Virginia will have to pay $4.8 million that it has withheld from Northrop Grumman for messaging services since April, but the information technology giant must continue to provide email service for nearly 60,000 state employees while aiding transition to a new vendor, under a ruling by a Richmond judge on Wednesday.
The split decision by Richmond Circuit Judge Gregory L. Rupe came after a three-hour hearing and prompted an additional 75 minutes of legal wrangling that required the judge to return to the bench three times to settle what his ruling means for the two sides.
“Cooperate with them,” Rupe told Northrop Grumman lawyers at the end. “Disentangle from them. Do what you’ve got to do. That’s the end of the conversation as far as I’m concerned.”
