Violent Crimes

Violent Crime in Virginia

Violent crime in Virginia includes a wide variety of charges stemming from misdemeanors all the way to the most serious of felonies. Here are a few examples of violent crime cases that we handle and their penalties:

  • Usually punished as a Misdemeanor with up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine, if the victim was intentionally selected because of their race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or national origin, this crime becomes a Felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison. If the Assault and Battery was committed against a law enforcement officer, the crime becomes a felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison and it carries a 6-month mandatory minimum jail sentence.

  • Assault and Battery of a Family or Household Member: also known as Domestic Assault or Domestic Violence, this charge carries up to 12 months in prison and a $2,500 fine. Under Virginia law, even the slightest touching, if done in a rude, angry, or insolent manner, can be enough to prove someone guilty of this crime. Family and Household Members not only include your immediate family, but also anyone you share a residence with, anyone you have lived with in the past 6 months, and any person with whom you have a child.

  • Robbery can be punished as a Class 6 Felony with up to 5 years in prison if the robbery was accomplished by threat or intimidation. If the robbery involved physical force but no bodily injury to the victim, then the charge becomes a Class 5 Felony with up to 10 years in prison. If the robbery involved using or displaying a firearm, then it becomes a Class 3 Felony, with 5 to 20 years in prison. If the robbery causes serious bodily injury or death, then it becomes a Class 2 Felony, with 20 years to life in prison at stake.

  • Strangling or suffocating someone else is a felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison.

  • Shooting, stabbing, cutting or wounding another intentionally without lawful justification is a Felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison. If that act was done with intent to maim or kill the victim, it becomes punishable by 5 to 20 years in prison. If the act was done with intent to main or kill the victim and the victim suffers severe injury, and permanent and significant physical impairment, then the crime become

  • Aggravated Malicious Wounding is punishable by 20 years to life in prison.

Other Violent Crimes we handle include:

In any case involving violent crimes, it is important to hire an attorney as soon as possible so that you can discuss the facts and identify the strengths of your individual case.

An experienced violent crime attorney can help you navigate your violent crime charges, whether they include allegations of Assault and Battery, Domestic Assault and Battery, Strangulation, or any of the other violent offenses set forth in Virginia Law, identify potential defenses and mitigating factors, and ultimately help you achieve a positive result in your case through either a trial or negotiation.

“Charles is a very personable and professional individual. My case was domestic related and very sensitive. Charles was very discreet and represented me well. Charles’ outstanding work ending up getting my case dismissed and dropped. I can never thank him enough!”

— ANONYMOUS CLIENT

Strategy Points

  • The short answer is yes. Under Virginia law, Assault is placing someone in reasonable fear of physical harm through your actions or a combination of words and actions. Battery is defined as any nonconsensual touching done out of rudeness, anger, or insolence. In some cases, a small amount of physical contact can be used to prosecute an Assault & Battery.

  • Both self-defense and the doctrine of mutual combat apply in some cases. Self-defense may apply if and when someone else was the initial aggressor and either committed some physical touching or put you in reasonable fear of an unwanted physical touching prior to you touching them. Mutual combat may apply in cases where two parties mutually engage in a physical confrontation. If you think this might apply to your situation, you should discuss your case with a violent crime attorney as soon as possible.

  • In many cases, the police hear a one-sided story at first. Especially in Domestic Violence cases. If you think that the other party lied about the facts of your case to the police, you need to discuss this with a violent crime attorney right away. The earlier you have an attorney on your side, the more likely your lawyer can identify witnesss and develop evidence to support your side of te story.

  • In Virginia, once charges are brought, the complaining witness/victim is not able to simply “drop” the charges. Complaining witnesses are often pressured by prosecutors to stick to the original story that they told the police, even if that story was embellished or exaggerated out of anger or frustration. Even in a case where you think the other person wants to drop the charges, you need to retain a lawyer as soon as possible so that you can develop a strategy to get the desired results.

Areas We Serve

Prince William County, Virginia

Manassas, Gainesville, Haymarket, Nokesville, Manassas Park, Woodbridge, Lake Ridge, Dumfries, Occoquan

Fairfax County, Virginia

Fairfax, Centreville, Chantilly, Fair Lakes, Reston, Herndon, Vienna, Tysons, Great Falls, McLean, Springfield, Burke, Annandale, Falls Church, Fairfax Station, Clifton, Lorton

Fauquier County, Virginia

Warrenton, Vint Hill, New Baltimore, Bealeton, Catlett, Broad Run, Marshall, The Plains, Midland, Remington, Calverton, Opal

Loudoun County, Virginia

Leesburg, Sterling, Ashburn, South Riding, Broadlands, Purcellville, Aldie, Lansdowne, Brambleton, Lovettesville, Round Hill, Hillsboro, Hamilton

Stafford County, Virginia

Stafford, Aquia Harbor, Falmouth, Fredericksburg

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