Fairfax County to California. In November 2010, Arenas and his girlfriend, Laura Mendoza-Govan, separated. Mendoza-Govan continued to reside in Arenas’ home. In December 2010, the Washington Wizards traded Arenas [...]

Former HOA president’s emails were defamatory – $9,000 Verdict

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: December 26, 2011
Tags: Defamation, Fairfax County Circuit Court, Judge Leslie M. Alden

Plaintiff Sondra Cornwell filed a defamation per se case, alleging that she was defamed by four emails written and published by defendant James Ruggieri. The emails alleged that Cornwell had stolen homeowner association (HOA) funds five years earlier. Ruggieri was the president of the HOA at the time, and the emails were published in 2010. [...]