Caleb Kershner is representing dozens of Loudoun County deputy sheriffs in a lawsuit alleging that the deputies were subjected to unfair labor practices, including unpaid overtime, by the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.
Read the whole story at the Washington Post.
Scot Morris is representing a member of the prison gang Dead Man Incorporated, who was indicated on November 2, 2011 – along with 21 other members of the gang – on federal racketeering charges.
Read the whole story at the Daily Record.
Scot Morris obtained a judgment of acquittal for his client, Rochelle Stokes, who had been charged with conspiracy to distribute powder and “crack” cocaine in U.S. District Court in Baltimore. Such acquittals are very rare in federal court, especially in drug cases. However, Mr. Morris convinced U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett that Ms. Stokes’ case should not be sent to the jury because the government had failed to present sufficient evidence to prove that Ms. Stokes had conspired with others to distribute drugs. Mr. Morris successfully argued that the evidence introduced by the government proved only that Ms. Stokes was a drug user and not a drug dealer. Thus, under the “buyer-seller” rule, Ms. Stokes could not be found guilty of drug distribution or conspiracy. Judge Bennett agreed and, after entering a judgment of acquittal, ordered Ms. Stokes to be released from custody.
Scot Morris is representing a Baltimore City police officer who, along with sixteen colleagues, has been accused of participating in an alleged extortion scheme involving tow truck companies. The officers allegedly directed accident victims to a towing company which was not authorized to do business with Baltimore City, in exchange for kickbacks from the towing company.
Read the whole story at the Baltimore Sun.
Simms Showers successfully represented the First Baptist Church of Clarendon before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit on a First Amendment challenge to affordable housing being built above the church. The Fourth Circuit determined that the county board’s actions in partnering with the church had a secular purpose, and did not advance religion or inappropriately enrich the church.
Read the whole story at the Washington Post and the Washington Examiner.
Simms Showers obtained a $3.25 settlement against Anne Arundel County under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (“RLUIPA”). The County admitted that restrictive legislation it passed in 2005 and 2006 illegally targeted Riverdale Baptist Church, preventing the Church from building a school on a 57-acre plot of land in Lothian. As part of the negotiated settlement, the County will also expedite the permitting process for the Church, which hopes to break ground on its school next year.
Read the whole story at the Maryland Daily Record and The Capital.
Read the Virginia Lawyers Weekly article here. (Adobe Reader required).
Simms Showers represented three whistleblower physicians who assisted the government in obtaining a $22 million settlement against St. Joseph Medical Center in a kickback and unnecessary medical procedures scheme. St. Joseph was accused of paying MidAtlantic Cardiovascular Associates kickbacks — disguised as payments for services — in exchange for patient referrals for lucrative cardiovascular procedures.
Read the whole story at the Baltimore Sun.