Criminal Defense

Reduce jail populations during this pandemic. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that doing so not only helps the health of inmates, but also reduces the risks of inmate unrest and rioting, and helps the health of jail employees, the general population, and judicial...

Misdemeanor convictions can be more of a headache than thought at first blush, not only for a criminal defendant's liberty, but also for reputation, security clearance, career and immigration purposes. As a Fairfax criminal defense lawyer, I know that a suspended imposition of sentence ("S.I.S.")...

Crowd limits in restaurants and other leisure venues started in the nation's capital and state to the north recently, in response to the coronavirus, and yesterday sadly came to Virginia. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I am saddened to see not only that the...

COVID-19 / coronavirus continues to spur mobilization to test for, reverse and end the virus; claim lives; spread rapidly; and lead to substantial changes and disruptions in daily life. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I am keeping my law firm open for regular business hours...

Coronavirus reactions have reduced courthouse activity in various jurisdictions, battered the stock market, closed government activities and many educational institutions, forced quarantines, imposed travel bans, and led to such government state of emergency measures as banning large gatherings of people. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer...

Fairfax criminal defense has its own rhythm, peculiarities and challenges, just as does each Virginia county courthouse. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that a significant part of successful criminal defense is knowing your judge, how to deal with prosecutors (now with an entirely...

Searching homes is not permitted by police under the Fourth Amendment without a search warrant, consent of a resident, or exigent circumstances. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that one present occupant's objection to such an otherwise consensual search trumps the consent of the...

Judge pushback on criminal defense-friendly prosecutorial discretion -- including motions to enter cases nolle prosequi / dismissed, and to amend charges downward -- is taking place in at least one county (Arlington) where a self proclaimed reformist chief prosecutor has been in office since January...

Executing people is wrong. As a Fairfax criminal defense lawyer, I know that even many former and current Virginia prosecutors now support the abolition of capital punishment. However, the machinery of state-sponsored death continues in many of the United States. Executing people convicted for being accomplices...

Incest law is commonly known to apply to relatives closely related by bloodline. As a Fairfax criminal defense lawyer, I know that Virginia law also criminalizes having sexual intercourse with one's minor stepchild. Specifically: "[I]f a parent or grandparent commits adultery or fornication with his...