Home / Code Sections / § 18.2-248 — Drug Distribution

§ 18.2-248 — Drug Distribution

Court outcome data from 7,940 cases across 122 jurisdictions · 2025

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

Of 7,940 cases filed in 2025 under § 18.2-248, 4,385 reached an outcome — 52.0% were dismissed or dropped and 47.8% resulted in conviction, across 122 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 § 18.2-248

Section 18.2-248 addresses the manufacture, sale, distribution, or possession with intent to distribute controlled substances in Virginia. Penalties vary by drug schedule — Schedule I/II distribution is a felony carrying 5 to 40 years in prison.

Of 7,940 § 18.2-248 cases filed in 2025 across 122 Virginia jurisdictions, 4,385 reached an outcome — an average dismissal rate of 52.0% and an average conviction rate of 47.8%.

Court Outcomes Across Virginia

Across 122 Virginia jurisdictions (2025):

7,940
Total Cases
52.0%
Avg Dismissal Rate
47.8%
Avg Conviction Rate

Top Jurisdictions

Courts with the most cases related to this statute.

Jurisdiction Cases Dismissal Rate Conviction Rate Median Duration
Suffolk 528 59.0% 41.0% 8.5 months
Richmond City 412 70.4% 29.6% 4.3 months
Fairfax County 283 91.0% 9.0% 6.4 months
Norfolk 275 60.8% 39.2% 4.7 months
Prince William County 229 67.5% 32.5% 5.6 months
Henrico County 216 60.7% 39.3% 5.4 months
Tazewell County 198 51.8% 48.2% 7.7 months
Franklin County 185 48.0% 52.0% 4.7 months
Virginia Beach 182 57.6% 42.4% 5.4 months
Spotsylvania County 175 61.2% 38.8% 4.6 months
Rockingham County 164 28.6% 71.4% 4.0 months
Roanoke City 162 56.8% 43.2% 6.4 months
Chesterfield County 159 62.2% 37.8% 5.7 months
Newport News 152 81.7% 18.3% 4.7 months
Lynchburg 143 59.3% 40.7% 5.5 months

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

Explore Full Data

Drug Distribution — All Jurisdictions
4,385 resolved of 7,940 filed · 52.0% dismissed
Drug Distribution Guide
What the court data shows →

Common Questions

Of 7,940 cases filed in 2025 under § 18.2-248, 4,385 reached an outcome: an average dismissal rate of 52.0% and a conviction rate of 47.8% across 122 Virginia jurisdictions. Outcomes vary by court — view all jurisdictions for detailed data.
7,940 cases under § 18.2-248 were filed across 122 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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