Where counsel for two objectors to a putative class action settlement sought to recover $237,500 in attorney’s fees, but they obtained only a modest result, their conduct delayed relief to the class and they impermissibly block billed for their time, ...

Tagged with: Consumer Protection Judge Robert E. Payne U.S. District Court - Eastern District

Where plaintiffs reached a settlement over claims that long-term care, or LTC, insurers failed to disclose material information to policyholders, a husband and wife then objected to that settlement and the defendants agreed to increased compensation to policyholders in exchange ...

Tagged with: Consumer Protection Judge Robert E. Payne U.S. District Court - Eastern District

Attorneys who successfully represented a class of persons who alleged that carriers failed to disclose material information to policyholders of long-term care, or LTC, policies, to their detriment, were awarded up to $13 million in fees. Background Plaintiffs filed a ...

Tagged with: Consumer Protection Judge Robert E. Payne U.S. District Court - Eastern District

Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne is the recipient of the 2023 Harry L. Carrico Professionalism Award from the Virginia State Bar Section on Criminal Law. Payne received the award at the 53rd Annual Criminal Law Seminar on Feb. ...

Tagged with: Judge Robert E. Payne

Where a waiver limiting the ability of borrowers to bring a class action suit did not allow them to vindicate their federal rights, it was unenforceable. Background This class-action proceeding relates to a lending scheme allegedly designed to circumvent state ...

Tagged with: 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Consumer Protection Judge Robert E. Payne

Where three persons argued that it was unfair to send rate increase letters to class members during the same time period as settlement negotiations and preliminary approval of a putative class-action suit over long-term care policies was occurring, their objections ...

Tagged with: Consumer Protection Judge Robert E. Payne U.S. District Court - Eastern District

Where objections lodged by persons to a preliminary class settlement resulted in changes to the settlement agreement that materially increased the benefits to class members, the objectors were each awarded $7,500, along with their attorney’s fees. Background Plaintiffs filed a ...

Tagged with: Consumer Protection Judge Robert E. Payne U.S. District Court - Eastern District

Where the court considered whether to transfer this suit alleging an insurer selected, retained and otherwise ratified poorly-performing investments in its retirement plan, to the Alexandria division, where two similar suits with common issues were pending, but plan documents required ...

Tagged with: Insurance Judge Robert E. Payne U.S. District Court - Eastern District

Where the court preliminarily approved a settlement in a lawsuit alleging a long-term care insurance carrier committed fraud by failing to advise policyholders of its plan to raise premiums, objections to the composition of the class, contents of the notice, ...

Tagged with: Consumer Protection Judge Robert E. Payne U.S. District Court - Eastern District

Where the defendant is a resident in the forum, and thus the case would not ordinarily be eligible for removal, but the plaintiff agreed to a forum-selection clause that allowed this court as one of two “exclusive” venues, that clause ...

Tagged with: Contract Judge Robert E. Payne U.S. District Court - Eastern District