Drugs

Virginia drug defense involves humorless statutes, sentencing schemes and sentencing guidelines. As a Fairfaxcriminal lawyer, I know that the sentencing risks for a drug conviction multiply when the conviction is not for mere personal drug use, and is instead for selling, distributing, manufacturing, or possessing...

Virginia drug defense for me frequently involves drugs that can be obtained by prescription. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that people can get prosecuted for alleged criminal possession of prescribable drugs/controlled substances in such ways as not having the medicine in a valid...

Marijuana decriminalization and legalization are near and dear to my heart both as a Fairfax criminal lawyer and as a civil libertarian. The sky does not fall with marijuana decriminalization

As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I see a sensible connection between lawful access to marijuana and the decline of opioid deaths in states where marijuana is partially legalized.

Chain of custody involves the chronological movement, treatment, and physical changes of criminal case evidence from the time it comes into existence, and then is collected, packaged, transported, opened and repackaged. The importance of reliable chain of custody includes such factors as assuring the correct...

Does tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (marijuana's primary psychoactive ingredient) concentration correlate to impairment from marijuana/cannabis consumption? The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration ("NHTSA") of the United Stated Transportation Department concedes

Is a green tongue indicative of recent marijuana use? As a Virginia drug lawyer / marijuana lawyer, I have scoured Westlaw to find what the courts have said on the issue, finding only the below-three discussed relevant appellate opinions, all helpful for a defense of...

Virginia's government drug chemist lab is more backlogged than ever before, as confirmed in its August 16, 2017, memorandum here  That trend does not seem like it will be reversing any time soon.

Virginia 251 dispositions for drug and marijuana possession are not necessarily the panacea that numerous police, prosecutor and judges elevate them to be. Talk is abuzz about a July 1, 2017, Virginia law change that no longer requires a judge to suspend one's driving privileges for...

Beware when judges and prosecutors dangle before criminal defendants the prospect of an ultimate dismissal of a criminal case after first necessitating a finding of facts sufficient to prove guiltB , whether under Va. Code § 19.2-303.2 or otherwise. Beware even when criminal defense lawyers encourage...