If you've been charged with larceny / theft in Petersburg — this page shows what typically happens. Most cases (147 of 240) were heard in General District Court, where 53.9% were dismissed or dropped and the median case took 3.1 months. 93 cases moved to Circuit Court — typically jury trials, felonies, or appeals from District Court.

Key takeaways

  • 53.9% of Larceny / Theft cases in Petersburg were dismissed or dropped in 2025, across 240 public court records (Virginia average: 54.0%).
  • 39.9% resulted in conviction; 10.1% ended in acquittal.
  • 1.3% were amended to a lesser charge, most often Attempt-Petit Larceny.
  • The median case resolved in 4.0 months; the slowest quarter took 7.2 months or more.
53.9%
Dismissal Rate
vs 54.0% statewide
39.9%
Conviction Rate
vs 44.8% statewide
4.0 months
Median Duration
I Outcomes

How 147 General District Court cases in Petersburg were resolved in 2025. This is where most Larceny / Theft cases start.

Exhibit · Case-outcome distribution

22.5%
31.4%
34.3%
Dismissed by judge 22.5% (n=23) Dropped by prosecutor (nolle prosequi) 31.4% (n=32) Convicted 34.3% (n=35) Acquitted 11.8%

Largest outcomeConvicted — 34.3% of 102 resolved cases.

Source: 147 General District Court records, Petersburg, 2025. See the 2025 Virginia Criminal Court Outcomes report for statewide context. — VirginiaCourtFile.com

Exhibit · How Petersburg compares

Dismissal rates for Larceny / Theft in this and peer jurisdictions, 2025. Peers are the highest-volume neighboring jurisdictions in the same region.

Click any peer for its full record. Bar lengths are scaled to the highest rate shown.

Filed in Petersburg General District Court? See the full General District Court record — charge mix, judges, and officer activity.

If your case goes to Circuit Court  ·  93 Larceny / Theft cases in 2025

A small share of Larceny / Theft cases in Petersburg are heard in Circuit Court — typically jury trials, felonies, or appeals from General District Court. Outcomes look different at this level.

26.8%
17.1%
46.3%
Dismissed 26.8% (n=11) Nolle prosequi 17.1% (n=7) Guilty Plea 46.3% Found Guilty 2.4% Acquitted 7.3%

See the full Petersburg Circuit Court record — all charges, judges, and case outcomes at this level.

Outcomes for 43 convicted cases in Petersburg General District Court (2025-2026).

Exhibit · Sentencing when convicted

44.2%
Received Active Jail
Median suppressed (N<30)
vs 40.5% statewide
67.4%
Received Probation
Median suppressed (N<30)
vs 33.9% statewide

These figures describe outcomes for cases that ended in conviction in Petersburg General District Court. They do not predict any individual case outcome. See methodology for definitions and suppression rules.

When the original charge is amended to a lesser offense, usually through negotiation between the attorney and prosecutor.

Exhibit · Charge-reduction patterns

1.3% of Larceny / Theft cases
in Petersburg are reduced
3 cases had their charge amended to a lesser offense.
Most common reductions
Larceny / Theft Attempt-Petit Larceny
1 cases · 33.3% of reductions
Larceny / Theft Petit Larceny
1 cases · 33.3% of reductions
Larceny / Theft Unauth Use Of Motor Veh - Misd.
1 cases · 33.3% of reductions

Time from filing to final disposition — half of cases resolve faster than the median.

Exhibit · Case duration

Fastest 25% 2.3 months
Median 4.0 months
Slowest 25% 7.2 months
II Getting Help

Representation options in Petersburg.

If you cannot afford an attorney for a larceny / theft charge, you may qualify for court-appointed counsel or a public defender. How Virginia's indigent-defense system works explains who qualifies and how representation is assigned in Petersburg. Defense attorneys who have appeared on larceny / theft cases in Petersburg are listed below.

Attorneys whose primary jurisdiction is Petersburg and who appeared as defense counsel of record on Larceny / Theft cases in 2025. Listed by case count.

Counts are each attorney's full 2025 caseload statewide. Click any name for their jurisdiction + outcome breakdown.

All Virginia defense attorneys

1,758 circuit court filings prosecuted by the Petersburg Commonwealth's Attorney in 2025. Office-level data — direct-indictment rate, disposition mix, trial activity. View office records →

Statistics from public court records for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. Past outcomes do not predict future results. Consult a licensed attorney for guidance on your case.

What's the difference between General District Court and Circuit Court?

In Virginia, most Larceny / Theft cases start in General District Court — that's where the 147 cases shown above were heard. Cases can move to Circuit Court for jury trials, felony indictments, or appeals from District Court. 93 Larceny / Theft cases were heard in Petersburg Circuit Court in 2025, where 43.9% were dismissed and 48.8% resulted in conviction.

Can a Larceny / Theft charge be reduced to something lesser?

1.3% of Larceny / Theft cases in Petersburg were amended to a lesser charge in 2025. The most common reduction was to Attempt-Petit Larceny (1 cases), followed by Petit Larceny (1 cases). Whether a reduction is available depends on the specifics of the case and is typically negotiated between the defense attorney and the prosecutor.

How does Petersburg compare to other Virginia courts?

Petersburg has a 53.9% dismissal rate for Larceny / Theft cases. Outcomes vary significantly across Virginia courts. View the Larceny / Theft overview to compare dismissal rates, conviction rates, and case timelines across every jurisdiction.

Where does this data come from and how often is it updated?

All figures on this page come from Virginia's public Case Information System (CIS) and District Court system, calendar year 2025 onward. The dataset is refreshed quarterly. See methodology for definitions, denominators, and known coverage gaps.

Cite this page

VirginiaCourtFile.com (2026). Larceny / Theft Outcomes — Petersburg, Virginia. Based on 240 public court records, 2025; last updated May 2, 2026. https://www.virginiacourtfile.com/charges/larceny-theft/petersburg