One of the unfortunate consequences of any serious car wreck is the possibility that your vehicle will be declared a total loss. In these instances Virginia law requires that the responsible insurance … [Read more...]
Federal Crime Victims and Their Rights
posted on February 27, 2019
Most people have forgotten about him, but one of the more lurid cases to come out of the federal courts in the last 10 years was that of Jeffrey Epstein. After success in finance and science … [Read more...]
Big Changes to Virginia Tobacco Laws: Age to Purchase now 21
posted on February 27, 2019
On February 21, 2019, Governor Northam signed into law a bill to increase the age for purchasing tobacco products in the Commonwealth from 18 years old to 21 years old. Virginia will join … [Read more...]
Commonwealth v. Hall Implications: How involved does your property have to be before the government can take it under a forfeiture?
posted on February 22, 2019
How can you be punished for a crime? Most people would answer with prison, jail, or a steep fine. But what many people don’t know is that—when you use some kinds of property to commit a crime—the … [Read more...]
Virginia Small Estate Affidavit: Sometimes the full probate process isn’t necessary.
posted on February 22, 2019
It is not rare for us to have our estate clients ask us how they can avoid "probate". During the estate planning process we discuss the pros and cons and options that are available to them. Once … [Read more...]
Expungements: a way to prevent problems down the road
posted on February 15, 2019
A question attorneys often get is whether a conviction goes on someone’s “permanent record.” In Virginia, every conviction—and, frequently, every charge—is entered into the National Crime Information … [Read more...]
Is it a threat? Or just words? The difference between a conviction for assault and keeping a violent offense off your record
posted on February 5, 2019
A frequent argument we see in trials for assault is whether a threat alone constitutes an “assault.” In Virginia, there are two kinds of ‘assault.’ One is attempting to offensively touch another … [Read more...]
Marijuana Possession in Virginia Update
posted on January 18, 2019
Last week, two bills that were attempting to redefine how the Commonwealth of Virginia treats marijuana were again defeated in the General Assembly. A bill to legalize marijuana for … [Read more...]
Protective orders: tricky to obtain, but powerful once issued
posted on January 18, 2019
Anyone who knows someone who has suffered at the hands of a vindictive and even frightening ex- has seen the effects of living in fear. People who are being stalked, slandered, or threatened by that … [Read more...]
First time offenders and deferred dispositions: New opinion from the Attorney General permits some kinds of ‘deferred dispositions’
posted on January 14, 2019
The criminal justice system is, thankfully, one that many of us never have to deal with. But too often, someone who has never dealt with it finds themselves charged with an offense. A frequent worry … [Read more...]
