Drugs

Toking pot is popular with millions of people. As a Fairfax criminal defense lawyer, I know that Virginia's governor has approved legislation decriminalizing marijuana, with a few minor recommended amendments.  Virginia SB 2.  July 1, 2020 is the default date for new Virginia legislation to...

Drug 251 dispositions involve the withholding of a drug possession conviction under Virginia Code § 18.2-251, and is only available if the criminal defendant  has not before received a 251 disposition or applicable drug conviction. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that a 251...

Pill popping is all too common, but that -- without more evidence -- does not make a car's driver culpable in Virginia for one illegal drug pill found in the console between the front seats. As a Fairfax criminal defense lawyer, not only do I...

Reefer decriminalization finally has passed the Democratic-controlled Virginia Senate and House of Delegates, most likely to be signed by the commonwealth's Democratic governor after the two chambers' bill versions are harmonized. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer and drug defense attorney, I applaud this progress with...

Bench pushback is here in Northern Virginia, where judges will not automatically rubber stamp mutually agreed requests to dismiss criminal charges nor mutually agreed sentences and suspended imposition of sentence terms and conditions. Some judges will even ponder from the bench about whether certain prosecutorial...

Psychedelic drugs can provide important health benefits for a variety of psychological ailments. As a Fairfax criminal defense lawyer, I know that for years, LSD, psilocybin, magic mushrooms / shrooms and other psychedelics got lumped in with cocaine and heroin for criminalization and sentencing ranges,...

DFS -- the Virginia Department of Forensic Science -- on January 24, 2020, announced (1) a new testing procedure to rule out industrial hemp and (2) no longer requiring a court order for the agency to test suspected marijuana. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I...

Marijuana dismissal for most simple pot possession (versus possession with intent to distribute) cases has arrived with the new Fairfax County and Arlington County, Virginia, prosecutors, who took office this week. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I see this as a big leap forward for...

Cannabis decriminalization and legalization movement has been proceeding at a dizzying pace in numerous states over the last years, after previous decades of organization, toil and sweat by marijuana activists nationwide. As a Fairfax criminal defense lawyer, I deeply thank these activists for their accomplishments,...

Constructive possession of drugs, illegal guns, or other contraband is no less a crime than actual possession of contraband. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that the foregoing legal truism alone is sufficient to make people think twice about those they choose to associate...