Virginia Lawyers Weekly VA Lawyers Weekly

The Richmond Circuit Court marked a significant post-COVID milestone on Jan. 7. For the first time since the Supreme Court of Virginia declared a “judicial emergency” in March 2020, the Richmond Circuit Court held a civil jury trial.  The judicial ...

Tagged with: Coronavirus jury trial Kelly Martin Richmond Circuit Court Supreme Court of Virginia

Even though the Democrat-controlled House of Delegates largely has ignored the legislative proposal to expand the Court of Appeals of Virginia to allow appellate review for any circuit court judgment, the project remains alive on a legislative back burner, supporters ...

Tagged with: House of Delegates Virginia Court of Appeals Virginia General Assembly

Virginia Lawyers Weekly is taking nominations for the Virginia Lawyers Hall of Fame, our recognition program for Virginia’s most significant senior lawyers. Membership in the Hall of Fame is reserved for Virginia lawyers age 60 and older. Criteria for selection ...

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 woman who resigned as an equity partner from a law firm can’t bring a Title VII lawsuit against the firm, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled. In an apparent issue of first impression in the circuit, ...

Tagged with: 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson Title VII

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