What is Contempt of Court in Virginia and How Does a Judge Punish It?

What is Contempt of Court in Virginia and How Does a Judge Punish It?

According to the Code of Virginia, a judge may punish the following behaviors as contempt of court: Misbehavior in the presence of the court, or so near thereto as to obstruct or interrupt the administration of justice; Violence, or threats of violence, to a judge or officer of the court, or to a juror, witness,…

What Should I Do If I Miss Court in Norfolk? What are the Penalties for Failing to Appear in Court in Virginia? How Do Failures to Appear Affect My Bond or Any Future Criminal Cases?

What Should I Do If I Miss Court in Norfolk? What are the Penalties for Failing to Appear in Court in Virginia? How Do Failures to Appear Affect My Bond or Any Future Criminal Cases?

According to the Code of Virginia “whoever…willfully fails to appear before any court or judicial officer as required, shall, after notice to all interested parties, incur a forfeiture of any security which may have been given or pledged for his or her release, unless one of the parties can show good cause for excusing the…

What is a Riot and How is it Punished in Virginia? What Does Unlawful Assembly Mean in Virginia?

What is a Riot and How is it Punished in Virginia? What Does Unlawful Assembly Mean in Virginia?

According to the Virginia Code, any unlawful use, by three or more persons acting together, of force or violence which seriously jeopardizes public safety, peace or order is a riot. Every person convicted of participating in any riot in Virginia shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. If such person carried, at the time…

What Types of Powers Do Law Enforcement Officers Have During Times of Rioting in Virginia?

What Types of Powers Do Law Enforcement Officers Have During Times of Rioting in Virginia?

According to the Code of Virginia, if it appears to the Governor that the power of the locality is not sufficient to enable the sheriff or other officer to execute process delivered to him or to suppress riots to preserve the peace, he may order law-enforcement agencies, National Guard, militia or other agencies of the…

2020 Legislative Update From LeCruise Law – New Virginia Laws Go into Effect This Summer

2020 Legislative Update From LeCruise Law – New Virginia Laws Go into Effect This Summer

2020 Legislative Update from LeCruise Law – New Virginia Laws Go into Effect in this Summer The following legislation has been approved during the 2020 Virginia General Assembly Session and will become effective laws on July 1, 2020. The Virginia Indigent Defense Commission (VIDC) has published very useful summaries of these new laws and here…

What Types of Charges and Convictions Can Be Expunged or Sealed From My Criminal Record?

What Types of Charges and Convictions Can Be Expunged or Sealed From My Criminal Record?

Expungement laws in Virginia are very limited. While other states are more lenient with regard to expungements, Virginia is not among them. Specifically, Virginia courts do not allow for the expungement of any conviction from your record no matter how old. You are only eligible to petition the court to expunge a charge from your…

How Can I Be Violated While I Am on Supervised Probation?

How Can I Be Violated While I Am on Supervised Probation?

How Can I Be Violated While I Am on Supervised Probation? If you are convicted of a felony offense in Hampton Roads (whether you plead guilty or go to trial and are found guilty), it is likely that a judge will order that you complete a term of supervised probation. Courts allow probation officers a…

What is Restitution and What Happens if I Don’t Pay It? How Does Restitution Impact My Case?

What is Restitution and What Happens if I Don’t Pay It? How Does Restitution Impact My Case?

According to Black’s Law Dictionary, restitution is defined as the return or restoration of some specific thing to its rightful owner or status; compensation for benefits derived from a wrong done to another; and also compensation or reparation for the loss caused to another. In the criminal context, the purpose of restitution is compensate or…

What is the Difference Between District Court and Circuit Court in Virginia?

What is the Difference Between District Court and Circuit Court in Virginia?

There are two types of trial courts at the local level in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Specifically, there are general district courts, which are the lower courts and there are circuit courts, which are the higher trial courts. In particular, there are two types of district courts in Virginia: the General District Courts and the…