November 21, 2025 – Arlington Sex Crime Charges Dismissed at Preliminary Hearing
On November 21, 2025, our office secured the dismissal of serious felony sex crime charges in Arlington County General District Court. The allegations included rape, forcible sodomy, strangulation, and object sexual penetration — offenses that carried the potential for a life sentence under Virginia law. At the preliminary hearing, the Commonwealth was required to prove probable cause to certify the case to the grand jury. After cross-examination and legal argument, the Court found that the evidence was insufficient and dismissed all felony charges.You can read more in the press coverage here: https://www.arlnow.com/2025/11/21/judge-dismisses-charges-against-rugby-player-accused-of-rape-in-clarendon/.
Early intervention by an experienced Arlington criminal defense attorney can be outcome-determinative in high-stakes sex offense prosecutions. Stopping a felony prosecution of this magnitude at the preliminary hearing stage requires meticulous preparation, strategic cross-examination, and unwavering insistence that the government satisfy its evidentiary burden. If you or a loved one are facing rape, sexual assault, or other felony sex crime charges in Arlington or Northern Virginia, immediate and experienced legal representation is critical.
2024 – Joni Robin selected by Washingtonian Magazine as one of Washington, D.C.’s Best Criminal Defense Lawyers for 2024; Best Lawyers in America for criminal defense – general practice; and SuperLawyers in criminal defense.
2022 Washingtonian
Top Lawyer
December 2022 – Joni Robin selected by Washingtonian Magazine as one of Washington, D.C.’s Best Criminal Defense Lawyers for 2022.
Best Lawyers in America
Joni Robin selected by her peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America for Criminal Defense: General Practice, eight years in a row: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025.
Virginia Super Lawyers
Joni Robin selected to Virginia SuperLawyers in Criminal Defense for ten years and counting: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025.
October 8, 2018 – Joni Robin featured speaker on Jailhouse Informant Testimony
Attorneys Joni Robin and Chris Leibig teach Virginia Trial Lawyers Association Seminar on Defending Against Jailhouse Informant Testimony.
December 2017
Washingtonian Top Lawyers
Named by Washingtonian Magazine as one of Washington, D.C.’s Best Lawyer’s List 2018: Criminal Defense
April 2016
Aarhus, Denmark – Joni Robin, Chris Leibig, Cary Citronberg, Andrea Moseley and Ellen Shultz speak to students and faculty at Aarhus University, Department of Law, about American criminal justice.
November 8, 2016
Joni Robin, Chris Leibig, Cary Citronberg and Sam Dworkin travel to Germany to conduct Mock Trial Exercise at Humboldt University in Berlin.
June 13, 2016
NOT GUILTY verdict in Alexandria Circuit Court felony strangulation trial. Joni Robin and Cary Citronberg win acquittal for their client who was accused of strangling his wife.
April 2016 – Virginia SuperLawyers
Joni Robin selected to Virginia SuperLawyers for criminal defense.
READ MOREFebruary 3, 2016
Va. murder trial may become part of national debate on jail informants
By Tom Jackman – Published in Washington Post.
May 7, 2015
Joni Robin teaches attorneys at the Alexandria Bar Association’s CLE course on asserting the marital privilege in federal and state court and retaining separate counsel in domestic violence cases.
October 17, 2014
Joni Robin, Chris Leibig, Paul Pepper and Jasmin Mize take part in national town hall meeting on criminal justice reform in Nassau, Bahamas.
June 12, 2014
NOT GUILTY Verdict in Fairfax County domestic assault and battery trial. After a marathon ten hour long trial, Ms. Robin wins an acquittal for her client who was falsely accused of viciously beating his ex-girlfriend.
May 21, 2014
NOT GUILTY Verdict in Loudoun County felony embezzlement trial. Ms. Robin wins an acquittal for her client who was facing a possible 20 year prison sentence for allegedly embezzling thousands of dollars from his employer.
Oct 9, 2013
Joni Robin One of Five Featured Speakers at Hugh Wooding Law School in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
In the second annual series of lectures at foreign law schools, Joni Robin, Christopher Leibig, Megan Thomas, Brad Haywood, and Cary Citronberg spoke to students and faculty at Hugh Wooding Law School in Port of Spain, Trinidad about American criminal defense.
September 26, 2013
Joni Robin one of Three Featured Speakers at Federal Defense Attorney Training Seminar
Joni Robin, Christopher Leibig, and Jeffrey Zimmerman taught the Alexandria Bar Association’s “Rocket Course on the Rocket Docket” Training Seminar in Alexandria, Virginia. Ms. Robin spoke to the assembled group of attorneys on issues pertaining to federal criminal sentencing and the Bureau of Prisons.
March 8, 2013
Update: Annandale brothel owner sentenced to 30 months in prison; new spa opens in same spot
By Tom Jackman – Published in Washington Post
January 7, 2010
What not to wear when committing a robbery: wig, robe, gun.
By Jerry Markon – Published in Washington Post
February 3, 2005
Two Trials, One Murder — Prosecutor seeks death penalty for murder of pizza deliverer.
By Ken Moore – Published in Alexandria Gazette Packet
April 30, 2004
Woman Gets 3 ½ Years for Art Thefts.
By Elaine Rivera – Published in Washington Post
Published Opinions
Vincent v. Commonwealth, 668 S.E.2d 137, 276 Va. 648 (2008) (reversing and dismissing burglary conviction).
Sheler v. Commonwealth, 566 S.E.2d 203, 38 Va. App. 465 (2002) (reversing and remanding abduction, firearm and robbery convictions).
Legal Notice
Case results depend upon many factors unique to each case and the firm cannot guarantee or predict results in similar cases.