Family abuse is the term under Virginia law for domestic violence. In this type of case, one family member (or household member) is accused of violence against another member of the household. Situations involving family violence are often made complex by family dynamics and living situations and the stresses they sometimes create. Furthermore, these cases...Read More

A family abuse charge (known as domestic violence in many other jurisdictions) in Virginia is serious business. It is a Class 1 misdemeanor and can potentially result in jail time. There are circumstances, however, in which the legal process can be seen as giving a person who has been charged with family abuse a second...Read More

You hear the term “due process” thrown about frequently. Often, it is in the context of criminal convictions being overturned on appeal because the police denied someone’s due process rights. Typically, this type of due process is referred to as substantive due process. There is another type of due process, known as procedural due process....Read More

Under Virginia law, stalking can be considered domestic violence or family abuse. This is only true if the victim of the stalking fits a specific definition that, for the purposes of this article, is a member of the accused’s family or household (including former roommates from up to a year past). Virginia’s Family Abuse Law...Read More