On April 11, 2020, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed into law a bill to decriminalize marijuana possession. Here is a summary of the key provisions of the law that go into effect on July 1, 2020:
Under Va. Code§ 18.2-250.1:
Possession of small quantities of marijuana (less than one ounce) shall now be a civil offense punishable with a $25 fine
No court costs . . .
If you have been arrested on a DUI / DWI charge, you might be thinking right now that the state prosecutor has an easy path to a conviction.
You were stopped driving home; the officer arrested you, took a breath sample, and it was above 0.08. Open and shut, right? Not so fast. There are many ways to challenge it.
There are . . .
Is there a prepayable fine for reckless driving in Virginia? No. But there is a range of punishments, depending on the case, so that you can budget for the likely outcome on your ticket.
For example, consider the typical case of 88 mph in a 70 mph zone on the highway. And, assume the person had one prior speeding ticket in the . . .
If you were driving through Virginia, and you were stopped by a police officer for driving faster than 80 mph on the highway, there is a good chance you were cited for reckless driving.
The officer gives you a summons. It is not a traffic ticket and not prepayable. Rather, it criminal charge with a court date. So now you are wondering:
“Do I have to show up . . .
So you were driving through the beautiful Virginia countryside, enjoying the Blue Ridge mountains and the fall leaves, on your way to a vacation destination – the beach? the Smoky Mountains? – when suddenly, blue lights flicker in your rearview mirror and your heart skips.
You have been charged with reckless driving for going 80 mph or more on a Virginia . . .
It’s a common question: “Is reckless driving prepayable?”
After all, most traffic tickets are prepayable. You get your ticket. You get home, go online, and rather than deal with the headache of a court appearance, simply “pay your ticket” with the fine posted at the court, and move on with your life. That’s how most traffic tickets are handled by the . . .
How can you contest a reckless driving charge? Hire a lawyer to attend court on your behalf to try and get the charge reduced or dismissed. There are two strategies: mitigation defense and technical defense.
If mitigation defense (“Yes, I was speeding, but I am looking for leniency”), send the lawyer to court with:
Driving record
Letters of recommendation
Safe driving course certificate
Speedometer calibration
Community . . .
It is a common question: “How many points is reckless driving in Virginia?” You have been stopped for speeding above 80 mph on a Virginia highway. You received a summons for “reckless driving,” a criminal traffic offense that punishes driving at any speed above 80 mph on a Virginia road.
If you are convicted of reckless driving, then you will receive: . . .
When a witness is called to testify in a Virginia criminal case, they have a right under the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution to refuse to testify – if their testimony would be self-incriminating. But under certain circumstances, such as an offer of immunity, they may still be required to testify.
The United States Supreme Court has held that . . .
