How many Drug Possession and Public Intoxication cases are filed in Virginia?

In 2025, 25,136 Drug Possession cases and 17,392 Public Intoxication cases were filed across Virginia courts. Visit VirginiaCourtFile.com for jurisdiction-specific data.

Drug Possession vs Public Intoxication in Virginia — Stats

Q: What is the difference between Drug Possession and Public Intoxication in Virginia?

Based on 42,528 public court records from 2025, Drug Possession has a 54.1% average dismissal rate while Public Intoxication has a 34.6% average dismissal rate across Virginia courts.

Statistics from public court records for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. These are different charges with different legal elements — consult a licensed Virginia attorney for guidance on your specific situation.

According to 42,528 public court records from 2025, Drug Possession cases across 99 Virginia jurisdictions have an average dismissal rate of 54.1% and conviction rate of 45.2%, while Public Intoxication cases across 95 jurisdictions have an average dismissal rate of 34.6% and conviction rate of 63.5%.

Drug Possession

25,136

Total Cases

99

Jurisdictions

Dismissal Rate 54.1%

Conviction Rate 45.2%

vs

Public Intoxication

17,392

Total Cases

95

Jurisdictions

Dismissal Rate 34.6%

Conviction Rate 63.5%

Top Jurisdictions Comparison

How the highest-volume courts handle each charge.

Drug Possession — Top Courts

Jurisdiction	Cases	Dismissal	Conviction
Henrico County	1,823	52.8%	47.0%
Prince William County	1,311	41.8%	57.8%
Fairfax County	1,275	71.0%	28.6%
Chesterfield County	1,252	54.1%	45.9%
Newport News	1,006	62.0%	37.5%

Public Intoxication — Top Courts

Jurisdiction	Cases	Dismissal	Conviction
Fairfax County	1,785	39.9%	58.7%
Prince William County	1,290	32.0%	66.8%
Arlington County	936	48.3%	50.3%
Loudoun County	605	46.6%	52.5%
Rockingham County	567	48.4%	51.2%

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

What the Data Shows

Drug Possession and Public Intoxication are distinct charges with different legal elements, but defendants sometimes face questions about how they compare. Based on 42,528 public court records from 2025:

Volume: Drug Possession is more commonly charged (25,136 cases) than Public Intoxication (17,392 cases)
Dismissals: Drug Possession has a higher average dismissal rate (54.1%) compared to Public Intoxication (34.6%)
Variation: Both charges show significant variation in outcomes across Virginia jurisdictions — the court where a case is heard matters

These statistics reflect aggregate patterns across Virginia courts and do not predict individual case outcomes. The legal elements, potential consequences, and defense considerations differ between these charges. Consult a licensed Virginia attorney for guidance on your specific situation.

Common Questions

Drug Possession and Public Intoxication are separate charges with different legal definitions and elements. Our data shows they have different outcome patterns: Drug Possession has a 54.1% average dismissal rate while Public Intoxication has a 34.6% average dismissal rate. For information about the legal distinctions, consult a licensed Virginia attorney or the Code of Virginia.

Drug Possession has a higher average dismissal rate (54.1%) compared to Public Intoxication (34.6%), based on 2025 Virginia court records. However, dismissal rates vary significantly by jurisdiction. Visit the individual charge pages for court-specific data.

In 2025, 25,136 Drug Possession cases were filed across 99 jurisdictions, and 17,392 Public Intoxication cases were filed across 95 jurisdictions. View the full data on our Drug Possession and Public Intoxication pages.