Author Archives: Jay Butchko
What are the Different Types of Motorcycle Crashes?
Three types of accidents, which are outlined below, account for most of the motorcycle crashes in Loudoun County. Typically, these crashes aren’t accidents. People accidentally leave the water running. They don’t accidentally drive carelessly and sideswipe motorcycles or drive drunk and cause left-turn motorcycle crashes. If negligence, or a lack of care, substantially causes… Read More »
Being the Most Effective Client You Can Be
Family law clients often feel as if judges, lawyers, and court procedures control what happens next. While the legal process matters, clients can still make choices that help their attorney protect their interests and move the case forward. In family law matters, being present is only the starting point. Clients are often best served… Read More »
What Does FTYROW Mean in Virginia?
Many traffic citations include this acronym, which stands for Failure to Yield the Right of Way. Most often, officers issue FTYROW citations in accident cases to establish driver fault. These citations may also apply in one of the two areas discussed below. A traffic citation could be a game-changer in a civil case. Drivers… Read More »
Medical Treatment Issues in Pedestrian Accident Cases
Pedestrian crash injuries are usually much worse than car crash injuries, which is saying quite a lot. Steel structures and advanced safety devices protect vehicle occupants during crashes. Pedestrians, on the other hand, are completely exposed to danger. These high treatment costs have increased significantly in the last decade. After they leveled off during… Read More »
D.C. Cops Look for Reckless Motorcycle Rider
Fairfax County law enforcement officers are working with Virginia State Police troopers to find a motorcycle rider who tore through Northern Virginia in May 2026. Initially, troopers tried to pull the rider over for speeding on the westbound Interstate 66 Express Lanes near Monument Drive. The motorcycle was last seen on Old Centreville Road… Read More »
The “508(c)(1)(a) Church”: Separating Fact from Marketing
If you lead a church, you have likely encountered someone selling a package to set up your church as a “508(c)(1)(a) organization.” The pitch usually sounds appealing: a special status that frees a church from IRS oversight, government regulation, and the restrictions that come with Section 501(c)(3) recognition, all while remaining fully “tax exempt”… Read More »
Appeals Court Rejects Reasonable Use of Force Claim
A police officer who fatally shot an armed man in 2023 cannot claim qualified immunity, according to an April 2026 Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals decision. On a Saturday afternoon in July 2023, a 34-year-old man attempted to break into homes in Wycliff Court after being released from a hospital during a mental health… Read More »
Maximizing Hidden Assets and Income in a Virginia Divorce
Divorce is always expensive and stressful. Hidden assets and income multiply the stress and expense, in almost all cases. These issues complicate property classification and division, making the most expensive and time-consuming portion of a marriage dissolution proceeding even more expensive and time-consuming. Virginia courts require full financial disclosure during divorce, so judges can… Read More »
Supreme Court: It’s Okay for Cops to Talk
A twelve-second conversation between an officer and a driver about possible illegal items in a car doesn’t invalidate a traffic stop, according to the Supreme Court of Virginia. Officer Jordan Allen stopped the female driver on suspicion of driving on a suspended license. Once stopped, he determined that her license was suspended and that… Read More »
Top Five DUI Defenses
Alcohol is a factor in about a third of the fatal vehicle collisions in Virginia. To reduce the number of these accidents, DUI laws have become progressively tougher since the 1990s. Virginia’s per se law is a good example. Previously, a positive Breathalyzer test was only evidence of intoxication. Today, a BAC level of… Read More »
