The VLW Blog

With review of a Virginia case, the United States Supreme Court could end confusion in some cases over whether a decedent’s spouse or a former spouse gets the life insurance benefits. In the case of Hillman v. Maretta, a husband took out life insurance through his federal job and made his wife the beneficiary. He [...]

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The United States Supreme Court has upheld the federal health care law, finding the critical individual mandate provision valid under Congress’ taxing powers, although not under its power to regulate commerce. Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, who opposed the health care law, initially said the court’s decision marked a “dark day for American liberty.” Later, [...]

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Advocates clashed Monday over whether a new U.S. Supreme Court decision gives a victory to those who favor allowing police to ask for documentation from suspected illegal immigrants without probable cause. The chair of the Prince William County board of supervisors praised the high court’s opinion. “I think they completely reaffirmed what Prince William County [...]

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(AP) U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer will be the guest speaker this afternoon when the University of Richmond law school dedicates its moot courtroom in memory of the late U.S. District Judge Robert Merhige Jr. Breyer is expected to talk about the legacy of Merhige, who is best known for ordering the desegregation of [...]

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U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia faces a fresh legal dilemma  – how to handle a traffic ticket and a possible auto accident claim. The justice was ticketed for following too closely after a rear-ender on the George Washington Parkway in Virginia on the way to work yesterday. He hit the leading motorist hard enough [...]

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The U.S. Supreme Court case of Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts was one of the bigger criminal cases of the previous decade in establishing that laboratory experts generally must testify in person rather than by affidavit. But what happened to Luis Melendez-Diaz, the defendant in that case? His case was remanded, and he was tried last week [...]

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Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli will request expedited review of the Virginia health care challenge by the U.S. Supreme Court, a move which would skip review of the case by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In a Feb. 3 news release, Cuccinelli said it’s important to get the issue resolved before Virginia and [...]

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U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, the University of Richmond’s Orator-in-Residence this year, will speak at the Jepson Alumni Center at noon on Nov. 19. His topic will be “Do Words Matter?” and he will sign copies of a book he co-wrote recently with Bryan Garner, “Marking Your Case: the Art of Persuading Judges.” Details [...]

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Westboro Baptist Church – the folks who stage anti-gay protests at funerals of service members – will be represented at a free public debate Sunday afternoon at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. Margie Phelps, an attorney and church member, will face off against attorney Bill Hurd of Troutman Sanders’ Richmond office. University of Richmond law [...]

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As new U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan was preparing to hear her first arguments, the Harris Poll conducted a survey aimed at determining how knowledgeable Americans are about the process of confirming a justice. Forty-two percent of 2,775 adults surveyed online between Aug. 9 and 16, say they are not knowledgeable about the process. [...]

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