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

In 2023-2024, 73,463 Drug Possession cases and 42,880 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 116,343 public court records from 2023-2024, Drug Possession has a 48.1% average dismissal rate while Public Intoxication has a 36.4% 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 116,343 public court records from 2023–2024, Drug Possession cases across 119 Virginia jurisdictions have an average dismissal rate of 48.1% and conviction rate of 51.4%, while Public Intoxication cases across 110 jurisdictions have an average dismissal rate of 36.4% and conviction rate of 61.9%.

Drug Possession

73,463

Total Cases

119

Jurisdictions

Dismissal Rate 48.1%

Conviction Rate 51.4%

vs

Public Intoxication

42,880

Total Cases

110

Jurisdictions

Dismissal Rate 36.4%

Conviction Rate 61.9%

Top Jurisdictions Comparison

How the highest-volume courts handle each charge.

Drug Possession — Top Courts

Jurisdiction	Cases	Dismissal	Conviction
Henrico County	4,802	43.5%	56.2%
Fairfax County	4,400	66.3%	33.5%
Prince William County	4,274	51.6%	48.3%
Chesterfield County	2,740	63.5%	36.1%
Stafford County	2,380	42.4%	57.2%

Public Intoxication — Top Courts

Jurisdiction	Cases	Dismissal	Conviction
Fairfax County	5,442	36.6%	62.3%
Prince William County	3,198	41.7%	56.9%
Arlington County	1,876	49.8%	49.0%
Loudoun County	1,514	38.2%	59.9%
Rockingham County	1,392	47.4%	51.6%

Source: Virginia public court records, 2023–2024 — 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 116,343 public court records from 2023–2024:

Volume: Drug Possession is more commonly charged (73,463 cases) than Public Intoxication (42,880 cases)
Dismissals: Drug Possession has a higher average dismissal rate (48.1%) compared to Public Intoxication (36.4%)
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 48.1% average dismissal rate while Public Intoxication has a 36.4% 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 (48.1%) compared to Public Intoxication (36.4%), based on 2023–2024 Virginia court records. However, dismissal rates vary significantly by jurisdiction. Visit the individual charge pages for court-specific data.

In 2023–2024, 73,463 Drug Possession cases were filed across 119 jurisdictions, and 42,880 Public Intoxication cases were filed across 110 jurisdictions. View the full data on our Drug Possession and Public Intoxication pages.