The VLW Blog

The Court of Appeals of Virginia has upheld the embezzlement conviction of former Richmond Social Security lawyer Kyle C. Leftwich. Leftwich was convicted in 2011 of taking $450,000 from the firm of Marks & Harrison by pocketing attorney fees paid to her by the Social Security Administration. Under her employment contract, the fees belonged to [...]

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A divorce court’s interpretation of a PSA to figure the trigger for the father’s support obligation did not rewrite their agreement, the Court of Appeals of Virginia ruled today. The 2010 property settlement agreement between Brian and Gracie McPhail said he would pay support of $550 per month “upon the sale of the house or [...]

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A dozen motorcyclists convicted of violating Virginia’s mandatory helmet law had their convictions reversed by the state Court of Appeals Tuesday. Three other bikers had helmet convictions affirmed. The 15 defendants all were wearing headgear of some kind when they attended the 2011 Virginia Beach Bike Classic, but police claimed the riders’ helmets failed to [...]

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If a picture truly is worth a thousand words, the Court of Appeals of Virginia has saved some space in a new opinion. For what appears to be only the second time, the court printed a photograph of a weapon as a part of a published opinion to help readers understand distinctions about the weapon’s [...]

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Teresa Chafin is now on the Court of Appeals of Virginia. The former Tazewell County circuit judge was sworn in as a Court of Appeals judge Monday, according to court clerk Cynthia L. McCoy. The date and place of her formal investiture have not yet been determined, McCoy said. The vacancy on the 29th Circuit [...]

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Virginia judicial leaders are getting ready to take a close look at how busy the state’s judges are. Supreme Court Chief Justice Cynthia D. Kinser has appointed an 18-member advisory committee to assist the court in its General Assembly-mandated study of trial court caseloads. At the same time, the Judicial Council of Virginia will measure [...]

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Call it a double benchslap. A Virginia Court of Appeals panel Tuesday delivered a scathing opinion that takes both lawyers to task in a bitter and widely publicized divorce case involving a couple with both legal and political connections. The opinion in Griffin v. Griffin again thrusts into public view the protracted divorce proceedings of [...]

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A dispute over public access to evidence in a criminal file must be resolved by the Supreme Court of Virginia, a Court of Appeals panel decided in a split decision. A newspaper reporter is challenging the decision of a Newport News judge to block access to certain evidence in a criminal case. Two members of [...]

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The Hispanic Bar of the Commonwealth of Virginia has rated candidates for the expected vacancy on the Court of Appeals of Virginia, according to member David Bernhard of Falls Church: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Roanoke lawyer Monica T. Monday Fairfax County Circuit Judge Lorraine Nordlund RECOMMENDED: Tazewell County Circuit Judge Teresa Marlene Chafin Virginia Secretary of Natural [...]

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The Virginia State Bar’s Judicial Nominations Committee has found six candidates highly qualified for the expected vacancy this year on the Court of Appeals of Virginia. One other candidate was found “qualified.” The panel votes first on whether a candidate is “qualified.” A second round of votes is then taken on whether candidates will be [...]

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