The VLW Blog

The Virginia Association of Women Judges has awarded $500 scholarships to two Virginia high school students who wrote winning essays about the benefits of women’s full participation in the legislative and judicial branches of government. The VAWJ presented its scholarship awards at an April 30 luncheon at the Virginia State Capitol to Kariin A.M. Timmons [...]

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A hearing-impaired employee who sued Walmart for disability discrimination forfeited both her lawyer and her claim for damages when she lied about receiving mental health treatment. Stephanie Holmes worked four years as a stocker for a Walmart in Alexandria. She sued under the Americans with Disabilities Act, alleging Walmart failed to provide her with an [...]

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Yvonne C. McGhee, the executive director of the Fairfax Bar Association since 2000, was named today as the new executive director of the Virginia Bar Association. In announcing the appointment, VBA President Pia Trigiani said McGhee “possesses a unique and impressive background that combines legal experience and association management with a record of success in [...]

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Just in time for arguments in two federal health care lawsuits, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is poised to post audio of its proceedings on its website. Don’t expect live feeds from the courtroom, though. Audio files generally will appear on the website two days after argument. “Audio files for high profile cases [...]

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Danville U.S. District Judge Jackson Kiser has ordered a new trial for a Martinsville contractor’s claims of racial discrimination, based in part on post-trial evidence that undermined testimony about the company’s damages. The decision undoes a jury’s $3.17-million award against the Danville housing authority in February. At trial, the owner of the plaintiff grading contractor [...]

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The message was familiar, but recent events have provided new ammunition for 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Steven Agee as he encourages lawyers to stand up for the third branch of government. Agee said he perceives a “disconnect” between the importance of the judiciary and legislative budget decisions leaving judgeships unfilled. “It is [...]

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U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne says local counsel are essential to the smooth functioning of the rocket docket of the Richmond federal courts. “You have to educate the out-of-town lawyers about the way things are done here,” he told a courtroom full of lawyers last week at a continuing legal education program sponsored by [...]

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