Drug Possession in Virginia
25,136 cases across 99 jurisdictions · 2025
According to 25,136 public court records from 2025, Drug Possession cases across 99 Virginia jurisdictions have an average dismissal rate of 54.1% and an average conviction rate of 45.2%. Statewide, 10.8% of Drug Possession charges are reduced to a lesser offense. The average fine is $197.
Dismissal rate includes judicial dismissals and nolle prosequi (prosecutor-dropped cases). Conviction rate includes guilty pleas and findings of guilt at trial. Rates are averaged across 99 jurisdictions with available data. Data covers 2025 public court records. Last updated: May 2, 2026
25,136
Total Cases
54.1%
Avg Dismissal Rate
45.2%
Avg Conviction Rate
$197
Avg Fine
1.7 years
Avg Sentence
10.8%
Charge Reduction Rate
Select Your Jurisdiction
Outcomes vary significantly by court. Type your county or city below to find it quickly.
Comparison by Court
| Jurisdiction | Cases | Dismissal Rate | Conviction Rate | Median Duration | Avg Fine | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henrico County | 1,823 | 52.8% | 47.0% | 2.9 months | $190 | 2.1 years |
| Prince William County | 1,311 | 41.8% | 57.8% | 4.9 months | $302 | 7.6 months |
| Fairfax County | 1,275 | 71.0% | 28.6% | 6.0 months | $121 | 3.2 months |
| Chesterfield County | 1,252 | 54.1% | 45.9% | 4.5 months | $159 | 1.4 years |
| Newport News | 1,006 | 62.0% | 37.5% | 4.0 months | $153 | 1.8 years |
| Virginia Beach | 875 | 72.2% | 27.1% | 3.9 months | $128 | 9.8 months |
| Montgomery County | 754 | 51.7% | 47.2% | 3.5 months | $230 | 1.8 years |
| Chesapeake | 662 | 89.1% | 10.9% | 3.7 months | $114 | 6.5 months |
| Rockingham County | 619 | 41.8% | 58.0% | 3.4 months | $202 | 1.6 years |
| Lynchburg | 551 | 37.9% | 61.2% | 4.0 months | $148 | 1.2 years |
| Warren County | 539 | 53.9% | 46.1% | 3.2 months | $194 | 2.2 years |
| Stafford County | 521 | 49.7% | 50.3% | 3.4 months | $220 | 1.9 years |
| Tazewell County | 468 | 69.2% | 29.6% | 5.2 months | $150 | 1.3 years |
| Franklin County | 451 | 46.4% | 53.3% | 2.9 months | $200 | 1.8 years |
| Hanover County | 444 | 43.0% | 54.5% | 3.4 months | $149 | 1.9 years |
| Roanoke City | 393 | 37.0% | 63.0% | 1.4 months | $109 | 11.4 months |
| Fredericksburg | 386 | 36.3% | 61.8% | 2.7 months | $300 | 2.1 years |
| Wythe County | 361 | 39.3% | 59.5% | 3.5 months | $428 | 3.2 years |
| Augusta County | 350 | 56.5% | 43.5% | 3.5 months | $235 | 1.4 years |
| Hampton | 342 | 29.6% | 68.8% | 3.8 months | $160 | 1.1 years |
| Norfolk | 342 | 23.4% | 75.8% | 2.3 months | $132 | 1.2 years |
| Spotsylvania County | 331 | 64.9% | 33.2% | 3.3 months | $50 | 1.2 years |
| Washington County | 321 | 51.1% | 48.9% | 3.4 months | $361 | 2.7 years |
| Pulaski County | 320 | 50.8% | 49.2% | 3.4 months | $254 | 1.6 years |
| Bristol | 304 | 69.2% | 30.8% | 3.5 months | $133 | 5.7 months |
| Culpeper County | 302 | 48.8% | 51.2% | 2.8 months | $838 | 3.0 years |
| Richmond City | 299 | 60.6% | 38.8% | 3.2 months | $25 | 1.1 years |
| Arlington County | 289 | 70.5% | 29.5% | 3.4 months | $194 | 5.5 months |
| Loudoun County | 280 | 58.7% | 41.3% | 4.0 months | $195 | 9.7 months |
| Page County | 277 | 56.8% | 42.6% | 2.8 months | $100 | 1.9 years |
| Portsmouth | 252 | 44.3% | 55.7% | 3.1 months | $100 | 1.3 years |
| Frederick County | 238 | 53.0% | 46.9% | 2.8 months | $91 | 1.4 years |
| Roanoke County | 229 | 85.3% | 12.8% | 2.6 months | $25 | 6.4 months |
| Carroll County | 216 | 41.5% | 58.5% | 3.0 months | $348 | 2.6 years |
| Russell County | 209 | 44.3% | 55.7% | 3.2 months | $250 | 4.1 years |
| Wise County | 208 | 37.7% | 61.3% | 3.8 months | $289 | 3.5 years |
| Halifax County | 208 | 47.5% | 52.5% | 3.0 months | $260 | 5.4 years |
| Suffolk | 208 | 66.6% | 33.4% | 3.4 months | $100 | 1.5 years |
| Prince George County | 192 | 65.4% | 32.5% | 4.5 months | $250 | 2.7 years |
| Danville | 192 | 43.2% | 56.8% | 2.7 months | $206 | 2.4 years |
| Winchester | 189 | 49.4% | 48.5% | 2.6 months | $75 | 1.2 years |
| Fauquier County | 181 | 46.9% | 52.4% | 3.9 months | $192 | 1.2 years |
| Petersburg | 181 | 48.5% | 51.5% | 4.1 months | $67 | 4.0 years |
| Lee County | 179 | 56.5% | 42.8% | 3.7 months | $637 | 2.6 years |
| York County | 171 | 63.6% | 34.9% | 3.5 months | — | 1.6 years |
| Scott County | 170 | 26.5% | 73.5% | 4.2 months | $565 | 2.0 years |
| Shenandoah County | 170 | 41.7% | 58.3% | 3.5 months | $140 | 1.7 years |
| Staunton | 165 | 34.3% | 65.7% | 3.2 months | — | 1.4 years |
| Waynesboro | 157 | 39.8% | 60.2% | 2.5 months | — | 2.4 years |
| Campbell County | 156 | 57.3% | 42.7% | 4.7 months | $183 | 2.6 years |
| Amherst County | 147 | 45.1% | 50.2% | 3.7 months | $228 | 2.2 years |
| Bedford County | 138 | 65.5% | 32.7% | 3.1 months | $62 | 3.8 months |
| Gloucester County | 138 | 40.6% | 58.5% | 2.3 months | — | 2.9 years |
| Dickenson County | 133 | 50.5% | 49.5% | 3.9 months | $100 | 1.8 years |
| Rockbridge County | 128 | 62.3% | 37.7% | 3.4 months | $70 | 3.7 years |
| Alleghany County | 127 | 59.4% | 40.6% | 2.2 months | — | 3.5 years |
| Williamsburg | 126 | 61.9% | 38.1% | 3.4 months | $100 | 2.6 years |
| Hopewell | 126 | 59.0% | 41.0% | 3.9 months | — | 3.6 years |
| Smyth County | 122 | 41.2% | 58.8% | 4.0 months | $411 | 9.7 months |
| Colonial Heights | 117 | 60.5% | 39.5% | 3.3 months | — | 3.2 years |
| Buchanan County | 115 | 68.9% | 31.1% | 2.8 months | $100 | 2.1 years |
| New Kent County | 106 | 72.6% | 27.4% | 3.1 months | $300 | 8.6 years |
| Accomack County | 105 | 60.1% | 39.9% | 3.1 months | $1,000 | 3.3 years |
| Isle of Wight County | 99 | 61.7% | 38.3% | 4.0 months | $175 | 1.5 years |
| Bland County | 98 | 56.0% | 44.0% | 4.4 months | $175 | 1.4 years |
| Caroline County | 95 | 51.9% | 48.1% | 3.6 months | — | 2.6 years |
| Mecklenburg County | 92 | 70.7% | 29.3% | 4.8 months | $90 | 4.0 years |
| Albemarle County | 91 | 64.6% | 35.4% | 3.5 months | $100 | 3.3 months |
| Salem | 88 | 58.3% | 41.7% | 1.3 months | — | 3.0 months |
| Henry County | 86 | 83.3% | 16.7% | 2.9 months | $100 | 6.6 months |
| King George County | 85 | 52.3% | 45.8% | 2.7 months | $144 | 1.5 years |
| Alexandria | 81 | 60.3% | 39.7% | 4.1 months | $60 | 5.7 months |
| Martinsville | 80 | 86.4% | 13.6% | 3.3 months | — | — |
| Grayson County | 79 | 9.4% | 61.5% | 3.2 months | — | 4.7 years |
| Radford | 78 | 22.6% | 77.4% | 5.3 months | $141 | 7.6 years |
| Buckingham County | 77 | 65.9% | 34.1% | 3.6 months | — | 9.1 years |
| Nelson County | 74 | 50.0% | 47.2% | 3.6 months | $150 | 1.9 years |
| Floyd County | 70 | 73.1% | 23.5% | 5.5 months | — | 4.2 years |
| Goochland County | 69 | 74.9% | 25.1% | 4.0 months | $1,000 | 3.3 years |
| Patrick County | 64 | 36.4% | 60.1% | 3.5 months | $100 | 3.8 years |
| Clarke County | 62 | 72.8% | 27.2% | 2.2 months | $187 | 1.4 years |
| Louisa County | 58 | 80.0% | 20.0% | 3.9 months | — | 6.0 months |
| Galax | 56 | 56.2% | 43.8% | 3.7 months | $125 | 10.6 months |
| Prince Edward County | 56 | 3.8% | 56.9% | 3.4 months | — | 5.8 years |
| Orange County | 56 | 27.8% | 72.2% | 3.2 months | — | 2.4 years |
| Botetourt County | 50 | 91.7% | 8.3% | 2.1 months | — | 1.0 months |
| Franklin City | 49 | 81.8% | 18.2% | 4.6 months | — | 6.0 months |
| Dinwiddie County | 49 | 39.1% | 60.9% | 3.1 months | $25 | 6.4 years |
| Appomattox County | 47 | 13.3% | 83.3% | 4.0 months | — | 4.1 years |
| Nottoway County | 47 | 100.0% | 0.0% | 4.9 months | — | — |
| Charlottesville | 45 | 54.2% | 45.8% | 7.2 months | — | 8.6 months |
| Greene County | 33 | 31.6% | 68.4% | 5.1 months | $250 | 3.0 years |
| Charlotte County | 31 | 38.9% | 61.1% | 3.5 months | — | 3.9 years |
| Fluvanna County | 26 | 85.7% | 14.3% | 3.1 months | — | — |
| Powhatan County | 26 | 83.3% | 16.7% | 4.5 months | — | 1.0 years |
| Southampton County | 25 | 84.6% | 15.4% | 3.1 months | $250 | 1.0 years |
| Sussex County | 24 | 53.8% | 46.2% | 3.5 months | $133 | 1.0 years |
| Greensville County | 23 | 26.7% | 73.3% | 2.6 months | $417 | 9.2 years |
| Northampton County | 20 | 36.4% | 63.6% | 3.8 months | $129 | — |
Source: Virginia public court records, 2025 — VirginiaCourtFile.com
Compare Drug Possession to Related Charges
See how Drug Possession outcomes compare side-by-side with related charges across Virginia.
Related Virginia Statutes
Virginia Code sections associated with Drug Possession charges.
Case Dismissed?
If your Drug Possession case was dismissed or dropped, you may be eligible to have it sealed from your record.
Data source: Virginia public court records, 2025. 25,136 cases analyzed across 99 jurisdictions. Last updated May 2, 2026. — VirginiaCourtFile.com
Common Questions
Statistics from public court records for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. Past outcomes do not predict future results.
Nottoway County has the highest dismissal rate for Drug Possession at 100.0%. Use the comparison table above to see how all Virginia jurisdictions compare for dismissal rates, conviction rates, and case timelines.
A total of 25,136 Drug Possession cases were filed across 99 Virginia jurisdictions in 2025, with an average dismissal rate of 54.1%. Click on any jurisdiction above to see detailed statistics for that court.
The average conviction rate for Drug Possession across Virginia is 45.2%, based on 2025 public court records. Rates vary by jurisdiction — use the comparison table above to see how each court differs. For guidance on your specific situation, consult a licensed Virginia attorney.
What's Next
Drug Possession dismissal rates range from 4% to 100% across Virginia. Your court matters. An attorney who handles Drug Possession cases in your court can review your case — free.
Want data specific to your court and situation? Check your case