Roanoke City General District Court
Misdemeanors, traffic offenses, preliminary hearings in felony matters, and smaller civil claims.
Roanoke Valley · Virginia
Roanoke, Virginia Lawyers
Representation in the courts of Roanoke City, Roanoke County, and Salem — from a Virginia firm practicing since 1997.
1997
Practicing in Virginia since
Five
Virginia locations
Five
Jurisdictions admitted
EN · ES
Client service languages
The Firm
Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C. in the Roanoke Valley
Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C. represents clients across the Roanoke Valley in criminal and traffic defense, family law, personal injury, immigration, business matters, and estate planning. The firm has practiced in Virginia since 1997 and is led by its founder, Mr. Sris, a former prosecutor admitted in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, and New York.
A charge, a summons, a filing deadline, a separation — each arrives with its own clock already running. What matters first is an accurate reading of where you actually stand: what the record shows, what the law permits, and which of the available paths remain open to you. That reading is the work, and it is where representation earns its place.
The firm maintains five Virginia locations and serves Roanoke, Salem, Vinton, and Roanoke County. To discuss a matter, call (888) 437-7747.
Led by a former prosecutor
Mr. Sris founded the practice in 1997 after service as a prosecutor, and is admitted in five jurisdictions.
Jurisdiction
Where your Roanoke matter will be heard
Roanoke matters are not all filed in the same building, and the court that hears your case shapes its timeline, its procedure, and often its strategy.
Roanoke City Circuit Court
Felony trials, divorce and equitable distribution, larger civil claims, and appeals taken from the general district court. Roanoke City sits in Virginia’s Twenty-Third Judicial Circuit alongside Roanoke County and the City of Salem.
Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court
Custody, visitation, support, and protective order matters.
Roanoke County and Salem courts
A traffic stop on I-81 or Route 419 can place your matter in Salem or Roanoke County rather than downtown Roanoke, in front of a different bench with a different docket rhythm.
U.S. District Court, W.D. Va. — Roanoke Division
Federal matters arising in the region.
An appeal from a general district court conviction to the circuit court is heard as a brand-new trial, not a review of the first one. That single distinction changes what is worth preserving at the district level, and it is among the first things to work out about any Roanoke charge.
Practice
Practice areas in Roanoke, Virginia
Criminal and Traffic Defense
Reckless driving, driving under the influence, driving on a suspended license, and misdemeanor and felony charges heard in Roanoke City, Roanoke County, and Salem. Virginia treats reckless driving as a criminal charge rather than a simple ticket, which is why a citation written on I-81 or Route 460 can carry consequences an out-of-state driver never anticipated. The firm’s attorneys examine the stop itself, the calibration and operation of any speed-measuring device, and the basis for each element the Commonwealth must prove.
Family Law and Divorce
Contested and uncontested divorce, custody and visitation, child and spousal support, equitable distribution of marital property, and modification of existing orders. Virginia divides marital property according to what a court determines is fair in the circumstances, which is not the same thing as an even split — a distinction that drives most of the negotiation in a Roanoke divorce.
Personal Injury
Vehicle collisions, premises injuries, and other claims arising from another party’s negligence. Virginia applies a strict contributory negligence rule that can bar recovery entirely where the injured party is found to share fault, which makes the early investigation of a Roanoke-area collision unusually consequential.
Immigration
Family-based petitions, adjustment of status, consular processing, and naturalization. The firm serves clients in English and Spanish.
Business and Contract Matters
Entity formation, contract drafting and review, and commercial disputes for Roanoke Valley businesses.
Wills, Trusts, and Estates
Wills, revocable trusts, powers of attorney, advance medical directives, and estate administration through the circuit court clerk’s office.
Attorneys
The attorneys handling Roanoke matters
Every attorney other than Mr. Sris serves the firm as Of Counsel. The firm’s Of Counsel attorneys are engaged by Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C. directly.
Mr. Sris
Owner and Founder · Former Prosecutor
Criminal Defense · Family Law
Founded the practice in 1997 after service as a prosecutor. Testified in support of Virginia House Bill 635 in 2019, whose chief patron was Delegate David Bulova. Admission in five jurisdictions means a matter with facts crossing state lines can stay with one lead attorney rather than being handed off at the border.
Kristen M. Fisher
Of Counsel · Former Maryland Assistant State’s Attorney
Criminal Defense · DUI · Traffic
Practiced as a prosecutor before moving to the defense side. That background informs how a charging decision is read and where the Commonwealth’s proof on a given element tends to be thinnest.
Bryan Block
Of Counsel · Former Virginia State Trooper
Criminal Defense · Traffic
Served as a Virginia State Trooper before entering private practice. Working knowledge of how a roadside stop is conducted, how field observations are recorded, and how a case file is assembled before it ever reaches a prosecutor.
Samantha Rae Powers
Of Counsel
Family Law · Employment · Business Litigation
Handles contested custody and support matters, equitable distribution, and employment and business disputes.
Locations
Our Virginia locations
Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C. maintains five locations across Virginia. Roanoke Valley matters are handled from these locations and heard in the Roanoke-area courts described above.
The firm also maintains locations in Maryland, New Jersey, and New York, and a location in Pereira, Colombia.
Your consultation
A review of your documents and the current posture of your matter, an explanation of the procedure ahead in the specific court where it sits, and a direct answer on whether the firm is the right fit for what you are facing.
Communication
You will be told what stage your matter is in, what the next step is, and what is required from you before it. Where a decision is yours to make, you will be given what you need to make it.
Language
The firm serves clients in English and Spanish.
Reach
Five Virginia locations, with additional locations in Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Colombia.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which court will hear my Roanoke case?
It depends on the charge or claim and on where the incident occurred. Misdemeanors and traffic offenses generally begin in the general district court; felonies begin there for a preliminary hearing and then move to the circuit court. Custody and support matters are heard in the juvenile and domestic relations district court. An incident on I-81 west of the city may place the matter in Salem or Roanoke County rather than Roanoke City.
Is reckless driving really a criminal charge in Virginia?
Yes. Virginia treats reckless driving as a criminal offense rather than a traffic infraction, which is what separates it from an ordinary speeding ticket and why drivers cited on I-81 while passing through are often surprised by what the summons actually requires of them.
Do I have to appear in court myself?
Sometimes counsel can appear on your behalf and sometimes your presence is required. It varies by court, by charge, and by stage. This is worth asking early, because a missed required appearance creates a second problem stacked on top of the first.
Does the firm have a location in Roanoke?
No. The firm maintains five Virginia locations — Fairfax, Richmond, Ashburn, Arlington, and Woodstock — and handles Roanoke Valley matters from them, appearing in the Roanoke City, Roanoke County, and Salem courts.
Can the firm help if my matter touches more than one state?
Mr. Sris is admitted in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, and New York. Whether a specific out-of-state issue can be handled directly depends on the facts and on which court has jurisdiction over the matter.
How long has the firm been practicing in Virginia?
Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C. was founded in 1997.