Failing to appear in court -- also known as FTA -- happens too often with too many criminal defendants. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that judges take FTA's very seriously, and that failing to appear for a felony court date exposes one to...
Minneapolis former cop Derek Chauvin -- who kneed George Floyd's neck until he died -- is not a mere abberation. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that police abuse runs too rampant, making this George Floyd tragedy at once hearbreaking, despicable, and unfortunately not...
Persevering is the only option for a criminal defendant and his or her lawyer. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that success is sweet, loss needs to be treated as a hurdle and learning experience on the path back to victory, and a winning...
Pushbutton cars should fall outside Virginia's caselaw permitting a DUI conviction for sitting parked behind the wheel with the key in the ignition in the off position. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer / Virginia DUI attorney, I know that Virginia DWI law bars both driving...
Loose tongues are what police love with criminal suspects. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I read with sadness how blabbermouthing with police in 2012 is the only thing that got Ruben Edward Moore convicted of a 1981 murder in a cold case. Moore v. Virginia,...
Facemasks must be worn before entering all Northern Virginia courthouses, until further notice during Covid-19. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I provide you the following links for the mask policies -- most similar to each other -- in the Fairfax County, Arlington, Loudoun, Prince William...
My dad Joseph Jacob Katz passed away May 18, 2020. I could say he had a long illness, and that I am happy I got a chance to visit with him for many nice hours at my parents' home in New York City this past...
Blabbermouthing with police is a dangerous thing. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know the importance for criminal suspects and arrestees to remain silent with the police, and too often see them foster a conviction by not asserting their rights under the United States Constitution's...
Objecting is part of the toolkit of a trial lawyer. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that non-trials are resuming this week in most Virginia counties, while jury trials are on hold, during Covid-19. For courts not resuming most trials, they are expected to...
Conspiratorial conduct -- known as a conspiracy -- arises when two or more people enter an agreement to commit a crime or series of crimes. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that for certain non-drug felony conspiracies, the Virginia sentencing maximum is less than...
Emergency aid by police sometimes can justify police in Virginia to enter one's home without a search warrant. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that once police justifiably enter a home without a warrant, they may also be permitted to conduct what is known...
Robbery in Virginia is sentenced harshly. from five years to life in prison. As a Fairfax criminal defense lawyer, I know that it is folly for an accused robber of contraband or its proceeds, to assert innocence on the basis of the defendant's ownership of...
Circumstantial evidence is permissible for a prosecutor to seek a conviction for unlawful possession of a handgun and for possessing any other contraband. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that under Virginia law, a conviction for possessing an unlawful firearm or any other contraband...
Resuming trial dates in Virginia raises the question about why the Virginia Supreme Court continues to suspend all jury trials. As a Fairfax criminal defense lawyer, I know that jury trials are a particular challenge to physical distancing, because jury boxes and jury deliberation rooms...
Resetting court dates has been happening since March 2020, due to Virginia Supreme Court's Covid-19-related judicial emergency orders. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that the most recent and fourth state Supreme Court judicial emergency order (issued May 6) continues jury trials but lets...
Burglary convictions are not automatically avoided merely because the suspect initially ran out of sight, and was masked. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that such factors as the suspect's body size, proximity to the burglary location (both in terms of location and time),...
"Turnaround," and "stop" are police commands that mean "no reasonable person would have believed he or she was free to leave." As a Fairfax criminal defense lawyer, I know that such a cop command thereby amounts to a Fourth Amendment seizure of the suspect unless...
Striking jurors is an essential part of pursuing the best possible result in a jury trial. As a Fairfax criminal defense lawyer, I know that before a lawyer even presents an opening statement to a jury, the attorney must proceed with jury voir dire /...
Booze is a big business in Virginia. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that the Virginia governor lists liquor stores (only government-run stores may sell alcoholic beverages other than beer and wine) as essential businesses on par with grocery stores during is stay at...
Temperature checks and Covid-19-related questioning are likely to expand across Virginia courthouses. As a Fairfax criminal defense lawyer, I know that at least four courthouses are now checking court visitors' body temperature (which I anticipate will involve a brief laser burst to one's forehead) and/or...
