Home / Code Sections / § 18.2-96 — Petit Larceny

§ 18.2-96 — Petit Larceny

Court outcome data from 19,218 cases across 125 jurisdictions · 2025

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

Based on 19,218 public court records from 2025, charges under § 18.2-96 were dismissed or dropped in 55.9% of cases and resulted in conviction in 42.5%, across 125 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 § 18.2-96

Section 18.2-96 addresses petit larceny in Virginia, which involves theft of goods valued under $1,000. Petit larceny is a Class 1 misdemeanor carrying up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine.

According to 19,218 public court records from 2025, § 18.2-96 cases across 125 Virginia jurisdictions have an average dismissal rate of 55.9% and an average conviction rate of 42.5%.

Court Outcomes Across Virginia

Across 125 Virginia jurisdictions (2025):

19,218
Total Cases
55.9%
Avg Dismissal Rate
42.5%
Avg Conviction Rate

Top Jurisdictions

Courts with the most cases related to this statute.

Jurisdiction Cases Dismissal Rate Conviction Rate Median Duration
Fairfax County 4,198 67.5% 32.5% 3.9 months
Henrico County 2,109 44.5% 55.5% 4.5 months
Chesterfield County 1,498 53.2% 46.8% 4.6 months
Prince William County 1,112 60.2% 39.8% 4.6 months
Virginia Beach 860 40.1% 59.9% 3.5 months
Norfolk 763 70.1% 29.9% 3.1 months
Arlington County 622 62.5% 37.5% 3.6 months
Chesapeake 398 51.6% 48.4% 3.4 months
Colonial Heights 395 53.5% 46.5% 6.3 months
Richmond City 389 68.3% 31.7% 2.6 months
Loudoun County 376 65.0% 35.0% 6.3 months
Roanoke City 320 57.2% 42.8% 1.5 months
Newport News 293 71.9% 28.1% 3.9 months
Alexandria 273 64.8% 35.2% 3.4 months
Lynchburg 272 44.8% 55.2% 3.3 months

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

Explore Full Data

Larceny / Theft — All Jurisdictions
19,218 cases · 55.9% dismissed
Larceny / Theft Guide
What the court data shows →

Common Questions

Based on 19,218 cases from 2025, charges under § 18.2-96 have an average dismissal rate of 55.9% and a conviction rate of 42.5% across 125 Virginia jurisdictions. Outcomes vary by court — view all jurisdictions for detailed data.
19,218 cases under § 18.2-96 were filed across 125 Virginia jurisdictions in 2025. For information about the current text and penalties of this statute, consult the Code of Virginia.

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