See the various issues on which NACDL has conducted criminal justice advocacy in Virginia. To see active criminal justice legislation in Virginia that NACDL is tracking, click the button at the bottom of the page. 

NACDL worked with partners in Virginia to foster the passage of comprehensive pretrial data collection legislation. 

NACDL worked with partners in Virginia to repeal all presumptions against bail in the Virginia Code.

NACDL is working with coalition partners in Virginia to ensure access to counsel at first appearance.

NACDL continues to actively oppose legislative efforts in Virginia to categorically prohibit certain defenses in criminal cases.

Information on the policy and history of recording custodial interrogations in Virginia.

The purpose of this project is to match currently incarcerated individuals with pro bono lawyers to assist them in completing their clemency petitions. Having counsel through the clemency process greatly increases the chances of success, and this project will help to ensure that those who are most at risk of illness from COVID-19 and who cannot afford a lawyer have access to meaningful review. This project is open to anyone who is currently serving a Virginia state sentence for non-capital offenses, whose case has concluded (all appeals have been exhausted).

Attorney-client communications federal caselaw and state-specific anecdotal data in Virginia

Brief of the National Association Of Criminal Defense Lawyers and Delegate Patrick A. Hope as Amici Curiae in Support of Petition for Appeal.

Argument: The Circuit Court Violated Virginia law and due process by allowing the Commonwealth to expert-shop and admitting only its second, illegally obtained expert opinion. The Circuit Court violated Virginia law and due process by arbitrarily precluding Mr. Baughman from presenting testimony by Dr. Gravers and Dr. Krueger in his defense at trial.

Written statement of NACDL immediate past president Nina J. Ginsberg to the Virginia House of Delegates Courts of Justice Committee regarding a proposed bill to categorically prohibit the use of specific defenses in criminal cases (see HB 2132).

NACDL engaged in multiple urgent campaigns to strategically decarcerate jails and prisons in Virginia in order to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on correctional facilities. Viral outbreaks in tight congregate living spaces like jails and prisons can be catastrophic for those living and working inside facilities and those in the surrounding communities. 

Coalition comments to Deputy Director of the Virginia State Crime Commission Colin Drabert regarding the Pretrial Data Project's proposed legislation to allow for public access to their data.

Coalition letter to Executive Director of the Virginia State Crime Commission Kristen Howard regarding questions and concerns with the Commission's Pretrial Data Project report.

Letter from the Pretrial Justice Coalition to Virginia legislative leadership in their capacity as chair and vice-chair of the Virginia State Crime Commission regarding the need to release the data used in the Commission's Pretrial Data Project so the public can best assess the report and the state's pretrial system.

Recent legislative changes to Virginia Code 16.1-272 give the judiciary greater guidance and discretion in sentencing youth convicted of felony offenses in Virginia. This program features an overview of the blended sentencing provisions for juveniles transferred to circuit court followed by a discussion of the new sentencing provisions passed earlier this year.