RICHMOND, Va. (Legal Newsline) – On June 8, the Virginia Supreme Court imposed an injunction against Dora Adkins, who has filed 41 lawsuits over eight years.
The court stated that Adkins has filed numerous frivolous proceedings and engaged in a practice of vexatious litigation.
The Supreme Court opinion stated, “to protect Virginia citizens and business from the harassment and expense of unfounded litigation and to preserve valuable judicial resources, imposing a pre-filing injunction appears to be the only appropriate sanction.”
On April 7, the court issued a Rule to Show Cause against Adkins, directing her to show cause why she should not be prohibited from filing any future pro se petition for appeal, or other pleading without first obtaining leave of court.
The ruling was in response to Adkins’ latest appeal of her suit against Arlington Hotels, in which she argued she suffered migraines from a chemical sprayed on a faulty door lock and was kicked out of the hotel after being watched by staff.
Adkins has filed a string of similar lawsuits over the past eight years, claiming she is a victim of 'copycat hate crimes' involving every Hilton Hotel in Northern Virginia, as well as a conspiracy against her by many companies and individuals.
Since 2009, Adkins has filed at least 41 civil actions in the circuit courts of Northern Virginia. In these lawsuits, Adkins has asserted breach of contract and tort claims against a host of service industry defendants, namely hotels and restaurants, whom she alleges intentionally harmed her.
Adkins’ complaints allegedly contain baseless allegations centered on her belief that she is being intentionally subjected to noxious fumes, poisoned by food she eats at restaurants and defrauded by various retail workers and hotel proprietors. Adkins has also claimed family members have tried to poison her and take out a life insurance policy against her.
In May, Adkins claimed she would have died on multiple occasions without what she termed “GOD’s Devine Interventions," the ruling stated. The Supreme Court stated this latest pleading “illustrated the troubling extent of her willingness to litigate the most minor injury, whether real or perceived."
Adkins also has challenged nearly every court decision, which the Supreme Court pointed out has unduly burdened opposing litigants and interfered with the administration of justice.
The court also noted that it has “expended significant judicial resources in docketing, reviewing, hearing oral argument, and disposing of Adkins’ frivolous petitions. Furthermore, Adkins has subjected dozens of innocent individuals and entities to the cost of defending against her meritless claims both in the trial courts and on appeal.”
The Supreme Court ruled that Adkins is to be prohibited from filing any petition for appeal, motion, pleading, or other filing without obtaining the services of a practicing Virginia attorney, or obtaining leave of court to file any pro se pleading.
The court denied Adkins’ petition for rehearing on the case against Arlington Hotels, and certified the order to the Circuit Court of Arlington County.