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...
