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 43,050 public court records from 2025, Weapons Offense cases across 99 Virginia jurisdictions have an average dismissal rate of 64.5% and conviction rate of 32.8%, while Assault & Battery cases across 103 jurisdictions have an average dismissal rate of 66.9% and conviction rate of 25.6%.

Weapons Offense

23,793
Total Cases
99
Jurisdictions
Dismissal Rate 64.5%
Conviction Rate 32.8%
vs

Assault & Battery

19,257
Total Cases
103
Jurisdictions
Dismissal Rate 66.9%
Conviction Rate 25.6%

How the highest-volume courts handle each charge.

Weapons Offense — Top Courts

Jurisdiction Cases Dismissal Conviction
Richmond City 2,116 73.9% 23.1%
Newport News 1,797 76.7% 21.0%
Norfolk 1,542 64.5% 33.1%
Virginia Beach 1,509 40.3% 57.9%
Henrico County 1,168 54.2% 42.3%

Assault & Battery — Top Courts

Jurisdiction Cases Dismissal Conviction
Norfolk 1,233 77.8% 17.0%
Prince William County 1,041 70.3% 25.8%
Newport News 996 71.9% 18.5%
Fairfax County 983 86.5% 9.7%
Virginia Beach 899 67.1% 29.5%

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

Weapons Offense and Assault & Battery are distinct charges with different legal elements, but defendants sometimes face questions about how they compare. Based on 43,050 public court records from 2025:

  • Volume: Weapons Offense is more commonly charged (23,793 cases) than Assault & Battery (19,257 cases)
  • Dismissals: Assault & Battery has a higher average dismissal rate (66.9%) compared to Weapons Offense (64.5%)
  • 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.

Weapons Offense and Assault & Battery are separate charges with different legal definitions and elements. Our data shows they have different outcome patterns: Weapons Offense has a 64.5% average dismissal rate while Assault & Battery has a 66.9% average dismissal rate. For information about the legal distinctions, consult a licensed Virginia attorney or the Code of Virginia.
Assault & Battery has a higher average dismissal rate (66.9%) compared to Weapons Offense (64.5%), based on 2025 Virginia court records. However, dismissal rates vary significantly by jurisdiction. Visit the individual charge pages for court-specific data.
In 2025, 23,793 Weapons Offense cases were filed across 99 jurisdictions, and 19,257 Assault & Battery cases were filed across 103 jurisdictions. View the full data on our Weapons Offense and Assault & Battery pages.

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