Virginia Lawyers Weekly VA Lawyers Weekly

A dog trainer who won his libel claim in Alexandria U.S. District Court against a defendant who disseminated through emails and Facebook allegations of animal cruelty against the trainer wins attorney’s fees of $75,833 and costs of $3,954. A jury ...

Tagged with: Judge James C. Cacheris Tort U.S. District Court - Eastern District

A plaintiff who appealed an unlawful detainer decision against him in state court and then filed his own quiet title action can defeat defendant mortgage association’s federal court removal of plaintiff’s quiet title action under the “prior exclusive jurisdiction doctrine,” ...

Tagged with: Civil Procedure Judge Robert E. Payne U.S. District Court - Eastern District

(PUBLISHED ORDER) The 4th Circuit denies rehearing and rehearing en banc in this case in which a split panel held that plaintiff Virginia inmates did not state due process and ex post facto claims against defendant members of the Virginia ...

Tagged with: 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Criminal

SALEM – The renovated childhood home of famed civil rights pioneer Oliver Hill will be active once again with a new plan for mentoring and tutoring of Roanoke school students. Big Brothers Big Sisters is partnering with the Roanoke City ...

Tagged with: Civil Rights

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Stephen C. St. John has been selected as chief judge for the Eastern District. The designation, effective Jan. 1, was made by the district judges of the district. St. John is the first chief from the Norfolk ...

Tagged with: Bankruptcy

Although plaintiff builder split his contractor business into two corporations and is still trying to straighten out his licensing issues, his alleged unlicensed status does not void the contract on which he is suing to collect $385,000 in extras on ...

Tagged with: Contract Judge Robert P. Doherty Jr. Salem Circuit Court Virginia Circuit Courts

Although plaintiff’s insurance carrier mistakenly offered underinsured motorist coverage policy limits, the carrier nevertheless is bound by its offer of $25,000 UIM policy limits, in addition to the $100,000 liability coverage offered by defendant in the underlying auto accident case, ...

Tagged with: Hopewell Circuit Court Judge Nathan C. Lee Negligence Virginia Circuit Courts

A 1999 property settlement agreement stating husband could reduce his monthly child support from $1,500 to $1,050 per month if, “through no fault” of his, he lost his supplemental income as a consultant, was not self-executing, and the husband owes ...

Tagged with: Domestic Relations Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Jonathan C. Thacher Virginia Circuit Courts

Regulations of the Department of Motor Vehicles that prohibit vanity license plates that may reasonably be interpreted as socially, racially or ethnically offensive are unconstitutional because they are not “viewpoint neutral,” and a Chesapeake Circuit Court says the DMV may ...

Tagged with: Administrative Chesapeake Circuit Court Virginia Circuit Courts

The Court of Appeals says an officer had a reasonable suspicion to justify a pat-down of defendant, based on defendant’s anger, mood swings and profuse sweating on a winter night, when the officer questioned defendant about what he knew about ...

Tagged with: Judge William G. Petty Search & Seizure Virginia Court of Appeals