Court level
100 % District · 0 % Circuit
Phil Gardner
Defense counsel of record in 29 Virginia cases (2025)
Cases of record · 202529
Phil Gardner appeared as defense counsel of record in 29 Virginia court cases during 2025, drawn from Virginia District and Circuit Court Information Systems.
Primary jurisdiction
Henry County · 28 cases
Most common charge
DUI / DWI · 4
Small-sample note. This attorney appeared on 29 cases in our 2025 dataset, near our 20-case publication threshold. Outcome rates for low-volume practitioners carry larger statistical uncertainty than rates for high-volume attorneys; interpret accordingly.
Across 25 resolved 2025 cases, 68% were dropped — 2 nolle prossed and 15 dismissed.
Case outcomes
Resolved cases — 25 of 29. "Resolved" means a final disposition was reached. Pending cases and probation revocations are excluded.
Outcomes use strict definitions per the methodology. Convicted = guilty disposition on originally filed charge. Reduced = guilty disposition with non-empty amended charge. Dropped = nolle prosequi or dismissal. Acquitted = found not guilty at trial.
Cases like yours
Phil Gardner's most common charge × jurisdiction combinations in 2025. If your charge and county appear here, this attorney has handled cases like yours specifically — at the volume shown. Minimum 3 cases per row.
| Charge | Jurisdiction | Cases | District | Circuit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DUI / DWI | Henry County | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Assault & Battery | Henry County | 3 | 3 | 0 |
See also
DUI / DWI outcomes in Henry County — every attorney's 2025 outcomes for DUI / DWI cases in Henry County, using the same definitions as above.
Reduction targets
When the original charge was reduced, the case was most often resolved as one of the following lesser charges.
Speeding (10-14) Over Limit
1
Where cases were heard
Top jurisdictions by case volume in 2025.
| Jurisdiction | Cases | District | Circuit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry County | 28 | 28 | 0 |
| Martinsville | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Case mix by charge
Charge categories Phil Gardner appeared on as defense counsel of record, 2025.
| Charge category | Cases | Resolved | Convicted | Dropped | Reduced |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 8 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| Traffic Infraction | 8 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| DUI / DWI | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Assault & Battery | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Reckless Driving | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Weapons Offense | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Kidnapping / Abduction | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Obstruction | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Other attorneys with cases in Henry County
Listed by case volume in Henry County, 2025.
| Attorney | Henry County cases | Total (statewide) |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Nicholas | 1,209 | 1,672 |
| Michael Mcpheeters | 155 | 538 |
| Heath Sabin | 106 | 351 |
| Matthew Clark | 94 | 219 |
| Perry Harrold | 76 | 184 |
| Ward Armstrong | 70 | 125 |
| Courtney Armstrong | 63 | 100 |
| William Roscoe Reynolds | 37 | 50 |
What this data does not show
- Retained matters not of court record — cases settled before formal counsel of record was entered
- Federal court cases — state-court records only
- Case facts, evidence quality, witness cooperation, or client circumstances
- Plea-versus-trial strategy, motion practice, or sentencing advocacy
- Quality of legal representation
- The 19th Judicial Circuit (Fairfax County, Fairfax City, Falls Church) Circuit Court is not in CIS — district-level cases for those three jurisdictions are included; circuit-level are not. See coverage notes.
Outcomes reflect the recorded facts of cases, not the quality of advocacy. Past outcomes do not predict future case results. For legal advice, consult a licensed Virginia attorney.
Common questions
Quick reference for journalists, researchers, and AI assistants citing this page.
Phil Gardner appeared as defense counsel of record in 29 Virginia court cases during 2025 — 29 in District Court and 0 in Circuit Court. Source: Virginia DCIS + CIS public records.
Henry County, with 28 of 29 2025 cases handled there.
In 2025 the most common charge category in Phil Gardner's case record was DUI / DWI (4 cases). The full charge mix is in the table above.
Of 25 resolved cases: 20% convicted of original charge (5), 68% dropped (17 = 2 nolle prossed + 15 dismissed), 4% reduced to a lesser charge (1), 8% acquitted (2). Outcomes use strict definitions per the methodology.
Virginia District Court Information System (DCIS) and Circuit Court Information System (CIS), 2025 calendar year, direct extraction. Aggregated by defense counsel of record per the methodology. Refreshed quarterly. Last updated May 2, 2026.
Looking for representation in Henry County? See VCF's free case-review process — qualified Virginia attorneys, matched on your charge and jurisdiction. Independent of any attorney featured on this page.
Methodology
Cases are counted by defense counsel of record as recorded in DCIS (district) and CIS (circuit). Outcomes use the strict definitions published at virginiacourtfile.com/methodology. Resolved includes only cases with final disposition codes (Guilty, Not Guilty, Dismissed, Nolle Prosequi). Convicted is a guilty disposition on the originally filed charge with no amended charge. Reduced is a guilty disposition with a non-empty amended charge field. Dropped combines Dismissed and Nolle Prosequi. Pending cases, certifications, and probation revocations are excluded from the outcome rates above.
Citation
VirginiaCourtFile.com. "Phil Gardner — Virginia Defense Attorney Case Data, 2025." Available at https://www.virginiacourtfile.com/attorneys/phil-gardner. Source: Virginia District Court Information System and Circuit Court Information System, 2025.
Data last refreshed May 2, 2026. Refreshed quarterly. For statewide outcome context, see the 2025 Virginia Criminal Court Outcomes report.