Home / Code Sections / § 18.2-456(a)(1) — Contempt of Court

§ 18.2-456(a)(1) — Contempt of Court

Court outcome data from 308 cases across 67 jurisdictions · 2025

Source. Virginia District + Circuit Court Information Systems, 2025 Methodology Report a correction Last refreshed July 8, 2026

Of 308 cases filed in 2025 under § 18.2-456(a)(1), 287 reached an outcome — 13.6% were dismissed or dropped and 84.7% resulted in conviction, across 67 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.

Of 308 § 18.2-456(a)(1) cases filed in 2025 across 67 Virginia jurisdictions, 287 reached an outcome — an average dismissal rate of 13.6% and an average conviction rate of 84.7%.

Court Outcomes Across Virginia

Across 67 Virginia jurisdictions (2025):

308
Total Cases
13.6%
Avg Dismissal Rate
84.7%
Avg Conviction Rate

Top Jurisdictions

Courts with the most cases related to this statute.

Jurisdiction Cases Dismissal Rate Conviction Rate Median Duration
Richmond City 27 12.5% 87.5% N/A
Virginia Beach 24 13.0% 87.0% N/A
Rockingham County 18 0.0% 100.0% N/A
Norfolk 17 25.0% 75.0% N/A
Chesterfield County 13 9.1% 90.9% N/A
Augusta County 13 0.0% 100.0% N/A
Suffolk 12 33.3% 66.7% N/A
Henrico County 10 0.0% 100.0% N/A
Southampton County 9 33.3% 66.7% N/A
Warren County 8 0.0% 100.0% N/A
Bedford County 8 28.6% 71.4% N/A
Williamsburg 7 0.0% 100.0% 1.9 months
Lynchburg 7 14.3% 85.7% N/A
Albemarle County 7 28.6% 71.4% N/A
Russell County 6 0.0% 100.0% N/A

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

Explore Full Data

Contempt of Court — All Jurisdictions
287 resolved of 308 filed · 13.6% dismissed

Common Questions

Of 308 cases filed in 2025 under § 18.2-456(a)(1), 287 reached an outcome: an average dismissal rate of 13.6% and a conviction rate of 84.7% across 67 Virginia jurisdictions. Outcomes vary by court — view all jurisdictions for detailed data.
308 cases under § 18.2-456(a)(1) were filed across 67 Virginia jurisdictions in 2025. For information about the current text and penalties of this statute, consult the Code of Virginia.

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