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If there’s a warrant out for your arrest in Virginia, a judicial officer has already signed an order telling law enforcement to arrest you. Before signing it, a magistrate or another judicial officer looked at a sworn complaint and decided there was probable cause to believe you committed a crime. The single most important thing […]

Virginia’s wrongful death statute (Va. Code § 8.01-50) gives surviving families a legal path to recover damages when someone dies because of another person’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct. The statute defines who can file a claim, which family members are entitled to compensation, what types of damages are available, and how the recovery is […]

When someone is arrested in Virginia, the first decision about their freedom happens fast. A magistrate reviews the case within hours and decides whether to release the person, set a bond, or hold them in custody. Virginia law starts from a presumption that an accused person should be released on bail. The Commonwealth has to […]

After an arrest, the first move is to stop talking to police and contact a criminal defense lawyer right away. Once you have that protection in place, choose your attorney based on three things: jury trial experience, familiarity with the local courts, and direct access to the lawyer who will actually handle your case. Years […]

n Virginia, leaving the scene of an accident is a crime, and the penalties are more serious than most people expect. Depending on the circumstances, a hit-and-run can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony. It can reach felony level even when no one is injured, based only on the dollar value of the […]