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Civil Rights: Police had probable cause to arrest man
Where a jury indicted a man for disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and felonious assault, that showed that officers had probable cause to arrest the man, defeating his claim for First Amendment retaliation.
Civil Rights: Incapacitated man sues over treatment by law enforcement officers
Where the plaintiff alleged that he was denied treatment for more than 30 hours, after he suffered a stroke that law enforcement officers concluded was intoxication, most of his claims survived the motion to dismiss.
Civil Rights: Officer granted immunity in K-9 biting suit
Where the plaintiff alleged a law enforcement officer violated his rights when he deployed his dog and allowed it to bite the plaintiff, but the court was unable to find any Fourth Circuit precedent that clearly establishes the constitutional right asserted by plaintiff with the requisite specificity, the officer was granted immunity.
Civil Rights: Mother’s suit over son’s murder is dismissed
Where a mother sought to hold school officials responsible, after her son was killed following his high school graduation, but her federal claims failed as a matter of law, they were dismissed.
New York posthumously admits Native American Civil War officer to bar
Ely Samuel Parker, a Seneca leader and Civil War officer once denied entry due to his Native American identity, is posthumously admitted to the New York State Bar.
Lawsuit claims D.C. police violated protester’s rights
The ACLU-backed lawsuit accuses D.C. police of detaining a man protesting National Guard patrols while playing Darth Vader’s “Imperial March.”
Civil Rights: Suit alleging discrimination at VCU ROTC program is dismissed
Where a woman sued Virginia Commonwealth University, alleging a “pattern and practice of racial bias and unfair treatment” by an individual “within the ROTC program,” but she did not allege the individual was employed by the university, the suit was dismissed.
BNP Paribas hit with $21M verdict over Sudan atrocities
SUMMARY Federal jury awards $21M to Sudanese refugees in BNP Paribas case Bank found liable for giving Sudan regime U.S. financial access Plaintiffs claimed BNP aided human rights abuses under […]
Civil Rights: Jury to decide if police retaliated against plaintiff
Where a reasonable juror could conclude that police officers intentionally falsified a police report about a crash involving the plaintiff, in retaliation for his complaints about one of the officers a few months earlier, the plaintiff’s retaliation, conspiracy and intentional infliction of emotional distress claims will be resolved by a jury.
Civil Rights: Man files suit after he’s arrested on stale warrant
Where a man was arrested on a stale warrant that the clerk’s office failed to recall or cancel, the district court erred when it held the clerk was immune on his state-law negligence claims. To be entitled to the immunity, there must be some discretion involved in the action or inaction. Because the lower court did not reach that issue, the case was remanded for that analysis.
Judge terminates consent decree governing Norfolk police and fire employment
A federal judge ends a 1978 consent decree over hiring bias in Norfolk's police and fire departments after DOJ says the city met diversity goals.
Police dog bite claims invalid under ‘Bivens’
The 4th Circuit denied a Bivens claim over a U.S. Marshals-led task force injury, finding it a new context and declining to extend the cause of action.
Verdicts & Settlements
- Motor Vehicle Negligence – 74-year-old injured in two-vehicle crash
- Employment- Arbitrator finds unfair labor practices by school
- Medical Malpractice- Gallbladder removal surgery results in reparative procedure
- Motor Vehicle Negligence – Car with mother, two children broadsided, rolled several times
- Motor Vehicle Negligence – Driver, passenger suffer injuries after truck crosses into lane
- Fraud – Jury sides with couple in home construction case
- Motor Vehicle Negligence – Triathlete suffered fractures after being struck by pickup truck
- Medical Malpractice- Nursing facility patient died after falling, suffering head injury
- Motor Vehicle Negligence – Sales manager sustained multiple injuires in Virginia Beach collision
- Products Liability – Workplace accident results in amputation at the wrist
- Motor Vehicle Negligence – Railroad worker injured in collision with tractor-trailer
Opinion Digests
- Banks and banking – Bank defeats customer’s conversion claim
- Prisons – Inmate’s lack-of-exercise claim was wrongly dismissed
- Criminal – Gang members convicted on multiple charges
- Employment – District court wrongly dismissed casino employee’s FMLA/USERRA suit
- Tort- Government contractor liable for abuses at Abu Ghraib
- Negligence – Claims narrowed in trucking accident
- Employment – Retaliation claim against Freddie Mac is dismissed
- Civil Practice – Rule 12(b)(6) motion can’t be granted simply because its unopposed
- Municipal – Lynchburg registrar’s attack on adverse jury verdict fails
- Bankruptcy – Chapter 11 petition stays asbestos-exposure lawsuits
- Criminal – Evidence supports conviction for possession of a firearm by a felon
- Consumer Protection – Default judgment entered against auto dealership
