Things happen, and a disagreement or situation can spiral out of control. Emotions may run so high that violence occurs. Tragic circumstances may ensue, and someone may end up dead. Even though you didn't intend for their death, the next thing you know you're facing...

If you kill or injure another person in the state of Virginia, the police might not charge you with a crime if you can prove that you acted in self-defense. However, this defense might not apply in every situation. It's also important to note that Virginia has two...

Data published by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) shows that the federal government received at least 28,900 reports of on-campus crimes in 2017. That number marked a 2% increase over the prior year.  The federal government has long tracked crimes...

The 1968 Gun Control Act is a federal law that permanently bars felons from possessing firearms. Virginia Code 18.2-308.2, which lawmakers updated earlier this year, further clarifies the state's position on an individual's possession of firearms as well as certain...

Mandatory minimum sentences have long been controversial, particularly in reference to drug crimes. A legacy of the “get tough on crime” directives of the 1980s-90s, mandatory minimums take the power to adjudicate a just and reasonable sentence completely out of the...

You went to college to further your career, long before that career had even started. You wanted a degree so that you could get a good job and have the life you want. And then you got arrested. Now that you’re facing criminal charges, it’s important to understand how...

Whether a teen in Virginia or another state can be sentenced to life in prison for murder may depend on the potential to rehabilitate that offender. The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard arguments regarding the life sentence of a then-15-year-old convicted of...

Knives are useful tools, but they can also be dangerous weapons. People ranging from mail carriers to cooks handle knives every day as part of their job, and the vast majority of knives serve a practical purpose rather than one of intimidation or violence. Virginia...

You have always wanted to be a nurse, so the fact that you were recently arrested on felony charges has you thinking more about the future ramifications than anything immediate. Beyond any jail time or fines, would that conviction keep you from following your dream?...

If convicted of voluntary manslaughter in Virginia, you could face up to 10 years in prison. If charged, you need to consider the defenses available to you. What does voluntary manslaughter mean? If you kill someone, the law has to decide why and how you killed them....