Recent Articles from Peter Vieth, BridgeTower Media Newswires
In Virginia Beach, lawyers, court staff soldier on after shooting
Three days after a gunman shot and killed 12 people at the sprawling Virginia Beach, Virginia government complex, lawyers were back in court nearby on June 3 arguing to a jury over the value of a personal injury claim. The courthouse was just a few hundred yards from “Building 2” at the Virginia Beach Municipal […]
Boy’s suit over gluten-free meal can go ahead
Allowing a young visitor to Colonial Williamsburg to eat his homemade meal with classmates in a historic tavern might be a necessary accommodation to his special dietary needs, a panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last month. But one dissenting member of the panel termed such a legal rule a “terrible […]
Lawyer’s home, assets subject to forfeiture
A lawyer charged with helping his wife plunder money from the campaign chest of a Virginia state senator and two other organizations cannot shield his two homes from possible forfeiture, a federal appeals court ruled last month. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the properties are forfeitable because there is probable cause […]
A online real estate scam: Wire transfers targeted
A pervasive scam that can victimize lawyers, homeowners and real estate professionals is showing no signs of letting up in southeast states. State bars and legal insurance officials are urging lawyers in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina to take extra precautions to make sure that payments for real estate transactions are wired to the […]
Employer nullified its own arbitration clause
A federal appeals court has ruled that a cellphone salesperson’s overtime pay class action can go to court because the employer invalidated its own arbitration clause. The decision by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirms the wisdom that employers need to find a vehicle other than the employee handbook for their arbitration provisions. […]
Digital evidence a hot potato in domestic cases
Divorce lawyers, beware. Tech-savvy clients may be arriving at your office bringing a host of ethical—and even criminal—problems wrapped up with their domestic cases. They may be using cell phone software to illegally gather information, or they themselves may be victims of unlawful snooping. The spyware that sneaky spouses once used to keep tabs on […]
In Virginia, drivers learn campus cops don’t stay inside the lines
RICHMOND, Va. – The client’s tale of woe begins with a traffic stop near a college campus. A driver had too much to drink, or an officer discovered illegal drugs. But wait, the client says. The traffic stop was made by a campus police officer, not a local or state law enforcement official. And the […]
‘Right to Like’ gets protection under 4th Circuit ruling
Clicking a “Like” button on the Facebook page of his boss’s political rival was protected speech that should not be the basis of a deputy’s firing, a federal appeals court has ruled.
Shooting at Virginia law office highlights need for tighter security precautions
Authorities on office security say the staff and lawyers at the offices of Barnes & Diehl in Chester, Va., did the right things and took the right steps when a gunman showed up June 20, demanding to see a lawyer.
In Virginia, rogue drivers can find themselves sued as well as prosecuted
Some wayward motorists in Virginia are getting hit with a double whammy after conviction in traffic court. Local governments, including Chesterfield County, are taking the offenders into civil court to demand reimbursement for the cost of an officer stopping them and writing the ticket.
When clients go bankrupt Law firms must be careful to abide by special rules
The boom in bankruptcies means more lawyers are finding themselves on the list of creditors as their clients seek protection from their debts. Like other unsecured creditors, most law offices with bankrupt clients can only wait and hope that, eventually, money will be available to cover at least some of the unpaid legal bills. Unlike […]
Electronic footprints: Devices create electronic trail lawyers and police can use
Like a hiker making his way through the forest, every person leaves a set of footprints nearly everywhere he goes. Only the tracks aren’t in mud, dirt or foliage the footprints are electronic, creating a trail that can be used by authorities or lawyers to establish where someone was — or was not. For some […]
Top Legal News
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- Technology and legal education
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Commentary
- Amotion sees resurgence after almost a decade
- The flip side of generative AI in law and how to address it
- The fight for equal educational opportunity continues
- Court’s term was rough on big business
- Ex-president, bar association have made their choice
- Ruling sharpens boundaries in attorney-client privilege
- Lawyers Weekly debuts new and improved web experience
- US Supreme Court bites back at parody’s use of the First Amendment
- Supreme Court leaves key internet protection untouched
- Case study: North Carolina courts provide guidance on scope, limitations of attorney-client privilege
- A Different Ode to Pro Bono Work
- A roadmap to attracting, developing, retaining great associates