The VLW Blog

The Republican takeover of the Virginia Senate led to the banishment of two veteran Democratic legislators from the Senate Courts of Justice committee. Sens. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath County, and Chap Petersen, D-Fairfax, were both shown the door as Sens. Jill Vogel, R-Winchester, and Bill Stanley, R-Moneta, were ushered in. Also named to the Senate Courts [...]

[Read more →]

Hampton Roads attorneys John M. Cooper (pictured above, left) and James G. Hurley Jr. (right) have formed a new personal injury law firm, Cooper Hurley, in Norfolk. Hurley has most recently been practicing as the Hurley Law Firm and Cooper was previously a partner with Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton in Virginia Beach. Cooper currently [...]

[Read more →]

Revisiting the issue after a Virginia Supreme Court remand, a Fairfax County judge says the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia can keep the church buildings sought by breakaway congregations. Circuit Judge Randy Bellows Tuesday ordered all church property involved in the protracted litigation be turned over to the diocese. A copy of Bellows’ 113-page opinion is [...]

[Read more →]

A federal judge cited that ‘70s anthem last week when he decided a mine worker who hadn’t toked up since high school should get a chance to return to work. Employer Dickenson-Russell Coal Company had a strict “zero tolerance” drug policy that called for random screening and disciplinary sanctions ranging up to termination. After the [...]

[Read more →]

Rebecca B. Connelly – the standing Chapter 13 bankruptcy trustee in the Western District – has been selected as a U.S. bankruptcy judge by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Connelly will succeed Bankruptcy Judge Ross W. Krumm as his term ends in August, according to a release from Chief U.S. District Judge Glen [...]

[Read more →]

The Appalachian School of Law has appointed LSU law Prof. Lucy McGough as its eighth dean. McGough will succeed Clinton Shinn who returns to teaching as of June 30. McGough has been on the Louisiana State faculty for more than 25 years where she has written extensively on juvenile justice and family law. She was [...]

[Read more →]

Last August, former Virginia House Majority Leader Bill Janis, R-Glen Allen, gave up his seat to run as an independent for Henrico County commonwealth’s attorney. His campaign was ultimately unsuccessful, leaving some to speculate what his next move might be. Now we know. According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Gov. Bob McDonnell has tapped Janis for [...]

[Read more →]

Any Virginia court could create a special docket to address the “specialized needs of similarly situated defendants” under legislation proposed by Del. Joe Morrissey, D-Richmond. House Bill 123 appears to be a reaction to a recent memo from Chief Justice Cynthia Kinser advising judges that specialized dockets are limited to those expressly approved by the [...]

[Read more →]