Home / Code Sections / § 18.2-388 — Public Intoxication

§ 18.2-388 — Public Intoxication

Court outcome data from 20,833 cases across 123 jurisdictions · 2025

Source. Virginia District + Circuit Court Information Systems, 2025 Methodology Report a correction Last refreshed May 2, 2026

Based on 20,833 public court records from 2025, charges under § 18.2-388 were dismissed or dropped in 34.8% of cases and resulted in conviction in 63.3%, across 123 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 § 18.2-388

Section 18.2-388 addresses being intoxicated in public in Virginia. Public intoxication is a Class 4 misdemeanor, the lowest level criminal offense, carrying a fine of up to $250 with no jail time.

According to 20,833 public court records from 2025, § 18.2-388 cases across 123 Virginia jurisdictions have an average dismissal rate of 34.8% and an average conviction rate of 63.3%.

Court Outcomes Across Virginia

Across 123 Virginia jurisdictions (2025):

20,833
Total Cases
34.8%
Avg Dismissal Rate
63.3%
Avg Conviction Rate

Top Jurisdictions

Courts with the most cases related to this statute.

Jurisdiction Cases Dismissal Rate Conviction Rate Median Duration
Fairfax County 2,195 42.1% 57.9% 2.5 months
Prince William County 1,471 33.3% 66.7% 2.1 months
Virginia Beach 1,171 22.4% 77.6% 1.9 months
Arlington County 966 46.8% 53.2% 1.5 months
Loudoun County 679 45.5% 54.5% 1.9 months
Rockingham County 629 48.5% 51.5% 1.8 months
Roanoke City 564 40.4% 59.6% 1.3 months
Montgomery County 556 45.9% 54.1% 2.2 months
Newport News 520 45.4% 54.6% 1.4 months
Chesterfield County 484 40.6% 59.4% 2.1 months
Spotsylvania County 482 40.6% 59.4% 1.8 months
Lynchburg 478 19.7% 80.3% 1.5 months
Henrico County 450 34.4% 65.6% 2.4 months
Stafford County 439 43.1% 56.9% 1.6 months
Norfolk 401 38.0% 62.0% 1.7 months

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

Explore Full Data

Public Intoxication — All Jurisdictions
20,833 cases · 34.8% dismissed
Public Intoxication Guide
What the court data shows →

Common Questions

Based on 20,833 cases from 2025, charges under § 18.2-388 have an average dismissal rate of 34.8% and a conviction rate of 63.3% across 123 Virginia jurisdictions. Outcomes vary by court — view all jurisdictions for detailed data.
20,833 cases under § 18.2-388 were filed across 123 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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