Sheldon’s habeas corpus petition lead to judge’s absence from courthouse after sexual allegations
About two weeks after a court filing alleged that he had traded legal help for sex, Judge Onzlee Ware stopped hearing cases in Roanoke Circuit Court. No public record or public official has explained his absence.
Read complete article on Roanoke.com
Sheldon argues that evidence insufficient to find appellant operated boat in hit and run case
Where appellant was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and felony hit and run, there was sufficient evidence that he operated a boat when it crashed into a bulkhead, resulting in his passenger’s death.
Read complete article on valawyersweekly.com
Mr. Sheldon wins release for client wrongfully sentenced to 22 Years
Mr. Sheldon won the release of his client Tim Carter when the federal district court granted his habeas petition and overturned Carter’s murder conviction. Tim Carter and his wife were home alone when his wife locked herself in the bathroom threatening suicide, as she had...
Professional Development Series by Jon Sheldon on Post-Conviction Habeas Relief
Watch Attorney Jon Sheldon give a lecture on Post-Conviction Habeas Relief for a Professional Development Series.
Attorney Sheldon argues to the Florida Court of Appeals a case of first impression
Attorney Sheldon argued White v. State of Florida in the Florida Court of Appeals on January 31, 2023. The issue for the Court was whether, in an armed robbery case, an attorney’s deficient performance in failing to strike a juror who had been the victim herself of three armed...
Attorney Sheldon works with the creators of podcast to uncover corrupt acts in the Virginia Department of Forensic Science
DNA was a revolution for crime solving and for one mother, it could be the key to proving her son’s innocence. Her journey leads to a much larger story – one full of scandals and secrets. What follows is an astounding series of events surrounding...
Absence of prejudice: Conviction secured by unlicensed prosecutor OK
A Fairfax circuit court has held that a criminal defendant cannot challenge his conviction where the prosecutor was not licensed to practice law in Virginia because the defendant failed to prove that his substantive rights were prejudiced.
Courts Are Becoming More Willing To Question The Application Of Qualified Immunity For Police Officers
A sheriff’s deputy from Pulaski county was found to not have qualified immunity for mistakenly charging a woman with drug distribution. Qualified Immunity is a judicially created doctrine that gives certain government officials immunity from civil suits related to acts done in their job. The...
Long Overdue Reform Bill Moves Virginia Into The Majority Of States
For all of Virginia’s history, the Commonwealth has used jury sentencing in criminal trials. This use of jury sentencing in criminal trials appears to be nearing the end. With a vote in the House of Delegates on October 23, 2020, Virginia is finally poised to...
Supreme Court-appointed Working Group Recommends Expanding The Court Of Appeals
The Chair of the Supreme Court-appointed working group had reached out to attorney Sheldon in August with several questions. It’s a very impressive group and an important and significant report. This is clearly the biggest suggested change in the Virginia Judiciary since the creation of...
