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 July 8, 2026

Of 6,567 cases filed in 2025 under § 18.2-460, 4,828 reached an outcome — 54.5% were dismissed or dropped and 42.0% 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 § 18.2-460

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.

Of 6,567 § 18.2-460 cases filed in 2025 across 123 Virginia jurisdictions, 4,828 reached an outcome — 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% 4.0 months
Virginia Beach 445 40.3% 59.7% 3.8 months
Prince William County 440 65.8% 34.2% 4.2 months
Norfolk 268 57.3% 42.7% 3.8 months
Stafford County 228 60.0% 40.0% 3.0 months
Newport News 200 69.3% 30.7% 3.7 months
Chesapeake 187 64.5% 35.5% 3.6 months
Chesterfield County 186 62.1% 37.9% 3.7 months
Lynchburg 167 40.4% 59.6% 3.5 months
Spotsylvania County 149 58.8% 41.2% 3.7 months
Henrico County 145 59.0% 41.0% 3.2 months
Fredericksburg 130 45.2% 54.8% 2.8 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% 2.7 months

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

Explore Full Data

Obstruction — All Jurisdictions
4,828 resolved of 6,567 filed · 54.5% dismissed
Obstruction Guide
What the court data shows →

Common Questions

Of 6,567 cases filed in 2025 under § 18.2-460, 4,828 reached an outcome: 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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