Criminal Defense

Attenuation can trump earlier Fourth Amendment violations. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I read with interest chief Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Penny Azcarate's application of such law to deny a Virginia criminal defendant's challenge to a child pornography-yielding search of a computer and cellphone....

False confessions (FC) happen too often, because even one false confession is one too many. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I share with you that the Virginia Supreme Court recently okayed a trial court's refusal to let defendant Joseph Eugene Smith (ultimately convicted of statutory...

Trial lawyers -- good ones -- are essential for Virginia criminal and DUI defendants, not only in the event that settlement negotiations do not go your way, but also as the needed threat to persuade prosecutors to come as close as possible to your preferred...

Seriousness is the way to go for your Virginia criminal defense. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know the value of humor and engagement with persuasion, but always integrated with -- and never at the expense of -- approaching your defense seriously. This calls for...

Racial disparities in police treatment of suspects have come to the glaring forefront in a remarkable dismissal of a federal felony prosecution in Virginia. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I repeat what Virginia federal trial judge John A. Gibney, Jr., said this past week: "Black...

Tainted identification (TI) can take place in your criminal investigation and prosecution for a whole host of alleged crimes, including sexual assault, burglary and robbery. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that your Virginia defense attorney needs to look into whether the identification of...

Fairfax satellite courts handle a limited portion of misdemeanor cases in this county, when a Fairfax City, Herndon or Vienna police officer arrests or otherwise charges the defendant in their respective city or town. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, when my client has been arrested...

Dissect Virginia statutes as an essential part of your defense. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that such an approach is an essential step in pursuing your best defense in court. The Virginia Court of Appeals has underlined the necessity of such an approach...

Fairfax heavy criminal court dockets are a reality at all court levels in this county, those being General District Court, Circuit Court and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that this county's criminal court dockets are so heavy...

Complex legal issues and related law abound in criminal court, even with at-first seeming simple misdemeanor cases. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that many criminal cases that at first seem simple turn out to be anything but that. Your Virginia criminal lawyer needs...