Virginia Lawyers Weekly VA Lawyers Weekly

State Sen. Chap Petersen and his litigation client together have been sanctioned for filing what a judge termed a “speculative” lawsuit over business losses by a franchisee. Retired Circuit Judge Joseph J. Ellis – sitting in Fairfax County – ordered ...

Tagged with: Fairfax County Judge Joseph J. Ellis Sanctions Sen. Chap Petersen

An ex-husband working overseas could be tried in a Virginia court for alleged contempt of court in his divorce case, based on substituted service, the Virginia Court of Appeals has ruled. The ruling breaks with the practice of some circuit ...

Tagged with: contempt order Virginia Court of Appeals

A Virginia Beach lawyer who used his position as executor of a neighbor’s will to try to negotiate relief from a loan repayment obligation has been suspended from law practice for six months. A three-judge panel of Virginia Beach Circuit ...

Even if a commonwealth’s attorney decides not to staff certain misdemeanor cases, the prosecutor’s office still has the obligation to make sure crime victims are provided notice of their criminal proceedings, a Fairfax County judge has ruled. The judge’s decision ...

Tagged with: Criminal Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Randy I. Bellows

A proposal to make it possible for Virginians to sign their wills even though they may be isolated for pandemic or other reasons has died in the General Assembly. Skeptical senators concerned about mischief in the execution of wills say ...

After a rocky start marked by protests from participating legislators, senators and delegates used Zoom to interview a notably diverse and mostly well-received field of 29 candidates for 28 open judgeships in Virginia’s trial courts last week. Legislators heatedly objected ...

A restaurant is not liable to a customer who was bitten by a copperhead snake as she entered the establishment, a Spotsylvania County judge has ruled, citing a doctrine on liability for wild animals. The judge dismissed the victim’s claims ...

Tagged with: Judge William E. Glover Rachel Myrick restaurant Snake bite Spotsylvania County wild animals

As the General Assembly refines plans to expand the Court of Appeals of Virginia to 15 or 17 judges, Virginia bar organizations are making recommendations on who should fill the extra seats. A Virginia State Bar committee reported 11 candidates ...

Tagged with: General Assembly Judicial Candidate Evaluation Committee Virginia Court of Appeals Virginia State Bar

A law firm has been disqualified from representing a medical malpractice plaintiff after one of the firm’s lawyers signed multiple case documents while his license was administratively suspended. The Washington-based lawyer let his Virginia license lapse for more than two ...

Tagged with: Judge Joseph A. Migliozzi Jr. Norfolk Circuit Court Virginia Circuit Courts

The Virginia State Bar is seeking speedy discipline for a Norfolk lawyer whose handling of client money allegedly creates ongoing harm to the public. Bar prosecutors sought an expedited hearing for ethics charges against attorney Carl C. La Mondue after ...

Tagged with: Attorney discipline Virginia State Bar