Mr. King received his juris docturate cum laude from The University of Michigan Law School in 2003. He earned a Masters Degree in History from George Mason University in 1996 and a B.S. in Physics from Mary Washington College in 1992. Prior to entering private practice, Mr. King worked at the Alexandria Office of Public Defender for over four years. Like Mr. Campbell, he attended the Trial Practice Institute at the National Criminal Defense College in Macon, Georgia.

Acknowledgments 

Washingtonian magazine, in its December 2011 issue, recognized Mr. King as one of the Washington areas’ best criminal defense attorneys.   He has also been selected by the National Trial Lawyers Association as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Virginia  (2009, 2010, 2011). 

Criminal Defense

A fluent Spanish speaker, Mr. King represents English and Spanish speaking clients in felony and misdemeanor criminal cases at both the trial court and appellate levels. He has represented clients charged with murder, manslaughter, robbery, firearms offenses, felony sex charges, malicious wounding, gun charges, drug conspiracy, distribution, and possession, grand larceny auto, embezzlement, forgery, uttering, identity fraud, obstruction of justice, domestic assault, and other criminal matters.

DUI and Traffic Defense

Mr. King has represented hundreds of clients charged with criminal traffic matters such as driving under the influence 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 driving on a suspended license.  He is experienced in using expert testimony in defense of DUI cases and making constitutional challenges to the enhancement of DUI offenses based on prior DUI offenses allegedly committed by the accused. 

In 2011, Mr. King, in conjunction with Chris Leibig of Zwerling, Leibig & Moseley, twice taught DUI and traffic continuing legal education seminars to other bar members on behalf of the Alexandria Bar Association.

Trial Experience

He has served as counsel or co-counsel in over two hundred trials, including cases resulting in acquittals involving allegations of 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, trespassing, and other criminal allegations.

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.

Education

• J.D., University of Michigan Law School
• M.A., History, George Mason University
• B.S., Physics, Mary Washington College

Bar Admissions

• Virginia
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
• U.S. Supreme Court

Publications

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).