Virginia Lawyers Weekly VA Lawyers Weekly

A company that obtained a trademark for the phrase “we buy houses” cannot enforce it, because the phrase was used extensively by industry participants to describe a class of services rather than any particular service provider. Background Plaintiff Express Homebuyers ...

Tagged with: Business Law Intellectual Property Judge T.S. Ellis III U.S. District Court - Eastern District

In arranging a site visit from a competitor, a cooking-oil refinery’s attempt to safeguard its technology via prior agreement was only partially successful. Though largely unenforceable, the agreement demonstrated the plaintiff’s desire and reasonable efforts to maintain its technology as ...

Tagged with: Business Law Contract Judge Norman K. Moon U.S. District Court - Western District

In a contract dispute between a Dominion subsidiary and a pipeline-construction company, the court resolved some issues related to non-payment claims, but held that the scope of the parties’ contract and certain aspects of its performance could not be determined ...

Tagged with: Construction Contract Judge John A. Gibney Jr. U.S. District Court - Eastern District Utilities

In trade-secret litigation concerning a disputed international patent for a sugar substitute, a defendant’s attempt to “join” related counter-defendants was procedurally improper under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 13(h). Background Sugar tastes good. But it’s unhealthy. So companies and scientists ...

Tagged with: Arbitration Business Law Civil Procedure Contract Judge Norman K. Moon Tort U.S. District Court - Western District

After granting a judgment debtor’s motion to reduce the amount of a confessed judgment, the circuit court erred in not setting the creditor’s objections to the modified amount for trial. Background On November 19, 2008, Appellee Hunter Mill West executed ...

Tagged with: Business Law Justice Cleo E. Powell Supreme Court of Virginia

A written agreement between a corporation and the government preserved the company’s attorney-client privilege and work-product protection for information that the general counsel of a subsidiary entity disclosed to the government. Background Several years ago, federal prosecutors opened a grand ...

Tagged with: 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Business Law Contract Criminal Evidence Judge Roger L. Gregory

The material terms of the parties’ contract for services were committed to writing in daily sales tickets and an invoice for hours of services performed. Absent additional conditions agreed upon by the parties, an unsigned writing can be a written ...

Tagged with: Business Law Civil Procedure Construction Contract Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Bruce D. White Virginia Circuit Courts

Although the plaintiff’s choice of venue would ordinarily be entitled to great weight, several factors tipped the balance in favor of transfer to California, including the location of the defendant company’s headquarters, the location of key witnesses, and the small ...

Tagged with: Business Law Civil Procedure Class Action Judge M. Hannah Lauck U.S. District Court - Eastern District

This court granted judgment by default against all three Defendants for $85,851, attorney’s fees, and costs. After the Plaintiffs attempted to execute the judgment several times, the Defendants moved to set aside the default judgment on four grounds. The court ...

Tagged with: Civil Procedure Contract Judge Everett A. Martin Jr. Norfolk Circuit Court Real Estate Real Property Virginia Circuit Courts

A manufacturer stated a claim for defamation against the project-management company for whom it had provided turbines, based on oblique comments about “quality control” made by the company’s CEO on its shareholder earnings call. Background In this action, Plaintiff Fluor ...

Tagged with: Business Law Contract Judge M. Hannah Lauck Personal Injury Tort U.S. District Court - Eastern District