Category Archives: Criminal Defense
What’s the Difference Between a First and Second DUI?
At first blush, there’s little difference between a first and second DUI. Both offenses are misdemeanors, although the second DUI is a more serious crime. But a closer look reveals many differences between a first and second DUI. Virginia law includes several mandatory minimums in second DUI cases. More on that below. Additionally, courts… Read More »
Agencies Merge to Make Arrests
Few details were available about a multi-agency investigation in Virginia which led to multiple grand jury indictments on various sex crime charges. The charges are under the Virginia Racketeer Influenced and Criminal Organization Act. The drug dealing, prostitution, and human trafficking indictments were handed down on August 30, 2025, following a joint investigation by… Read More »
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 »