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Recent Articles from Rebecca M. Lightle
Misrepresentations void policy for airplane damage
A policy covering the defendant’s airplane was void ab initio based on his false statements about the status and location of the plane. He’d sought last-minute coverage for his already-dilapidated […]
Post-stop consent to search vehicle was valid
After being released with a verbal warning for a broken brake light and driving on a suspended license, a reasonable person in the defendant’s position would have felt free to […]
Pro se litigant must pay county’s legal fees
After “only the latest in a string of frivolous lawsuits” against Loudoun County and its various departments, a pro se litigant must pay the county more than $4,000 in attorneys’ fees. She is […]
Water company’s general rate increase approved
Sufficient evidence supported the State Corporation Commission’s determination that a requested pilot infrastructure surcharge was just and reasonable. Background In 2015, the Virginia-American Water Company applied to the State Corporation […]
“Deplorable” conditions not intentional damage
Most of a tenant couple’s debt to their former landlord, based on unpaid rent and the poor conditions in which they left the rental, was dischargeable. The court held a […]
Damages-as-revenue case merits minimum damages
The court granted default judgment against infringement defendants who did not respond to the plaintiff’s lawsuit, but awarded only the minimum in statutory damages and found counsel’s requested fees unreasonable. […]
No pretext in male candidate’s promotion
Panel interviews of four candidates – even split by gender – to fill a U.S. Marshals Service leadership position provided no basis to find that the proffered reasons for selecting […]
Policy covers damage from concrete “smoke”
Under Virginia law, “smoke” composed of suspended particulate matter caused by concrete dust qualified for an exception to the “pollution exclusion” in the insured company’s policy. Background In this insurance […]
Single action improper against online counterfeit defendants
The actions of 28 Chinese entities selling counterfeit goods on the internet did not arise out of the same transaction or occurrence, and they must be severed into individual suits. Background The […]
Plaintiff’s “unclean hands” irrelevant to antitrust relief
Holding that “unclean hands” is not a defense to equitable relief in antitrust, the court excluded the defendant’s evidence that the plaintiff misappropriated its trade secrets, finding such evidence not […]
After state nonsuit, plaintiff states federal wage claim
A contract employee plausibly stated claims for FLSA violations and breach of contract based on allegations that his employer withheld two weeks of paychecks. Because the state court in his […]
Appeal of jurisdictional discovery order was frivolous
Defendants who asked the court to dismiss the case against them for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction had no basis to appeal the court’s denial without prejudice. The court had denied […]
Verdicts & Settlements
- Medical Malpractice-Patient dies following blood loss in surgery
- Motor Vehicle Negligence – Defense points to plaintiff’s prior collision, stressors
- Medical Malpractice – Ingrown toenail removal leads to CRPS type 2
- Motor Vehicle Negligence Rear-seat passenger injured when car hits telephone pole
- Motor Vehicle Negligence- Car crash after back surgery causes additional injuries
- Medical Malpractice – Jurors side with cardiologist over treatment of strokes
- Negligence and Tort- Ice pack use during tattoo removal causes frostbite
- Workers’ Compensation Struck by metal door at workplace, plaintiff sustains subdural hematoma
- Motor Vehicle Negligence Woman struck by vehicle loses senses of taste, smell
- Motor Vehicle Negligence – Pedestrian struck by car while in parking lot
- Motor Vehicle Negligence- Driver fractures right leg in tractor-trailer collision
Opinion Digests
- Freedom of Information – Exemption 5 protects draft PTAB written decision
- Fraud – Homeowners’ RICO claim is dismissed
- Criminal – Sex-offender convicted of providing false information
- Evidence – Defendants must respond to post-judgment discovery
- Patent and trademark – Several claims found to be ineligible for patent protection
- Criminal – Evidence supports robbery conviction
- Administrative – Internal Communications Among Patent Judges – Withheld Materials
- Criminal – Denial of continuance wasn’t abuse of discretion
- Criminal – Felony eluding conviction violated Double Jeopardy clause
- Criminal – Defendant was wrongly convicted of two counts of hit-and-run
- Criminal – Sexually-violent predator denied conditional release
- Constitutional – Redistricting effort violated Virginia Constitution
