A drug-related criminal conviction can crash through your life like a wrecking ball. You’ll probably lose your job and perhaps your freedom, and your criminal record can haunt you for years, perhaps even decades, to come. Even mere allegations of committing a...
Criminal defense
Can a car accident escalate to criminal charges?
If you find yourself in a car accident in Virginia, depending on the circumstances, you may worry about both the potential criminal charges alongside civil liability. The likelihood of facing criminal charges hinges on the facts of what happened and why, including...
What raises a marijuana charge to a federal crime?
The landscape of marijuana laws in the United States is diverse. Each state sets its own regulations. While some states embraced legalization or decriminalization, others maintain strict penalties for marijuana-related offenses. Virginia recently took a step towards...
4 ways to block the prosecution’s evidence in your criminal case
To effectively present their case and obtain a conviction, the prosecution is going to utilize physical evidence that was gathered during your criminal investigation. On its face, this evidence might seem insurmountable, but after taking a deep dive into your case,...
Do I always have to show the police my ID in Virginia?
The answer to the question of whether you have to show the police your ID in Virginia depends on the situation and the local laws. No state-wide stop-and-identify law Some states have laws that require people to identify themselves to the police when they are stopped...
Should I talk with the media after I’ve been arrested and charged?
When you are arrested, especially if the alleged crime is a high-profile crime, the police go on a media blitzkrieg. Virginia police give interviews, have press conferences and send out press releases. Even a common arrest that does not make the headlines can end up...
Avoid these five mistakes when under criminal investigation
A lot of people who have been accused of criminal wrongdoing think that they don’t need to build a criminal defense until they’ve been charged with a crime. Sometimes, though, waiting until that point can be too little, too late. Your defense starts once you come...
Drug-sniffing dogs and probable cause
Many Virginia criminal cases involving serious drug charges arise from a relatively simple traffic stop. Woman faces serious charges after traffic stop For instance, a recent news story told of a Leesburg woman who was pulled over due to alleged traffic violations,...
Did the police make any of these mistakes in your DUI case?
The implications of a DUI conviction are significant. Sure, a conviction can strip you of your license for a significant period of time, which can have an impact on your personal and professional lives, but you also face the very real possibility of jail or prison...
Three ways the police try to get you to talk
When accused of criminal wrongdoing, you might be tempted to get everything off your chest by talking to your loved ones and even investigators. You might think that by doing so the police will go easy on you, or maybe you can even put lingering suspicions to rest,...