What are the court outcomes for § 18.2-172 in Virginia?

Based on 3,359 cases from 2025, charges under § 18.2-172 have an average dismissal rate of 73.5% and conviction rate of 26.1% across 106 Virginia jurisdictions.

How many cases involve § 18.2-172 in Virginia?

3,359 cases under § 18.2-172 were filed across 106 Virginia jurisdictions in 2025. Visit VirginiaCourtFile.com for jurisdiction-specific data.

§ 18.2-172 Forgery (VA): 73.5% Dismissed

Name: § 18.2-172 — Virginia Court Outcomes (2025)
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Based on 3,359 public court records from 2025, charges under § 18.2-172 were dismissed or dropped in 73.5% of cases and resulted in conviction in 26.1%, across 106 Virginia jurisdictions.

This page provides statistics from public court records for informational purposes only. This is not legal advice. For guidance on your specific situation, consult a licensed Virginia attorney.

Penalties Under § 18.2-172

Section 18.2-172 addresses forgery in Virginia — making or altering a document with intent to defraud, or using (uttering) a forged document as true. Forgery is a Class 5 felony carrying 1 to 10 years in prison, or up to 12 months in jail at the court's discretion.

According to 3,359 public court records from 2025, § 18.2-172 cases across 106 Virginia jurisdictions have an average dismissal rate of 73.5% and an average conviction rate of 26.1%.

Court Outcomes Across Virginia

Across 106 Virginia jurisdictions (2025):

3,359

Total Cases

73.5%

Avg Dismissal Rate

26.1%

Avg Conviction Rate

Top Jurisdictions

Courts with the most cases related to this statute.

Jurisdiction	Cases	Dismissal Rate	Conviction Rate	Median Duration
Virginia Beach	238	64.9%	35.1%	4.7 months
Norfolk	210	72.7%	27.3%	3.8 months
Chesapeake	190	77.5%	22.5%	3.2 months
Fairfax County	174	98.3%	1.7%	8.4 months
Suffolk	134	72.9%	27.1%	6.0 months
Accomack County	102	92.5%	7.5%	2.4 months
Montgomery County	99	80.6%	19.4%	2.7 months
Henrico County	96	50.9%	49.1%	4.3 months
Chesterfield County	96	81.5%	18.5%	4.7 months
Richmond City	85	91.7%	8.3%	6.6 months
Hampton	84	88.1%	11.9%	2.5 months
Roanoke County	83	83.3%	16.7%	3.3 months
Newport News	76	89.3%	10.7%	6.8 months
Lynchburg	70	90.0%	10.0%	8.0 months
Gloucester County	68	83.3%	16.7%	6.8 months

Source: Virginia public court records, 2025 — VirginiaCourtFile.com

Explore Full Data

Fraud / Forgery — All Jurisdictions

3,359 cases · 73.5% dismissed

Fraud / Forgery Guide

What the court data shows →

Common Questions

Based on 3,359 cases from 2025, charges under § 18.2-172 have an average dismissal rate of 73.5% and a conviction rate of 26.1% across 106 Virginia jurisdictions. Outcomes vary by court — view all jurisdictions for detailed data.

3,359 cases under § 18.2-172 were filed across 106 Virginia jurisdictions in 2025. For information about the current text and penalties of this statute, consult the Code of Virginia.

What's Next

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