When you think of a “conspiracy,” you may think of criminal cases you’ve read about in the newspaper in which people are accused of engaging in a conspiracy that subjects them to criminal punishment. Did you know that a civil action for conspiracy also exists under Virginia’s common law? The Supreme Court of Virginia has recognized that, under Virginia’s common law, a person can be civilly liable to another person to pay damages when they conspire with someone else to harm the second person. The requirements of this claim are that the first person “combined, associated, agreed, mutually undertook or acted in concert” with at least one other person to harm the second person. If the person who conspired did so intentionally, wrongfully, and improperly, and if they acted maliciously and with a conscious and willful disregard for the second person’s rights, there may be a basis for a claim for civil conspiracy.
Claims for civil conspiracy often arise in the context of business disputes. One business or businessperson conspires with another person to harm a third person in their business or other affairs. When that happens, the injured or damaged person may have a claim for civil conspiracy.
If you believe that you, or your business, have been the victim of someone conspiring with another person to harm you, you owe it to yourself to consult with an experienced attorney in this area of the law.
Here at The Mottley Law Firm, we have many years of experience in this area, and would be glad to speak with you about your situation. Please reach out to us for a consultation by calling the number on this website, filling out one of the contact forms here, or chatting with one of our representatives in the chat box on this website.
