Featured Posts
Sacred Spaces, Scattered Statutes: Understanding Virginia’s Fragmented Church Law Part One
By Robert Showers, Esq., with Justin Coleman, Esq., and William R. Thetford, Esq.* In this Article, the Authors have outlined portions of Virginia statutes, case law, and tax code that are most relevant to churches seeking to become more informed about their relationship with the law. The Authors intend this Article to make legislators,… Read More »
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 »
Recent Posts
Outcry Over Virginia Mosque Attack
Community groups demand that authorities upgrade charges against a man accused of a November 2025 attack against a local Muslim community center. The mosque says the same man has staged multiple attacks against Muslims. Surveillance video footage from the Dal al Nur Community Center in Fairfax shows the man berating women as they leave… Read More »
A Closer Look at Reckless Driving in Virginia
Reckless driving, which is more serious than a regular traffic ticket in most states, is especially serious in Virginia. In many cases, a simple speeding ticket in Maryland or D.C. is a criminal offense in Virginia, with severe short- and long-term consequences. Therefore, understanding how Virginia defines reckless driving, the penalties involved, and what… Read More »
Legislature Green-Lights Forensic Evidence Review
Officials will be conducting an extensive review of cases that may have involved biased or incompetent forensic work. Christina Barnes Arrington, senior methodologist with the commission, said in a presentation last week that the review panel’s members will evaluate the accuracy of Ms. Burton’s testing, analysis and testimony to determine — if possible —… Read More »
Will Your License Get Suspended for a DUI Arrest in Virginia?
Yes, in most cases, your license will get suspended following a DUI arrest in Virginia, frequently because of breath test refusal. Although drivers have a right to refuse to provide a chemical sample, since Virginia is an implied consent state, withdrawing that consent has consequences. Much more commonly, the ALS process also applies to… Read More »
How to Hire a DUI Lawyer in Virginia
Hiring a DUI lawyer in Virginia may seem as simple as Googling a phrase like “DUI lawyer near me” and going from there. This method is effective for some, especially since Virginia has one of the highest number of lawyers per capita in the country. But given the severe direct and collateral consequences of… Read More »
Defending Protective Order Applications in Virginia
Restraining order (protective orders) protects Virginians in protected classes from people who have threatened them, hurt them, or otherwise caused reasonable fear of harm. Husband-wife is the most common protected class in Virginia. Most other domestic and intimate relationships are protected as well. Usually, applicants file protective order applications after police make a domestic… Read More »
Lawmakers Mull Anti-Bullying Bill
In January 2026, about a year after a ten-year-old child and alleged bullying victim committed suicide, Sen. Bill Stanley (R-Roanoke County) introduced Autumn’s Bill on the floor of the State Senate. According to Autumn’s family, the bullying began when she started the year at Mountain View Elementary School in the fall of 2024. The… Read More »
Defending a DUI-Drugs Case in Northern Virginia
In many areas, DUI-drugs are more prevalent than DUI-alcohol. The problem is widespread. Over 40 percent of drivers in fatal crashes test positive for drugs. Because of this high percentage, law enforcement officers aggressively arrest “drugged” drivers. Sometimes, this aggression comes back to haunt the state in court, as officers collect little compelling evidence… Read More »
Non-Intoxication DUI Defenses
Driving Under the Influence (DUI) charges typically allege that a driver operated a vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs. However, not all DUI cases center on intoxication. In some instances, drivers are charged with DUI even when no alcohol or controlled substances are involved. These cases call for non-intoxication DUI defenses, which challenge… Read More »
Three Quick Defenses to Ordinary Assault
Virginia law doesn’t define assault. So, to determine if a defendant is guilty, courts use the common-law definition of assault. Courts define assault as an attempt or offer, with force and violence, to do some bodily hurt to another. Battery is a willful or unlawful touching. That definition describes ABC (assault by contact) in… Read More »
