Virginia Lawyers Weekly VA Lawyers Weekly

The district court did not err in holding a childcare center in contempt for violating the terms of an injunction related to use of the word “rainbow.” The center was liable for liquidated damages and attorneys’ fees, plus the cost ...

Tagged with: 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Attorneys Attorneys Fees Civil Practice Civil Procedure Contract Corporate Intellectual Property Judge G. Steven Agee

A property sales agreement, which set forth a mathematical formula for apportioning increases to local development-density rights between the property owners, was rendered impossible to calculate when the county removed the density limit entirely. Background In 2000, Appellant WG Land ...

Tagged with: Contract Justice Elizabeth A. McClanahan Land Use & Zoning Municipal Real Estate Real Property Supreme Court of Virginia

A subcontractor could not prevail on claims of quantum meruit or unjust enrichment when the disputed matters were clearly within the scope of the parties’ agreement. Background In 2014, Plaintiff Total Technology Solutions entered into an agreement with Defendant ActioNet ...

Tagged with: Business Law Contract Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Robert J. Smith Virginia Circuit Courts

The court lacked authority to review, on the plaintiff’s appeal, a dismissal order that simply granted a putative class-action plaintiff’s request for voluntary dismissal. Background Appellant Erin Keena purchased a voucher from Appellee Groupon Inc. In the course of the ...

Tagged with: 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Arbitration Business Law Civil Procedure Class Action Contract Judge Robert B. King

General-liability insurers could enforce their policy limits as to completed-operations and products hazard claims against the insured, stemming from decades-old asbestos exposure. Background This insurance-coverage dispute involves the applicability of two insurers’ policies to past, pending, and future asbestos-related bodily ...

Tagged with: 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Contract Corporate Evidence Insurance Judge James A. Wynn Jr. Personal Injury Regulated Industries

Dominion Virginia Power’s lawsuit to enforce a large judgment against a company that sold it “black mud” instead of coal will proceed against the company’s owner and president, with punitive damages potentially available. Background In 2014, Plaintiff Dominion Virginia Power ...

Tagged with: Business Law Corporate Judge John A. Gibney Jr. U.S. District Court - Eastern District

Financial documents submitted to a valuation company and later sought by subpoena were not privileged under either attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine. In any event, the defendant’s motion to quash the subpoena was untimely filed. Background This action revolves ...

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

The court could exercise personal jurisdiction over a North Carolina company sued for nonpayment by a Virginia contractor, without offending due process principles. Background Plaintiff Joe Rainero Tile Co., d/b/a Permatile, is a Virginia corporation located in Washington County. Defendant ...

Tagged with: Civil Procedure Contract Judge James P. Jones U.S. District Court - Western District

Rather than construing an ambiguous tax statute against the Commonwealth, the “add-back” statute intended to close a loophole – wherein a corporate entity pays royalties to an affiliated intangible holding company – required a national retail store to count such ...

Tagged with: Administrative Business Law Corporations Justice William C. Mims Supreme Court of Virginia Taxation

High-demand customers can purchase renewable energy from competitive service providers under a statutory framework for “individual retail customers.” Background This appeal presents the question whether certain large electricity consumers can purchase electricity from any licensed supplier of energy in the ...

Tagged with: Administrative Chief Justice Donald W. Lemons Environmental Regulated Industries Supreme Court of Virginia Utilities