Mr. King is a partner at King, Campbell, Poretz & Thomas, PLLC. He received his juris docturate cum laude from The University of Michigan Law School in 2003. He has also earned a Masters Degree in History from George Mason University in 1996 and a B.S. in Physics from Mary Washington College in 1992.
Federal and State Criminal Defense
Mr. King represents handles matters ranging from high-profile murder cases (including Commonwealth v. Charles Severance and Commonwealth v. Craig Patterson) to state court misdemeanors at both the trial court and appellate levels. He practices in Virginia state and federal courts.
Acknowledgments
- Washingtonian Magazine's best criminal defense lawyers - December 2015, December 2013, and December 2011 issues.
- Northern Virginia Magazine's top criminal defense lawyers - December 2014 issue.
- Virginia Super Lawyers - Rising Star 2013-2014.
- National Trial Lawyers Association's Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Virginia - 2009-2015.
Trial Experience
He has served as counsel or co-counsel in over two hundred trials, including cases involving allegations of capital and first degree murder, robbery, felony child neglect, felony assault, felony sex charges and other felonies as well as numerous misdemeanor matters such as DUI, assault, larceny, marijuana possession, identity fraud, and other criminal allegations.
DUI and Traffic Defense
Mr. King has represented hundreds of clients charged with criminal traffic matters such as DUI/DWI as well as other traffic offenses, including allegations of DUI related manslaughter, felony DUI, felony eluding, felony hit & run, reckless driving resulting in death, reckless driving, and other traffic matters.
Teaching DUI, Traffic and Criminal Defense
Mr. King has been a regular speaker at continuing legal education courses for DUI and traffic defense (2011-2014) as well criminal defense (2012-2013) on behalf of the Alexandria Bar Association. He presented on the topic of DUI defense before the Arlington Bar Association in 2015. He has developed a defense outline for Virginia DUI and traffic law that addresses traditional and innovative defenses, recent case law, use of experts, and constitutional challenges in this constantly developing area of the law.
Appellate Experience
An experienced appellate lawyer, Mr. King has appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court, Virginia Supreme Court, and the Virginia Court of Appeals. He has argued cases on brief both before the Virginia Supreme Court and Virginia Court of Appeals. In preparing appellate briefs, he believes it is important to thoroughly review the trial court record, conduct detailed research on relevant authority, and write organized and clear briefs in order to be persuasive. He is the author of Developing an Appeals Strategy for Criminal Convictions and Assessing Effective Assistance of Counsel, in Navigating Post-Conviction Appeals, pp. 61-99 (Aspatore Books, 2015).
Published decisions involving Mr. King include Cypress/Briscoe v. Commonwealth, 280 Va. 305 (2010), Briscoe v. Virginia, 559 U.S. __ (2010), and Little v. Commonwealth, 59 Va. App. 725 (2012).
Bar Admissions
- Virginia
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. Supreme Court
Publications
Joseph King, Developing an Appeals Strategy for Criminal Convictions and Assessing Effective Assistance of Counsel, in Navigating Post-Conviction Appeals, pp. 61-99 (Aspatore Books, 2015).
Joseph King, Chris Leibig & Kristen Clardy, Melendez-Diaz and Briscoe: Return of Constitutional Guarantees Worth the Cost to the System, New England Journal on Criminal and Civil Confinement, Vol. 36, No. 2 (Spring 2010).
Joseph King, Melendez-Diaz v. MA and Briscoe v. VA, Alexandria Bar Association Oyez, Vol. 28, No. 3 (June 2010).