A wide disparity in misdemeanor possession charge outcomes
Court records from last year show as many as 77 percent of defendants are found guilty in some local court houses and as few as 20 percent are found guilty in others.
Analysis is based on online court records compiled by VirginiaCourtData.org. The dismissed category includes charges that were nolle prosequi. The other category includes charges that were certified by a grand jury or referred to another court.