The VLW Blog

McGuireWoods’ failure to provide full disclosure of incentives for some plaintiffs was labeled an “egregious” violation of ethical rules as the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a complete denial of fees for the Richmond-based firm for work on a class action antitrust case. The firm represented would-be lawyers who claimed West Publishing Corp. and [...]

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A judge has upheld a jury verdict rejecting claims that the design of a child car seat led to devastating brain injury for a five-year-old girl. While Abingdon federal Judge James P. Jones denied the girl’s motion for a new trial, he increased an award of attorneys’ fees to her lawyers based on discovery misconduct [...]

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The maker of a line of child car seats is on trial in Abingdon with a handicap — the court has banned any evidence about why the company chose not to add protective foam to the head area side wings of the car seat in question. In the trial, a seven-year-old girl is seeking $20 [...]

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A Charlottesville judge cut a husband’s wrongful death verdict by two thirds and ordered sanctions against the plaintiff and his lawyer in the aftermath of a hotly contested trial that produced a record overall jury award. A 32-page order from Circuit Court Judge Edward Hogshire also refers Charlottesville lawyer Matthew Murray to the Virginia State [...]

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A trial lawyer has two chances to request recusal. The lawyer takes a pass both times. The judge rules against the lawyer’s client. It’s hard to argue on appeal that the judge’s bias requires reversal. Not only did the lawyer lose the appeal in a fight over an Internet domain name, he was hit with [...]

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A lawyer trying to locate evidence to bolster his lending fraud case stepped over the line when he met with a witness that he knew was represented by counsel in a related matter, a federal judge has ruled. The evidence obtained by Michigan lawyer David Binkley – in part through a clandestine meeting in a [...]

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Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli says district courts have the same authority to impose sanctions as circuit courts under both Virginia Code § 8.01-271.1 and their inherent authority to protect the public and the judicial process. Cuccinelli reached that conclusion in an opinion requested by Barbara J. Gaden, chief judge of the Richmond General District Court. [...]

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What part of no don’t you understand? Chesterfield lawyer Richard C. Ferris II tried four times to get a circuit judge to set aside a default judgment entered against his client – the original pleading, a motion to reconsider, a second motion asking for reconsideration because the testimony of a witness at the first reconsideration [...]

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Virginia Beach appellate specialist Steve Emmert won’t have to drive to Richmond tomorrow to make a 10-minute argument after all. He was notified this morning that the Supreme Court of Virginia has agreed to hear his appeal of sanctions awarded against 40 Gloucester County residents without the need for oral argument before a three-justice writ [...]

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A group of 40 Gloucester County residents, eager to test an award of sanctions for seeking the ouster of local officials, finally has a case on the docket at the Supreme Court of Virginia. As reported by the Daily Press , the citizens filed their petition for appeal Wednesday at the high court. The citizens [...]

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