The Fourth Circuit held, adopting the answers to certified questions to the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, that a person owning an interest in a West Virginia common law …
The Fourth Circuit held that the district court did not clearly err by holding Lavabit LLC (“Lavabit”) and its owner, Levison, in contempt for their failures to comply with a Pen/Trap …
YATES V. MUNICIPAL MORTGAGE & EQUITY, LLC, NO. 12-2496
Decided: March 7, 2014
The Fourth Circuit held that the United States District Court for the District of Maryland properly dismissed the plaintiff shareholders’ claims against Municipal Mortgage & Equity (MuniMae) and certain directors and …
TRANS ENERGY, INC. V. EQT PRODUCTION CO., NO. 12-2553
Decided: February 25, 2014
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court’s decision to quiet title in favor of plaintiffs, Trans Energy, Inc. to the gas rights located on a 3800-acre plot of land in northern …
CORE COMMUNICATIONS V. VERIZON MARYLAND, NO. 12-2572
Decided: March 6, 2014
The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court’s award of summary judgment to defendant Verizon Maryland, LLC (“Verizon”) on claims pursued by plaintiff Core Communications, Inc. (“Core”) for concealment …
The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court’s judgment enjoining the defendant from participating in deceptive Internet advertising practices and holding her jointly and severally liable for equitable monetary …
The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court’s dismissal of relator’s False Claims Act (“FCA”) claim, which alleged that the defendants presented false claims to the government for reimbursement …
The Fourth Circuit, finding that (1) the lower courts applied the correct legal principles relevant to evaluating defendant’s good-faith affirmative defense and (2) the lower courts did not clearly err in …
MILLENNIUM INORGANIC CHEMICALS, LTD. V. NAT’L UNION FIRE INS., NO. 13-1194
Decided: February 20, 2014
The Fourth Circuit held that the term “direct,” as used in the two commercial liability insurance policies at issue, was not ambiguous and, therefore, reversed and remanded the case to the …
DANA CLARK V. ABSOLUTE COLLECTION SERVICE, NO. 13-1151
Decided: January 31, 2014
The Fourth Circuit, finding that 15 U.S.C. § 1692g(a)(3) permits consumers to orally dispute the validity of a debt, vacated the district court’s order dismissing the plaintiff’s complaint and remanded for …
Montgomery County v. Federal National Mortgage Association, Nos. 13-1691; 13-1752
Decided: January 27, 2014
The Fourth Circuit combined two similar cases from the district courts of South Carolina and Maryland to consider whether the Federal National Mortgage Associate (“Fannie Mae”) and the Federal Home Loan …
United States ex rel. Bunk v. Gosselin World Wide Moving, N.V., No. 12-1369
Decided: December 19, 2013
The Fourth Circuit held that private parties have standing in civil suits under the False Claims Act (“FCA”) to seek redress on behalf of federal government interests, and ordered the trial …
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court’s order compelling arbitration of a breach of warranty claim in accordance with a lease agreement between the parties.