felonies
Virginia bail victories in Circuit Court need reasons from the bench
Virginia bail hearing victories can be exhilarating. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that getting released from jail pending trial for a Virginia DUI, felony or misdemeanor prosecution can be the only assurance that the criminal defendant will not lose his job, home, and...
Felony prosecutions in Virginia can result from injury-causing DUI
Felony prosecutions are possible for Virginia people convicted of DUI who in the process cause permanent injury to others. Specifically, any person violating the Commonwealth's DWI law who "in a manner so gross, wanton and culpable as to show a reckless disregard for human life,...
Withdrawal of felony counsel and marijuana 251 license suspension
Virginia's 2017 legislative session concluded with the following two important criminal law bills: 1. On February 18, 2017, I blogged that legislative efforts failed to exempt marijuana 251 dispositions (enabling an ultimate dismissal of a drug possession charge after a finding of facts sufficient to...
Getting a theft case dismissed through teamwork with my client
Early on with my criminal defense clients, I develop an action plan for the work ahead for me and my client, with the goal of improving our chances with case negotiations, any trial, and any possible sentencing.
Virginia Governor Restores Voting Rights for Over 200,000 Who Have Completed Their Felony Sentences
On April 22, 2016, Virginia's governor Terry McAuliffe restored the voting rights, and right to run for office and be a notary public, for over two hundred thousand people who have completed their felony sentences, and any supervised release, parole or probation.
A felony theft conviction is not possible without proof of value
In Virginia, the felony theft threshold is $200. Setting aside the injustice of such a low threshold for distinguishing between facing up to a year in jail for misdemeanor theft and twenty years for felony theft, the prosecutor must prove that $200 value threshold beyond...