During the most recent legislative session, the Virginia General Assembly passed a variety of criminal justice reforms. One significant change implemented was in the area of bail and bond. Specifically, the General Assembly repealed the long-standing presumption against bond that existed for many criminal offenses. In practice, this meant that magistrates were not permitted to…
Norfolk Lawyer Jamilah D. LeCruise Gives Interview to Canadian Magazine
Lawyer’d magazine, which focuses on international Millennial attorneys, reached out to Jamilah LeCruise for an interview regarding her selection as the 2020 Virginia State Bar Young Lawyer of the Year. You can read more here.
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?
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 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…