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Virginia Supreme Court

Virginia Court of Appeals Agrees to Review Important Decision on Constitutional Rights

The Virginia Court of Appeals today granted a petition that I filed on behalf of my client, Felecia Amos, asking for a rehearing en banc of the Court’s decision in the Amos v. Commonwealth case.  The Court of Appeals’ initial ruling in the case, which was issued in August by a three judge panel of the Court before Ms. Amos hired me to represent her, upheld an Arlington County Circuit Court judge’s order sentencing Ms. Amos to ten days in…

Do not ignore a lawsuit!!

Many issues surrounding litigation are complicated.  But there is one straightforward, uncomplicated rule that applies to all lawsuits anywhere—if you are sued do not ignore the lawsuit!!  No matter how ridiculous the lawsuit seems or how much you do not want to pay for an attorney, you must respond to avoid a default judgment.  This rule may be obvious to many, but, it is ignored by untold numbers of individuals and small businesses every year.  Following this rule is especially…

Virginia Landlords Are Not Responsible for Safety of their Tenants According to Virginia Supreme Court

A just released Virginia Supreme Court decision will further Virginia’s reputation as a landlord-friendly jurisdiction.  In the case, Steward v. Holland Family Properties, LLC, the state’s highest court upheld a lower court ruling that a landlord was not liable for severe injuries to a child of tenants who rented a single-family home.  The child had ingested lead from peeling lead paint in the home. The landlord had informed the tenants of the possibility of lead in the house prior to…

Virginia Supreme Court Says Default Judgment Can be Entered Against Defendant Who Knows Nothing Of Lawsuit

The message of a somewhat surprising recent Virginia Supreme Court decision, Specialty Hospitals Of Washington v. Rappahannock Goodwill Industries, Inc., is clear:  anyone sued in a Virginia court had better file a timely response to the lawsuit—whether or not they actually know that they have been sued. The case arose when Rappahannock Goodwill Industries (RGI) filed a complaint against Specialty Hospitals in Fredericksburg Circuit Court for Specialty Hospitals’ alleged failure to pay for linen and laundry services that RGI had provided…