Home / Code Sections / § 18.2-460 — Obstruction of Justice

§ 18.2-460 — Obstruction of Justice

Court outcome data from 6,567 cases across 123 jurisdictions · 2025

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

Based on 6,567 public court records from 2025, charges under § 18.2-460 were dismissed or dropped in 54.5% of cases and resulted in conviction in 42.0%, 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 § 18.2-460

Section 18.2-460 addresses obstructing justice or resisting law enforcement in Virginia. Obstruction — including by threats or force — is generally a Class 1 misdemeanor, as is resisting a lawful arrest. Obstruction by threats or force rises to a Class 5 felony only when it relates to certain drug felonies, gang offenses, or violent felony cases.

According to 6,567 public court records from 2025, § 18.2-460 cases across 123 Virginia jurisdictions have an average dismissal rate of 54.5% and an average conviction rate of 42.0%.

Court Outcomes Across Virginia

Across 123 Virginia jurisdictions (2025):

6,567
Total Cases
54.5%
Avg Dismissal Rate
42.0%
Avg Conviction Rate

Top Jurisdictions

Courts with the most cases related to this statute.

Jurisdiction Cases Dismissal Rate Conviction Rate Median Duration
Fairfax County 483 80.2% 19.8% 4.8 months
Virginia Beach 445 40.3% 59.7% 3.8 months
Prince William County 440 65.8% 34.2% 4.6 months
Norfolk 268 57.3% 42.7% 4.2 months
Stafford County 228 60.0% 40.0% 3.1 months
Newport News 200 69.3% 30.7% 3.8 months
Chesapeake 187 64.5% 35.5% 3.8 months
Chesterfield County 186 62.1% 37.9% 4.2 months
Lynchburg 167 40.4% 59.6% 3.6 months
Spotsylvania County 149 58.8% 41.2% 4.1 months
Henrico County 145 59.0% 41.0% 3.2 months
Fredericksburg 130 45.2% 54.8% 2.9 months
Roanoke City 122 45.3% 54.7% 1.2 months
Richmond City 116 81.6% 18.4% 2.6 months
Loudoun County 116 65.3% 34.7% 3.9 months

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

Explore Full Data

Obstruction — All Jurisdictions
6,567 cases · 54.5% dismissed
Obstruction Guide
What the court data shows →

Common Questions

Based on 6,567 cases from 2025, charges under § 18.2-460 have an average dismissal rate of 54.5% and a conviction rate of 42.0% across 123 Virginia jurisdictions. Outcomes vary by court — view all jurisdictions for detailed data.
6,567 cases under § 18.2-460 were filed across 123 Virginia jurisdictions in 2025. For information about the current text and penalties of this statute, consult the Code of Virginia.

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