Misdemeanors

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There are four types of Virginia Misdemeanors. Class 1 misdemeanors are punished by up to 1 year in jail and a $2,500 fine. The most common examples of Class 1 Virginia misdemeanors are DUI, Assault, Petit Larceny, and Reckless Driving.

While the classes of misdemeanor go down in severity, it is still a criminal conviction that will remain on your record permanently.

 

Virginia Misdemeanor Classes:

 

Class 1 misdemeanor Up to 1 year in jail, and/or a fine of up to $2,500.00
Class 2 misdemeanor Up to 6 months in jail, and/or a fine of up to $1,000.00
Class 3 misdemeanor Fine up to $500
Class 4 misdemeanor Fine up to $250

 

Virginia Misdemeanors are typically tried in the General District Court, where you will be tried in front of a Judge. Certain offenses, such as family crimes, domestic violence, and crimes against children maybe tried in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.

Many criminal misdemeanor charges present opportunities to productively negotiate with prosecutors and reach creative solutions that best protect your interests.

In the event a resolution cannot be reached before trial, our experienced criminal defense attorneys will passionately and skillfully defend you in Court.

It is important to actively defend against your Virginia Misdemeanors. Currently, Virginia does not allow for any expungement of convictions or guilty pleas. This means that a Misdemeanor will stay on your record indefinitely, unless it is adequately defended against.

Virginia Misdemeanor time is served at 50%. Meaning, if you get 1 year in jail of misdemeanor time, you will only actively serve 6 months. This is true for all misdemeanors except those that carry mandatory minimum time. For example, if you are convicted of a DUI with an elevated BAC of .15 or above and receive the 5-day mandatory minimum sentence, you will serve all 5 days.

 

Common Virginia Misdemeanors and their punishment

Crime Punishment
Assault & Battery Up to 1 year in jail, up to $2,500.00 in fines
Driving Under the Influence (DUI/DWI) Up to 1 year in jail, up to $2,500.00 in fines
Drunk In Public or Public Intoxication $250 fine, permanent criminal record
Disorderly Conduct Up to 1 year in jail, up to $2,500.00 in fines
Destruction of Property Up to 1 year in jail, up to $2,500.00 in fines
Reckless Driving Up to 1 year in jail, up to $2,500.00 in fines
Assault on a Household Member Up to 1 year in jail, up to $2,500.00 in fines
Petit Larceny (Theft) Up to 1 year in jail, up to $2,500.00 in fines
Indecent Exposure Up to 1 year in jail, up to $2,500.00 in fines
Hit and Run Up to 1 year in jail, up to $2,500.00 in fines
Driving on a Suspended License Up to 1 year in jail, up to $2,500.00 in fines
Driving Without a License Up to 6 months jail, up to 90 days of license suspension, fine up to $1,000
Aggressive Driving Up to 6 months jail, up to 6 months of license suspension, fine up to $1,000
Underage Possession of Alcohol Up to 1 year in jail, up to $2,500.00 in fines
Carrying Weapon in Airport Up to 1 year in jail, up to $2,500.00 in fines
Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor Up to 1 year in jail, up to $2,500.00 in fines

Jurisdictions We Practice In

Our Virginia criminal defense attorney can help those accused of a misdemeanor throughout Northern Virginia including Alexandria, Arlington, & Fairfax. Contact us today.