Where two men filed suit over their interaction with security at Busch Gardens amusement park and planned to testify as experts on security personnel conduct in their own case, they were precluded from doing so because their disclosures were deficient ...

Tagged with: Judge Lawrence R. Leonard Tort U.S. District Court - Eastern District

Where a Muslim teacher alleged she was subject to mandatory Christian prayers and other proselytizing, despite requests that such efforts cease; was repeatedly called a “radical Islamic terrorist” and her repeated complaints were ignored, she plausibly alleged a claim for ...

Tagged with: Employment Discrimination Judge Lawrence R. Leonard U.S. District Court - Eastern District

Where the plaintiff’s attorney failed to meet and confer regarding Walmart’s failure to respond to certain interrogatories before filing his motion to compel, he violated Fed. R. Civ. P.37 (a) and E.D. Va. Local Civil Rule 37(E). Although the requested ...

Tagged with: Evidence Judge Lawrence R. Leonard U.S. District Court - Eastern District

Although a man injured while shopping at Walmart agreed to settle his negligence claim for $20,000, because Walmart required execution of a settlement agreement as a material term, and no agreement was ever executed, there was no binding settlement.  Background ...

Tagged with: Contract Judge Lawrence R. Leonard U.S. District Court - Eastern District

Where a Kroger’s security camera recorded portions of a customer’s slip and fall but failed to preserve the footage, multiple sanctions were imposed, including that the store’s summary judgment motion was denied, the jury would be instructed regarding the lost ...

Tagged with: Judge Lawrence R. Leonard Judge Rebecca Beach Smith Premises Liability U.S. District Court - Eastern District

Where a defendant was forced to file a motion to compel a credit report from a reporting agency after the plaintiff’s attorneys refused to consent to its production, the defendant was entitled to recover reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs. Because ...

Tagged with: Evidence Judge Lawrence R. Leonard U.S. District Court - Eastern District

Where defendants raised advice of counsel as an affirmative defense to a suit alleging they improperly classified their employees, and where they made selective production of documents and produced their attorney for a deposition, they waived attorney-client privilege as to ...

Tagged with: Evidence Judge Lawrence R. Leonard U.S. District Court - Eastern District

Although a man injured in a barge accident could not assert a claim for unseaworthiness against the tug owner because only a seaman employed by a vessel can make such a claim, he can replead a claim for direct negligence. ...

Tagged with: Admiralty Judge Lawrence R. Leonard U.S. District Court - Eastern District

The malpractice occurred in 2007. Suit was originally filed in 2008. The case went to trial in 2011 and resulted in a defense verdict. The verdict was set aside based on alleged juror misconduct. The case was reset for trial ...

Tagged with: Judge Lawrence R. Leonard Medical Malpractice Settlement U.S. District Court - Eastern District

Because petitioner failed to obtain the Fourth Circuit’s authorization to file a successive  habeas petition as required under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, the court lacks jurisdiction and the claim must be dismissed. Background Plaintiff has ...

Tagged with: Constitutional Judge Lawrence R. Leonard U.S. District Court - Eastern District