The VLW Blog

A Chicago federal judge declined to dismiss the charge of threatening a juror against Roanoke neo-Nazi Bill White.
White’s lawyer had argued that posting the juror’s name on White’s “Overthrow” Web site should not subject him to prosecution.  U.S. District Judge William J. Hibbler ruled that the case should be heard by a jury, according to [...]

[Read more →]

The brothers of Sigma Chi told a 4th Circuit panel yesterday their fraternity was kicked off campus without due process.
The fraternity’s lawyer, Christopher Aldo Porco, described the university’s disciplinary proceeding as “reminiscent of the kangaroo court that expelled the fictional Deltas in the movie ‘Animal House,’” according to an AP story published by WJLA.
The [...]

[Read more →]

An Easy button on his bench. A bobble-head doll in his office with a photo of Chesterfield Circuit Court Clerk Judy Worthington attached to its head. A campaign sign for a board of supervisors candidate on his property.
None of those were good ideas, Chesterfield Circuit Judge Timothy J. Hauler acknowledged to a subcommittee of the [...]

[Read more →]

A University of Richmond law school team took top prize at the National Labor and Employment Mock Trial Competition in Chicago last weekend, the school reports.  Sixty-nine teams competed.
Team members Jeannine Panzera, Scott Jones, Kristen Wright and Hank Gates were coached by adjunct professor Paul Thompson.
In other news from Spider land, UR second-year law student [...]

[Read more →]

Arlington Circuit Judge Joanne F. Alper is one of five candidates the House and Senate Courts of Justice Committees will interview on Feb. 4 for the Virginia Court of Appeals vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Jean Harrison Clements.
The other four interviewees – Loudoun County Circuit Judge Burke F. McCahill, Winchester Circuit Judge John E. [...]

[Read more →]

What part of “not to be presumed reasonable” don’t you understand?
That appeared to be the question the U.S. Supreme Court had for the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals today in reversing and remanding a 360-month sentence imposed on a drug defendant.
The case of Lawrence Nelson was one of those the Supreme Court remanded for [...]

[Read more →]

The strong appellate advocacy program at Regent’s law school has struck again, returning from a national competition with a second place trophy and a best oralist honor for one of its participants.
Law students Lindsey Powdrell and Elizabeth Fabick carried the Regent colors to the invitation-only 2009 Moot Court National Championship in Houston.  Powdrell was best [...]

[Read more →]

Washington & Lee law professor Mark Drumbl is scheduled to deliver the Foundation for Law, Justice and Society Lecture at Oxford University Jan. 28.
Drumbl will address the limitations of criminal law in the aftermath of atrocity in the lecture entitled, “Justice after Atrocity:  A Cosmopolitan Pluralist Approach.”  Drawing from case-studies in Rwanda, Timor-Leste, and Bosnia, [...]

[Read more →]

The Virginia Association of Commonwealth’s Attorneys has canceled its forum for candidates for the Virginia Court of Appeals.
The forum had been scheduled for Monday at the University of Richmond law school.  In a news release, VACA president Joel R. Branscom said one of the expected participants withdrew, leaving only three of the eight candidates planning [...]

[Read more →]

The lead detective in the investigation of a brutal double murder in Staunton 41 years ago helped the killer bury the murder weapon and hide her guilt, according to the killer’s deathbed confession.
That was the account today from police officials in Staunton, who say they are working to find the gun and to check [...]

[Read more →]