If you take someone else's property without their permission, it’s always a crime -- but the terms “theft, burglary and robbery” each have distinct meanings under the law. Ordinary theft, or “larceny” in Virginia, is the most basic crime of the three. It basically...
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Month: March 2020
Some first-time drug offenders may avoid harsh penalties
Virginia is one of several states known to impose harsh penalties for those convicted of drug crimes. Depending on the charges involved, a convicted offender may face significant jail time as well as expensive fines. However, some first-time offenders may qualify for...
Virginia moves to decriminalize marijuana
Virginia is one of many states that has already legalized medical marijuana for certain patients. Now, however, it joins a growing movement to largely decriminalize possession of small amounts of the drug completely. Lawmakers have passed legislation decriminalizing...
Has Virginia’s criminal justice reform gone far enough?
Justice is supposed to be equal for everyone. Racial inequities hard-wired into the system, however, often create problems with disparate treatment based largely on a defendant’s skin tone. It’s a problem that’s so obvious that it’s almost universally acknowledged by...
The reason a public defender may not be able to defend you
If you've ever seen a movie or television show where someone gets arrested, you likely know that the right to an attorney or legal representation when facing criminal charges is one of your fundamental rights as an American citizen. That is why the right is included...
