Criminal Defense

We all think we know how we would react in a life-threatening situation. Out of the three - fight, flight or freeze, we tend to believe we would fight with deadly force. However, we need to understand the laws that govern our right to self-defense. Otherwise, we might...

News stories about young people who have died as the result of hazing incidents in college – most of them young men – have seemingly become more common in recent years. Some have been here in Virginia. Many states, including ours, have enacted hazing laws to try to...

Teenagers tend to like pushing the boundaries. It’s natural for adolescents to go out with friends and have a laugh. Nonetheless, the line between fun acts and unlawful acts can be quite thin sometimes.  Countless teenagers have found themselves facing charges due to...

Thefts from retailers of all types and sizes have gotten out of control throughout the country – including here in Virginia. They’ve gone far beyond “shoplifting” and become organized, brazen and sometimes violent – as well as highly costly.  Often, they involve large...

The consequences of a criminal conviction in Virginia can be life-altering not just because of a criminal sentence handed down by the courts but also because of the criminal record that a conviction or guilty plea inspires. The state will report the record of...

A police officer pulls you over. They ask for your license and registration, which you know that you’re required to give them. You provide them with the proper documentation. But then the officer starts asking you questions. Should you answer them? Are you obligated...

While it’s wise to treat the police with respect, you need to realize that they are as prone to mistakes in their work as anyone else. Unfortunately, police mistakes can have serious repercussions for other people. Fortunately, discovering police mistakes could help...

When the police are investigating you for a crime, they will search for evidence to use against you in court. Armed with a warrant, they can comb through every corner of your property in search of anything incriminating. Without a warrant, they can’t intrude at all....

Murder itself is, of course, a felony. There are different levels of murder, such as first-degree murder versus second-degree murder. There are also issues where someone was merely negligent and may have committed manslaughter – an accidental event.  But there’s also...

Did you know that 98% of criminal cases in federal courts are resolved through plea deals? It means you will likely get an offer to settle  your criminal charges outside of trial. The decision to accept or reject the deal is yours, so it helps to have a good...