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Reinstated student wins attorney’s fees
A male student who won reinstatement to George Mason University after his expulsion for sexual misconduct and violation of a student speech code has won attorney’s fees and costs of $278,531. The Alexandria federal court that awarded the fees highlighted the plaintiff’s lawyers’ extensive efforts to settle the case as a reason not to trim […]
Billing for Underqualified Employees States FCA Claim
A plaintiff who worked for defendant defense contractor in Iraq under a Worldwide Protective Services contract as a deputy project manager of operations for the Baghdad Embassy Security Force Project states a False Claims Act claim with allegations that he was fired in retaliation for reporting the contractor’s practice of keeping personnel in the highest […]
Lawyer Faces Reciprocal Discipline by PTO
A Missouri lawyer whose law license was suspended indefinitely by the Supreme Court of Missouri cannot overturn an order of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office imposing identical reciprocal discipline pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 32; the Alexandria U.S. District Court upholds the decision, despite the fact that the Virginia State Bar did not impose […]
Debtor Can’t Discharge Tax Debt
A Chapter 13 debtor who failed to file state income tax returns for certain years cannot reopen her bankruptcy case after the Virginia Department of Taxation attempts to collect her delinquent state taxes; the Alexandria U.S. District Court affirms the bankruptcy court’s denial of debtor’s claim that defendant violated the discharge injunction because she failed […]
Client Owes Lawyer for Improper Removal
An Alexandria U.S. District Court upholds a magistrate judge’s order requiring plaintiff lawyer’s client to pay plaintiff $3,325.75 in actual expenses, including attorney’s fees, for the client’s improper removal of the lawyer’s collection action to federal court after it had been remanded to state court. Plaintiff lawyer sued defendant in state court for breach of […]
FCA Suit Dismissed Under First-to-File Rule
A relator’s False Claims Act suit alleging defendant Unisys hired employees who were unqualified to work on contracts to provide the U.S. Army with world-wide radio-frequency identification network services (RFID) in Europe and Africa under Task Order 122, an Alexandria U.S. District Court dismisses the suit for failure to state a worthless services claim and […]
Plaintiff Can’t Force DHS to Share Docs
A plaintiff who is facing Virginia state court charges for possession of child pornography cannot challenge defendant Department of Homeland Security’s invocation of Touhy regulations to refuse to disclose documentary and testimonial information related to DHS’ investigation of plaintiff; an Alexandria U.S. District Court says the proper means of raising plaintiff’s constitutional clai[...]
No Time-Served Credit for Mistaken Release
A defendant sentenced to 15 days in custody for possession of marijuana in violation of his supervised release conditions, but who was erroneously released after five days, is not entitled to time-served credit for the 10 days he was at liberty; applying factors developed under the rule of credit for time at liberty, the Alexandria […]
Cell Phone Seizure at Airport Upheld
An Alexandria U.S. District Court denies defendant’s motion to suppress evidence from defendant’s cell phone, seized as defendant, a Turkish citizen who came to the U.S. on a B2 visitor visa and who reportedly had firearms parts in his luggage, was about to board an airplane to leave the U.S.; the manual search conducted at […]
Officer Must Return to U.S. for Deposition
A Costco customer who alleges Costco gave police false information that plaintiff and her husband committed fraud in returning flooring purchased at Costco, resulting in their arrests, can take the deposition of a former police officer who also was sued in plaintiff’s earlier complaint, and who now works for a defense contractor in a foreign […]
Firm Gets Higher Costs Under Fee Contract
On remand from a 4th Circuit decision vacating an award of $1.2 million in attorney’s fees and $720,622 in costs in these international business tort cases involving tire manufacturers’ trade secrets, the Alexandria U.S. District Court re-evaluates the fee request under quantum meruit principles and awards the firm the same amount of attorney’s fees but […]
Costco Faces Customer ‘Malicious Prosecution’ Suit
A couple who allege they followed defendant Costco’s instructions to take advantage of a reduced price for $1,000 of new flooring they purchased from Costco, only to face arrest after Costco told police the couple had committed fraud, including the arrest of wife after husband’s case had been dropped, so that she had to spend […]
Verdicts & Settlements
- Woodshop incident leads to amputation of fingers — $1.3M settlement
- Motorcyclist’s foot amputated in collision — $7M settlement
- Contractor rear-ended on interstate on way to wedding — $825,000 settlement
- Man suffers back injury in crash with out-of-state driver — $530,000 settlement
- Driver crossed center line, struck 89-year-old’s vehicle — $1.2M settlement
- Jury returns defense verdict in favor of gastroenterologist
- Teens killed in T-bone collision with officer — $3.1M settlement
- Man sustained subdural hematoma in rear-end collision —$1.15M settlement
- Adequate anesthesia not provided during C-section — $2.5M verdict
- Tenant fell ill from mold in apartment — $588,000 verdict
- Woman suffers nerve injury, pain after dental procedure — $550,000 settlement
- Driver struck child exiting school bus — $750,000 settlement
Opinion Digests
- Suit over historic mansion and estate dismissed
- Former employee’s claims survive motion to dismiss
- Equal Pay Act doesn’t apply to applicant
- Court rejects invocation of attorney-client privilege
- Evidence supported competency determination
- Appellees had power to remove business manager
- No continuance after witnesses failed to appear
- No actual or constructive eviction in warranty case
- Gas distribution pipeline exempt from ZBA regulation
- Improper venue in air pollution regulation matter
- No benefits awarded in unemployment comp case
- No immunity for judge who personally oversaw search
