On May 29, 2026, Governor Abigail Spanberger vetoed Virginia’s closely watched class action legislation, preserving Virginia’s status as one of only two states in the country (the other one being Mississippi) without a general state-court class action procedure. The veto halts what would have been a major shift in Virginia civil litigation and consumer protection law.… Continue Reading
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Virginia Moves Toward State-Court Class Actions: A Major Shift with Significant Business Implications
Virginia is on the verge of making a consequential change to its civil justice system. Legislation now pending before Governor Abigail Spanberger would authorize private class actions in Virginia state courts and make significant amendments to the Virginia Consumer Protection Act (“VCPA”). If signed, Virginia would join virtually every other state in expressly permitting class action procedures in its own courts.… Continue Reading
Utah and Virginia enact registration and disclosure requirements for providers of merchant cash advances
Utah and Virginia recently became the first two states to require the registration of providers of merchant cash advances. The new laws also include disclosure requirements. (Although laws requiring disclosures for merchant cash advances already exist in California and New York, those laws have not yet become effective.)
Utah. … Continue Reading
Virginia creates new protections for active service members, veterans, and their family members
On July 1, Virginia Governor Northam signed Senate Bill 1410 which amended several Virginia anti-discrimination statutes to prohibit discrimination based on “military status.” For purposes of the various amendments, the term “military status” is defined as:
status as (i) an active military service member who performs full-time duty in the Armed Forces of the United States, or a reserve component thereof, including the United States National Guard and the Virginia National Guard, (ii) a veteran who was an active military service member discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable, or (iii) a spouse or child of an active military service member or veteran, or an individual of any relationship to an active service member or veteran where the active service member or veteran provided more than one-half of the individual’s support for at least 180 days immediately preceding an alleged action that if proven would constitute unlawful discrimination under this chapter.… Continue Reading
Virginia Attorney General obtains default judgment in lawsuit against pension advance company
Virginia’s Attorney General has announced that “he has secured more than $50 million in debt relief and ordered civil penalties” as a result of his lawsuit filed in state court in March 2018 against Future Income Payments, LLC; FIP, LLC; and their individual owner for allegedly making loans to Virginia consumers, many of whom were military veterans, that were falsely marketed as asset purchases. … Continue Reading