The VLW Blog

Two measures designed to curb the cash flow from enforcement of local laws aimed at errant drivers have run out of gas at the General Assembly. Senate Bill 500, sponsored by Sen. John Watkins, R-Midlothian, would have prohibited the use of local traffic laws on Interstate highways. The bill appeared to target operations of the [...]

[Read more →]

A bill that would outlaw Virginia noncompete agreements is dead in the House of Delegates. House Bill 1187, introduced by Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, would have banned contracts restricting former employees from engaging in any lawful profession, trade or business. The bill spelled out exceptions for the sale of a business and for business organizers. [...]

[Read more →]

The judge hearing the pair of $10-million wrongful death lawsuits based on the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings has narrowed the claims as the cases near trial. Circuit Judge William Alexander ruled that claims against VT president Charles Steger were barred because they had been raised and dismissed in prior lawsuits filed in another Virginia court. [...]

[Read more →]

After passing the full Senate Feb. 6, legislation to adopt Rules of Evidence for Virginia today moved from a subcommittee to the full House Courts of Justice committee. Some subcommittee members had doubts on Monday, and the subcommittee retooled the measure to firm up legislative control of the process for changing the rules over time [...]

[Read more →]

Legislation to adopt Rules of Evidence for Virginia passed the full Senate yesterday, but stalled in a House subcommittee, whose members retooled the measure to firm up legislative control of the process for changing the rules over time. The Virginia Senate passed Senate Bill 94 on a 37-3 vote. Read the full story

[Read more →]

The Virginia State Bar Criminal Law Section presented its 2012 Harry L. Carrico Professionalism Award last week to Alexandria Public Defender Melinda Douglas. The award was presented on Feb. 3 during the section’s 42nd Annual Criminal Law Seminar in Williamsburg. The award is named for the former Virginia Supreme Court chief justice who promoted the [...]

[Read more →]

The House Courts of Justice committee on Friday voted 11-to-4 to report legislation designed to eliminate judges’ discretion to delay findings of guilt in many criminal cases. House Bill 750, sponsored by Del. Ben Cline, R-Amherst, would bar deferred disposition in any case where the facts would justify a finding of guilt unless the prosecutor [...]

[Read more →]

A Roanoke federal judge has ordered the Pittsylvania County supervisors to halt the routine use of Christian prayers to open their meetings. U.S. District Judge Michael F. Urbanski held Friday that none of the arguments in favor of the county board’s prayer policy “has any merit.” Concluding that a citizen who challenged the prayers was [...]

[Read more →]

A carpenter hired to do trim work on a home under construction was not “using” his box van when he left it parked on the property, and he does not have coverage under his State Farm business auto policy for damage to the home from a fire that originated in the box van. A Newport [...]

[Read more →]

Two new names appeared in questionnaires submitted to the Virginia State Bar Wednesday, the final day for submitting paperwork to indicate an interest in a seat on the Court of Appeals of Virginia. Augusta County Circuit Judge Victor V. Ludwig and and Deputy Secretary of Natural Resources Maureen Matsen are the new applicants for the [...]

[Read more →]