Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Judge Elizabeth K. Dillon

Sep 25, 2023

Experts excluded in condemnation damages suit

Where two of the landowners’ experts in a condemnation damages suit provided opinions that were unreliable, and a third expert failed to provide a required report, they were excluded from the trial. Background Mountain Valley Pipeline, or MVP, is constructing an interstate natural gas pipeline. MVP commenced a condemnation action under the Natural Gas Act […]

Sep 25, 2023

Judgment entered against company for horse’s death

Where an equine transport company was sued for its alleged negligence in the death of a show horse, and the horse’s owner alleged that the company made material misrepresentations about its “superior insurance coverage for equine transport,” the company was liable for its constructive fraud. Background A show horse named Elton, who was owned by […]

Sep 19, 2023

Woman claims hospital did not offer appropriate exam

Where a woman alleged that she went to a hospital emergency room with infected sores and a variety of symptoms, but that she did not receive the type of screening that the hospital would ordinarily conduct for patients with the same symptoms, she plausibly alleged a claim for violation of the Emergency Medical Treatment and […]

Sep 11, 2023

Arbitration clause enforced against contractor

Where a woman agreed to arbitrate “any and all disputes between the Parties” when she signed on to a mobile app owned and administered by Walmart that allows independent contractors to provide shopping and delivery services for retailers and consumers, the agreement to arbitrate applied to the claims the woman brought against Walmart arising out […]

Sep 11, 2023

Judge refuses to recuse herself

Where a woman argued the judge should recuse herself because of attenuated connections with the law firm representing the defendants, but this court’s impartiality would not be questioned by a reasonable, well-informed observer, the recusal motion was denied. Background Plaintiff Crystal VL Rivers argues that the undersigned should recuse in this matter because one of […]

Sep 7, 2023

Damages awarded in condemnation suit

Where a portion of land was condemned for an easement required for an interstate natural gas pipeline and the company’s expert calculated the amount of just compensation to be $10,354, the company was granted summary judgment. Background Mountain Valley Pipeline, or MVP, is constructing an interstate natural gas pipeline. MVP commenced a condemnation action under […]

Sep 6, 2023

Guarantor liable for $160K judgment

Where a trash collection company failed to make required payments under an equipment financing agreement, and its guarantor failed to respond to the lender’s lawsuit alleging breach of contract, judgment was entered for a total of $156,987.72, plus attorney’s fees. Background This is a breach-of-contract debt collection case. Regions Bank filed its complaint on April […]

Sep 6, 2023

Defendants can’t call witnesses, introduce docs

Where defendants proposed calling witnesses and introducing documents at an evidentiary hearing on damages that they never identified in their initial disclosures, and the failures were not substantially justified or harmless, the defendants were prohibited from calling the majority of their witnesses and using any of the documents at the hearing. Background This case is […]

Aug 20, 2023

Defendants must defend sealing request

Where the plaintiff filed certain documents under seal because the defendants marked them as confidential, the defendants were offered an opportunity to explain whether — and, if so, why — these documents should remain sealed. Background This matter is before the court on non-party David B. Briggman’s motion for limited purpose intervention to unseal portions […]

Aug 20, 2023

Prison officials dodge detainee’s suit

Where a detainee failed to name certain prison officials as defendants in his civil rights suit until after the expiration of the statute of limitations, and there was no showing that they knew, or should have known, that they would have been named in the original complaint but for a “mistake” concerning their identities, the […]

Aug 16, 2023

Detainee alleges prison violated his religious rights

Where a detainee, who is a practicing Orthodox Jew, alleged his religious rights were violated because his faith requires him to pray daily using tefillin, but it was not always made available to him, he plausibly alleged a “substantial burden” under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, or RLUIPA. Background Bruce A. Estes, […]

Aug 16, 2023

Detainee plausibly states Eighth Amendment claim

Where a detainee alleged he was kept in four-point restraints for more than 34 hours, and in a cell that was saturated with mace and very cold, making it impossible for him to sleep and causing great discomfort, he plausibly stated an Eighth Amendment claim. Background Alucious Williams Jr., a Virginia detainee proceeding pro se, […]

Verdicts & Settlements

See All Verdicts & Settlements

Opinion Digests

See All Digests