Attorneys’ “egregious” conduct was designed to, and did, mislead the district court, the 4th Circuit affirmed. They challenged the authenticity of a loan agreement for two years before revealing that they possessed an identical copy, obtained from their client, before ...

Tagged with: 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Attorneys Fees Banking Civil Practice Contract Judge Allyson K. Duncan Sanctions

In a case brought by an autistic man for alleged mistreatment in prison, the Virginia Department of Corrections acted in bad faith by failing to adequately prepare organizational witnesses under FRCP 30(b)(6). Background Plaintiff Reginald Latson has moved to compel ...

Tagged with: Attorneys Fees Civil Practice Civil Procedure Discovery Judge James P. Jones Sanctions U.S. District Court - Western District

A plaintiff suing for $4.75 million on a groundless defamation claim is liable for a proportion of the defendant’s litigation fees and costs. The plaintiff’s attorney was not subject to sanctions, as she relied on her client’s information until she ...

Tagged with: Attorneys Attorneys Fees Civil Practice Judge H. Lee Harrell Montgomery County Circuit Court Sanctions Tort Virginia Circuit Courts

Based on frivolous claims and lack of candor with the court, a charitable bond organization and its individual attorneys will be responsible for a Virginia sheriff’s legal fees in defending those claims. Background Plaintiff Nexus Services Inc. is a charitable ...

Tagged with: Attorneys Fees Civil Practice Judge Elizabeth K. Dillon Sanctions Search & Seizure U.S. District Court - Western District

Following contentious patent litigation, the court declined to award attorneys’ fees requested on grounds that the patent owner’s claims and litigation conduct were exceptionally unreasonable. Background Plaintiff CertusView Technologies LLC holds five related patents related to its “e-Sketch” technology, which ...

Tagged with: Attorneys Fees Business Law Civil Practice Intellectual Property Judge Mark Davis Sanctions U.S. District Court - Eastern District

This case involves yet another collision between traditional methods of providing – and policing – legal services to consumers for bankruptcy matters and attempts by attorneys and creative online marketers to tap into that market on a high-volume, multi-jurisdictional basis. ...

Tagged with: Attorneys Bankruptcy Civil Practice Judge Paul M. Black Sanctions U.S. Bankruptcy Court

The high court voided a sanctions order entered more than 21 days after the circuit court’s final order granting the defendant’s demurrer and dismissing the complaint. Appellant Timothy M. Barrett filed a complaint against Appellee Valerie Jill Rhudy Minor challenging ...

Tagged with: Civil Procedure Sanctions Supreme Court of Virginia Unpublished Opinion

The request came on the afternoon of deadline day. The lawyer for a heating contractor was about to get an unexpected prize in a mechanic’s lien case. The clock was running out on an opponent’s time to answer his lawsuit. ...

Tagged with: Justice Donald W. Lemons Justice William C. Mims Sanctions Supreme Court of Virginia News

A litigant in Virginia courts can be punished for vindictive lawsuits regardless of whether the claims in those lawsuits had any validity, the Supreme Court of Virginia ruled this month. The court said sanctions can be imposed on a vexatious ...

Tagged with: Judge Cheryl V. Higgins Justice Cleo E. Powell Sanctions Supreme Court of Virginia News

A former CEO who sued for $150 million over his job loss struck out in federal court this month, paying $36,660 in discovery sanctions and then having his claim tossed out of court by a skeptical judge. The former boss ...

Tagged with: Employment Federal Courts Judge James C. Cacheris Sanctions