Home / Code Sections / § 18.2-250 — Drug Possession

§ 18.2-250 — Drug Possession

Court outcome data from 24,616 cases across 123 jurisdictions · 2025

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

Of 24,616 cases filed in 2025 under § 18.2-250, 12,349 reached an outcome — 36.8% were dismissed or dropped and 62.8% resulted in conviction, 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 § 18.2-250

Section 18.2-250 addresses unauthorized possession of controlled substances in Virginia. Simple possession of a Schedule I or II substance is a Class 5 felony, while Schedule III-VI possession is a misdemeanor. Virginia legalized simple possession of up to one ounce of marijuana in 2021.

Of 24,616 § 18.2-250 cases filed in 2025 across 123 Virginia jurisdictions, 12,349 reached an outcome — an average dismissal rate of 36.8% and an average conviction rate of 62.8%.

Court Outcomes Across Virginia

Across 123 Virginia jurisdictions (2025):

24,616
Total Cases
36.8%
Avg Dismissal Rate
62.8%
Avg Conviction Rate

Top Jurisdictions

Courts with the most cases related to this statute.

Jurisdiction Cases Dismissal Rate Conviction Rate Median Duration
Henrico County 1,421 34.3% 65.7% 3.2 months
Virginia Beach 1,417 26.0% 74.0% 3.6 months
Prince William County 1,219 41.7% 58.3% 4.9 months
Fairfax County 1,149 69.7% 30.3% 5.5 months
Chesterfield County 1,099 37.3% 62.7% 4.6 months
Chesapeake 911 48.3% 51.7% 3.5 months
Montgomery County 767 25.5% 74.5% 4.1 months
Newport News 751 55.8% 44.2% 4.6 months
Bristol 588 14.4% 85.6% 3.0 months
Tazewell County 568 51.1% 48.9% 5.9 months
Stafford County 483 36.2% 63.7% 3.7 months
Roanoke City 477 31.9% 68.1% 1.2 months
Franklin County 458 35.4% 64.6% 3.2 months
Lynchburg 408 28.9% 71.1% 4.4 months
Hampton 395 30.4% 69.6% 4.0 months

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

Explore Full Data

Drug Possession — All Jurisdictions
12,349 resolved of 24,616 filed · 36.8% dismissed
Drug Possession Guide
What the court data shows →

Common Questions

Of 24,616 cases filed in 2025 under § 18.2-250, 12,349 reached an outcome: an average dismissal rate of 36.8% and a conviction rate of 62.8% across 123 Virginia jurisdictions. Outcomes vary by court — view all jurisdictions for detailed data.
24,616 cases under § 18.2-250 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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