» District of Columbia

In Rollins v. Wackenhut Services, No. 10-00047 (D.D.C. Aug. 10, 2011), the court dismissed wrongful death and survival actions brought against an employer and a pharmaceutical company by the mother of a twenty-three year old man who was working as an armed security guard when he committed suicide with his work-issued pistol… Read More

In Payne v. Clark, No. 09-CV-1492 (D.C. Aug. 4, 2011), the D.C. Court of Appeals held that with respect to a defamation claim, a qualified common interest privilege protects statements made by citizens and other third parties who communicate in good faith with District agencies during an investigation into alleged misconduc… Read More

In Howard University v. Wilkins, Nos. 09-CV-318, 09-CV-319, and 09-CV-544 (D.C. June 30, 2011), the Court affirmed the plaintiff’s verdict, in a District of Columbia Human Rights Act action for retaliation, of $1.00 in compensatory damages, and $42,677.50 in punitive damages. The plaintiff had alleged that Howard Univ… Read More

In May of 2011, John Tremain May and Padraic Keane of Jordan Coyne & Savits, L.L.P. successfully defended a law firm in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in a lawsuit alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”). The plaintiff alleged that the defendant… Read More

In Stevens v. United General Title Insurance Co. , 801 A.2d 61 (D.C. 2002), the Court reaffirmed the District of Columbia’s adherence to the “eight corners rule,” requiring a comparison of the complaint with the insurance policy to determine the existence of a duty to defend. “Under [the ‘eight… Read More

The most recent issue of Jordan Coyne & Savits, L.L.P.’s newsletter is available here. Read More

Trial lawyers in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area soon realize that almost every case can require discovery across jurisdictional boundaries. For cases where there is diversity or federal question jurisdiction, removal to federal court makes discovery easier. But when removal is not an option, the Uniform Interstate D… Read More

The District of Columbia’s Consumer Protection Procedures Act (“CPPA”), primarily codified at D.C. Code sec. 28-3904 and sec. 28-3905, provides for sweeping protection against any trade practice deemed “unlawful” in the District of Columbia. The CPPA provides a wide variety of remedies, includi… Read More