Featured Posts
Church and Nonprofit Cybersecurity: What You Don’t Know Will Hurt You
Robert Showers, Esq. and Micah Schachtner, Esq. In line with nearly all modern industries, nonprofits increasingly employ digital technology and online tools to expand their operational capabilities. But unlike larger corporations with more risk awareness and legal jeopardy, many nonprofits apply few security measures to their data storage and transactions. This common failure to… Read More »
Johnson Amendment Enforcement Relaxed for Church Political Speech
By Robert Showers, Esq and Micah Schachtner, Esq. For the first time in the Johnson Amendment’s history, the Internal Revenue Service officially agreed in July 2025 that churches may advocate for political candidates without losing their tax-exempt status, under limited circumstances. This development affects thousands of religious organizations and raises important legal compliance issues… Read More »
CTA Reporting Deadlines Paused Again Following Fifth Circuit Reversal
On December 26, 2024, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed its December 23, 2024, decision and reinstated a temporary nationwide injunction halting enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). This decision follows a legal battle surrounding the CTA’s beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirements, leaving business owners in a state of uncertainty. Background:… Read More »
Recent Posts
How Do I Get Out of Reckless Driving in Virginia?
Getting out of a reckless driving charge in Virginia is difficult, but not impossible. Virginia treats reckless driving as a criminal offense, not just a traffic infraction. It carries serious penalties such as jail time, fines up to $2,500, and drivers’ license suspension. Furthermore, a conviction leaves a permanent mark on a criminal record…. Read More »
I Was Arrested for Gun Possession. What Happens Next?
If you were arrested for illegal gun possession in Virginia, you’re definitely not alone. Virginia has some of the strictest gun control laws in the country. Virginia, like most other states, breaks the Second Amendment down into two components. For the most part, citizens have a broad right to keep (own) firearms. But they… Read More »
Seven Key DUI Checkpoint Requirements
After considerable back and forth, the Supreme Court finally legalized DUI checkpoints in 1991’s Michigan vs. Sitz. Roadblocks that meet all legal requirements, including the ones listed below, allow officers to circumvent the Fourth Amendment and detain motorists who have done nothing wrong. Expensive DUI checkpoints are especially common on New Years Eve and… Read More »
Everyday Drug Traffickers in Virginia
When most people think of drug smugglers, they think of nefarious gangs who smuggle contraband purely for profit, without giving a thought about the people who use the product. Sometimes, that’s true. Other times, drug trafficking is not malicious, not profitable, and not intentional, at least in some sense of the word. However, this… Read More »
Jumpstarting Domestic Assault Defenses in Loudon County
The violent crime rate is a hot button issue in Virginia. Therefore, peace officers very aggressively enforce the state’s assault laws, especially in domestic battery situations. In the minds of many, these offenses combine violence with abuse of vulnerable people. Therefore, the law imposes greater sentences in these cases, and many judges and juries… Read More »
State Troopers Make Cold Case Arrest
After new DNA evidence undercut his story, police arrested a man for a murder he allegedly committed in 1998. According to the Virginia State Police Cold Case Database, the victim and her 10-week-old daughter were last seen on July 27, 1998. The woman was found stabbed to death in her Strasburg apartment that afternoon…. Read More »
Police Nab Sexual Assault Suspect
On October 7, 2025, Fairfax police arrested an Alexandria man and charged him with kidnapping and attempted sexual assault. The victim told police that a stranger entered the room she was in on the 7200 block of Fordson Road at around 7:28 p.m. on Oct. 4. She said the man struck her in the… Read More »
Is a Breathalyzer Usually Right?
Absolutely not. If anything, a breathalyzer is usually wrong. In 2023, a Massachusetts judge threw out some 23,000 breathalyzer results because the devices weren’t properly calibrated. Disturbingly, according to evidence represented in the case, officials knew about the problem but did nothing to address it. Improper calibration may be the most common breathalyzer flaw,… Read More »
Non-DUI Alcohol-Related Offenses in Virginia
Driving Under the Influence is the most common alcohol-related criminal offense in Virginia. According to some estimates, about half the probationers in the state were convicted of DUI. Virginia authorities have been even more aggressive in this area since coronavirus lockdowns ended. Drunk driving increased in 2020, and many law enforcement agencies still have… Read More »
Va. Police Quickly Arrest Murder Suspect
Less than twenty-four hours after officers responded to a shots-fired call, investigators arrested a suspect and charged him with multiple felonies. Police say they found the 20-year-old victim lying in the road in the 5500 block of New Colony Drive as they responded to reports of a shooting just before 10 p.m. on July… Read More »
