The VLW Blog

Taboada v. Daily Seven, the premises liability case that greatly expanded the potential liability of hotel operators, has been settled. The case is perhaps better known for the intemperate petition for a rehearing filed by a Roanoke attorney that earned him a contempt citation and a fine from the Virginia Supreme Court.
The Roanoke Times has [...]

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There will be some new faces in the Judicial Performance Evaluation Program, as two of the people who helped launch the program turn the reins over to new leadership.
Justice Lawrence L. Koontz Jr., of the Supreme Court of Virginia, is assuming the duties of Justice Barbara Milano Keenan, who chaired the Supreme Court task force [...]

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It’s a banner week for Newport News lawyer Len Bennett. He’s on the winning side in two federal decisions interpreting the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The big news is the 4th Circuit’s opinion in Saunders v. Branch Banking and Trust Company of Virginia, where the court affirms an award of $80,000 in punitive [...]

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Imagine the surprise of a man who opened the mail to find a subpoena for his 1-year-old son. That’s right, a Harrisonburg chiropractor sued a baby.
The Daily News Record explains that the judge dismissed the ill-advised collections action; apparently, the address in the baby’s file never got updated after the family moved, so his parents [...]

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Virginian-Pilot columnist Kerry Dougherty got an interesting piece out of her trip to general district court for the trial of a photographic exhibitionist. Thanks and a tip of the hat to Steve Minor for spotting this.

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From the Virginian-Pilot comes word that former Virginia governor and current Richmond lawyer Linwood Holton plans to discuss his life in politics at a Norfolk bookstore on June 17.

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The Daily Press carries the AP report that Virginia’s Medicaid fraud unit, part of the attorney general’s office, recovered more last year than any other state.

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Fairfax Circuit Judge David Stitt died Saturday after suffering a heart attack while on vacation in North Carolina. Even if you’re a Fairfax lawyer and familiar with his Texas drawl and direct manner, The Washington Post obituary has information about him that you probably didn’t know.

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In Harrisonburg, the scene has shifted from what was to what will be for the city treasurer’s office. The embattled former treasurer, Rebecca Neal, resigned on Friday after pleading guilty to misusing public funds. Now, the Daily News Record reports, candidates are lining up to run in a special election to fill the [...]

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If you want a favorable review from a statewide bar group for an appointment to the State Corporation Commission, you’d better pull that résumé together and go to Gov. Tim Kaine’s Web site fast.
Kaine has asked candidates to fill out a judicial selection questionnaire and a statement of economic interest (both available on at www.governor.virginia.gov) [...]

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