⚖️ High-Profile Representation in Virginia (June 2025)
In June 2025, the Hon. Richard T. McGrath, a Fredericksburg-area Circuit Court judge, was indicted on one count of felony bribery of a public official. McGrath is alleged to have conditioned revenue-generating traffic tickets on pay raises for court staff. Mr. Cooley—admitted to practice in Virginia since 1977—has been retained as lead defense counsel in Spotsylvania County Circuit Court. His strategy will likely include:
- Pre-trial Motion to Dismiss under Va. Code § 18.2-447, arguing insufficient nexus between alleged solicitations and official act.
- Brady/Giglio Analysis to identify potential exculpatory material in prosecutors’ possession.
- Evidentiary Hearing on chain-of-custody for financial records.
- Next court appearance: July 7, 2025.
This engagement underscores Cooley’s continued prominence in politically sensitive, high-stakes litigation.
🏛️ Career Overview & Practice Areas
With a solo practice spanning over 13 years at Cooley Law Office—headquartered in Cary, NC, and Pittsburgh, PA—Mr. Cooley has honed a niche in criminal appeals and post-conviction petitions:
- Primary Focus: Capital appeals; post-conviction relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2254 and state analogues.
- Admissions: Virginia (1977), U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and multiple state jurisdictions.
- Accolades: Selected as a Virginia Super Lawyer every year from 2006–2025; peer-rated “AV Preeminent.”
- Scholarly Contributions: Contributor to The Shenandoah Valley Lawyer on standards for effective assistance of counsel and evolving Eighth Amendment jurisprudence.
Cooley’s practice is defined by meticulous briefing, strategic use of habeas corpus petitions, and risk-reward analysis in death-penalty litigation.
🎯 Notable Cases & Media Presence
- DC-Area Sniper Resentencing Represented Lee Boyd Malvo in post-conviction resentencing. Invoked Miller v. Alabama, 567 U.S. 460 (2012), to challenge mandatory life without parole for juvenile offenders.
- Wrongful Conviction Reversal Secured relief for a client exonerated after 30+ years’ incarceration in Allegheny County—arguing newly discovered evidence under Pa. R. Crim. P. 720.
- Media Engagements
- Featured on WTVR’s 10-year retrospective of the sniper case, providing expert analysis on juvenile sentencing trends.
- Regular guest on RVA Trial Lawyers’ “If Not You, Who?” podcast, dissecting high-profile criminal matters.
Mr. Cooley’s visibility in legal journalism and multimedia platforms positions him as a thought leader on Constitutional safeguards and appellate advocacy.
🧑⚖️ Reputation & Practice Summary
- Practice Spectrum: Criminal defense, capital habeas, direct appeals, post-conviction relief.
- Geographic Reach: Active litigation in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina.
- Peer Recognition: Highly regarded by prosecutors and defense peers for trial acumen, appellate mastery, and ethical rigor.
- Media Profile: Deliberately low-key; selects only cases with significant constitutional implications and precedent-setting potential.
Colleagues note Cooley’s “laser-focused briefs,” “in-depth statutory analyses,” and willingness to tackle novel legal questions in state and federal courts.
✅ Summary of Most Recent Updates
- Bribery Defense: Engaged on June 19, 2025, to defend Judge McGrath in Spotsylvania County; next hearing on July 7, 2025.
- Ongoing Appellate Work: Continuation of capital appeals under Fourth Circuit docket, including filings on proportionality review and Eighth Amendment challenges.
- Professional Honors: Maintains Virginia Super Lawyer designation (2006–2025); upcoming lecture at the Virginia Innocence Project Symposium.
