Although the judge entered a general finding that the defendant stole jewelry and silver, the payout by the insurance company was sufficient to support a $58,000 restitution award. Background In December of 2014, the victim hired appellant to help around ...

Tagged with: Criminal Judge Wesley G. Russell Jr. Virginia Court of Appeals

With some arguments barred on appeal, and sufficient evidence in the record to support the reliability of a drug dog, the court affirmed the trial court’s denial of defendant’s motion to suppress cocaine found in his waistband. Background On Sept. ...

Tagged with: Criminal Judge Wesley G. Russell Jr. Virginia Court of Appeals

No remedy existed for condo owners who, unhappy with a roof renovation, wanted the city to inspect the work and cite the roofer.  After a second contractor made fixes, there was nothing for the city to inspect and no opportunity ...

Tagged with: Administrative Construction Judge Wesley G. Russell Jr. Municipal Standing Virginia Court of Appeals

In a grand larceny trial relating to stolen jewelry, printouts from LeadsOnline, which stores resellers’ purchase records for cooperation with law enforcement agencies, were admissible under the business-records exception to the hearsay rule. Background Appellant Joseph Melick was convicted in ...

Tagged with: Criminal Evidence Hearsay Judge Wesley G. Russell Jr. Virginia Court of Appeals

A mother’s conviction for felony child neglect was supported by evidence that she was driving with a blood alcohol concentration that was triple the legal limit, with her children in the car. Background On December 25, 2014, Officer A. Lasco ...

Tagged with: Criminal Family Law Judge Wesley G. Russell Jr. Virginia Court of Appeals

Evidence didn’t support the circuit court’s ruling that a mother failed to remedy past conditions of child abuse. The record also didn’t support affirmance on the alternate ground of inadequate parenting skills advance by the Department of Social Services. Background ...

Tagged with: Domestic Relations Family Law Judge Wesley G. Russell Jr. Parental Rights Virginia Court of Appeals

When a citizen conversing voluntarily with police gave them the unlabeled pill bottle in his pocket, he consented to inspection of both the outside and inside. The trial court erred in suppressing the contents. Background At around 10:30 p.m. on ...

Tagged with: Constitutional Criminal Judge Wesley G. Russell Jr. Search & Seizure Virginia Court of Appeals

A divorcing father’s unilateral decision to use a marital investment account to pay for his adult son’s master’s program was properly considered waste of the marital assets, the Court of Appeals of Virginia has ruled. A Fairfax County circuit judge ...

Tagged with: Judge Bruce D. White Judge Glen A. Huff Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. Judge Wesley G. Russell Jr. Virginia Court of Appeals News

In a divorce action, the court affirmed an equitable distribution that offset the husband’s share by the amount he independently spent on college tuition for the divorcing couple’s adult son. The husband was unable to overcome the marital presumption attaching ...

Tagged with: Domestic Relations Judge Wesley G. Russell Jr. Virginia Court of Appeals

The court of appeals held that the trial court, considering a motion to suppress, did not err in admitting an officer’s testimony that, before he attempted to arrest the defendant, another officer had said that the defendant was subject to ...

Tagged with: Evidence Judge Wesley G. Russell Jr. Unpublished Opinion Virginia Court of Appeals