Rain-induced sediment flows that have overcome Mountain Valley Pipeline’s erosion controls might not recur in the future, especially in light of heightened oversight by state and federal agencies. Therefore, preliminary injunctive relief is not appropriate. Background The Plaintiffs are landowners ...

Tagged with: Environmental Judge Elizabeth K. Dillon Real Estate Real Property Tort U.S. District Court - Western District

West Point residents stated viable nuisance and trespass claims against a paper mill near their properties. The plaintiffs alleged that wood dust invades the air in their homes and cars, even with windows closed. Background In downtown West Point, Virginia, ...

Tagged with: Environmental Judge John A. Gibney Jr. Real Estate Real Property Tort U.S. District Court - Eastern District

The “Important Opinions” that appear each week on the front page of Virginia Lawyers Weekly are those chosen by our editors as the most likely to impact law practice or a given subject area of law. Below is a listing, ...

Tagged with: 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Administrative Banking Bankruptcy Civil Procedure Civil Rights Commercial Constitutional Consumer Protection Contract Corporate Criminal Domestic Relations Employment Evidence Federal Jurisdiction First Amendment Government Immigration Intellectual Property Personal Injury Real Property Search & Seizure Supreme Court of Virginia Traffic U.S. District Court - Eastern District U.S. District Court - Western District Virginia Circuit Courts Virginia Court of Appeals Wills & Trusts

The trial court did not err in concluding that Code § 56-49.01(A) allows a natural gas company to gain access to private property for the purpose of conducting surveys and other activities, even if it can show that these activities ...

Tagged with: Justice Cleo E. Powell Real Estate Real Property Supreme Court of Virginia Utilities

This court granted judgment by default against all three Defendants for $85,851, attorney’s fees, and costs. After the Plaintiffs attempted to execute the judgment several times, the Defendants moved to set aside the default judgment on four grounds. The court ...

Tagged with: Civil Procedure Contract Judge Everett A. Martin Jr. Norfolk Circuit Court Real Estate Real Property Virginia Circuit Courts

For tax purposes, the City of Fairfax must assess Army Navy Country Club’s land as residential property and omit “improvements” (e.g. clubhouse, pool, tennis courts) that would be demolished in the event of residential development. Background This case challenges tax ...

Tagged with: Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Daniel E. Ortiz Real Estate Real Property Taxation Virginia Circuit Courts

The circuit court erred in in dismissing the plaintiff’s derivative action on the ground that the plaintiff had failed to first make a demand for the limited liability company to take action. No such demand is required when it would ...

Tagged with: Business Law Corporate Corporations Justice Stephen R. McCullough Real Estate Real Property Supreme Court of Virginia

Property owners must remove a gate impeding reasonable use of an easement on their property by the U.S. Forest Service, providing regulated recreational access to public lands. They erected the gate to mitigate illegal behavior resulting from public access. Background ...

Tagged with: Judge Elizabeth K. Dillon Real Estate Real Property U.S. District Court - Western District

A court order requiring a property owner to cure residential zoning violations gave him sufficient notice that he must remove “junk” not only from his front and side yards but also from his back yard. Background In April 2005, Henrico ...

Tagged with: Administrative Constitutional Due Process Judge Mary Grace O'Brien Municipal Real Estate Real Property Virginia Court of Appeals Zoning

Even though the owner of a servient estate had granted it to himself as trustee of a living trust, his subsequent easement – granted and recorded in his individual capacity – operated as a partial revocation of the prior transfer ...

Tagged with: Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge David Bernhard Real Estate Real Property Virginia Circuit Courts Wills & Trusts