How many Obstruction and Public Intoxication cases are filed in Virginia?

In 2025, 9,201 Obstruction cases and 19,314 Public Intoxication cases were filed across Virginia courts. Visit VirginiaCourtFile.com for jurisdiction-specific data.

Obstruction vs Public Intoxication in Virginia — Stats

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

Based on 28,515 public court records from 2025, Obstruction has a 57.4% average dismissal rate while Public Intoxication has a 35.2% 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 28,515 public court records from 2025, Obstruction cases across 83 Virginia jurisdictions have an average dismissal rate of 57.4% and conviction rate of 39.2%, while Public Intoxication cases across 99 jurisdictions have an average dismissal rate of 35.2% and conviction rate of 62.9%.

Obstruction

9,201

Total Cases

83

Jurisdictions

Dismissal Rate 57.4%

Conviction Rate 39.2%

vs

Public Intoxication

19,314

Total Cases

99

Jurisdictions

Dismissal Rate 35.2%

Conviction Rate 62.9%

Top Jurisdictions Comparison

How the highest-volume courts handle each charge.

Obstruction — Top Courts

Jurisdiction	Cases	Dismissal	Conviction
Fairfax County	709	79.3%	19.1%
Prince William County	709	66.2%	32.2%
Virginia Beach	580	40.5%	57.1%
Newport News	401	70.5%	22.8%
Norfolk	355	55.4%	38.0%

Public Intoxication — Top Courts

Jurisdiction	Cases	Dismissal	Conviction
Fairfax County	2,136	41.8%	56.7%
Prince William County	1,458	33.1%	65.8%
Arlington County	997	49.4%	49.2%
Loudoun County	658	45.7%	53.2%
Rockingham County	621	48.1%	51.5%

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

What the Data Shows

Obstruction and Public Intoxication are distinct charges with different legal elements, but defendants sometimes face questions about how they compare. Based on 28,515 public court records from 2025:

Volume: Public Intoxication is more commonly charged (19,314 cases) than Obstruction (9,201 cases)
Dismissals: Obstruction has a higher average dismissal rate (57.4%) compared to Public Intoxication (35.2%)
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

Obstruction and Public Intoxication are separate charges with different legal definitions and elements. Our data shows they have different outcome patterns: Obstruction has a 57.4% average dismissal rate while Public Intoxication has a 35.2% average dismissal rate. For information about the legal distinctions, consult a licensed Virginia attorney or the Code of Virginia.

Obstruction has a higher average dismissal rate (57.4%) compared to Public Intoxication (35.2%), based on 2025 Virginia court records. However, dismissal rates vary significantly by jurisdiction. Visit the individual charge pages for court-specific data.

In 2025, 9,201 Obstruction cases were filed across 83 jurisdictions, and 19,314 Public Intoxication cases were filed across 99 jurisdictions. View the full data on our Obstruction and Public Intoxication pages.