Ronald J. Bacigal
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Profile
Professor Ronald Bacigal teaches and writes in the areas of criminal law, criminal process and procedure, and evidence. He is the author or co-author of over a dozen books and almost fifty articles on these subjects, and is widely regarded as the leading authority on Virginia criminal law and procedure. Professor Bacigal is the author of treatises on criminal law, criminal procedure, criminal procedure forms, evidence, and jury instructions in West Publishing’s Virginia Practice Series, and his scholarship has appeared in the Columbia Law Review, George Washington Law Review, Emory Law Review, Washington & Lee Law Review, and University of Illinois Law Review, among other venues. Professor Bacigal also serves as Reporter of Criminal Decisions for the Virginia Court of Appeals, and conducts judicial training across the country. He has received the University of Richmond’s Distinguished Educator Award (twice), the Virginia State Council of Higher Education’s Outstanding Faculty Award, and the Criminal Law Section of the Virginia State Bar’s Harry L. Carrico Professionalism Award.
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Professional Experience
Professor Emeritus of Law (2018 - present)
University of Richmond School of Law, Richmond, VAProfessor of Law (1973 - 2018)
University of Richmond School of Law, Richmond, VAExecutive Director (1975 - 1977)
Virginia Task Force on Criminal JusticeAssistant Professor of Law (1972 - 1973)
University of Richmond School of Law, Richmond, VAInstructor (1971 - 1972)
University of Richmond School of Law, Richmond, VAReporter of Criminal Decisions (1968 - 1971)
Virginia Court of AppealsClerk (1967 - 1968)
United States District Court, Western District
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Professional Experience
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Publications
Books
Virginia Practice Series: Criminal Offenses and Defenses (2021-2022) (West) (with Corinna Lain) (2021).
Virginia Practice Series: Criminal Procedure (2021-2022) (West) (with Corinna Lain) (2021).
Virginia Practice Series: Criminal Procedure Forms (2021-2022) (West) (with Corinna Lain) (2021).
Virginia Practice Series: Jury Instructions (2021-2022) (Thomson Reuters) (with Margaret Ivey et al.) (2021).
Virginia Practice Series: Criminal Offenses and Defenses (2020-2021) (West) (with Corinna Lain) (2020).
Virginia Practice Series: Criminal Procedure (2020-2021) (West) (with Corinna Lain) (2020).
Virginia Practice Series: Criminal Procedure Forms (2020-2021) (West) (with Corinna Lain) (2020).
Virginia Practice Series: Jury Instructions (2020-2021) (Thomson Reuters) (with Margaret Ivey et al.) (2020).
Virginia Practice Series: Jury Instructions (2019-2020) (Thomson Reuters) (with Margaret Ivey et al.) (2019).
Virginia Practice Series: Jury Instructions (2018-2019) (West) (with Margaret Ivey) (2018).
Virginia Practice Series: Criminal Offenses and Defenses (2017-2018) (West) (2017).
Virginia Practice Series: Criminal Procedure (2017-2018) (West) (2017).
Virginia Practice Series: Criminal Procedure (2016-2017) (West) (2016).
Virginia Practice Series: Jury Instructions (2016-2017) (West) (with Margaret Ivey) (2016).
Criminal Law and Procedure: An Overview (West 4th) (with Mary Tate) (2015).
Virginia Practice Series: Criminal Offenses and Defenses (2014-2015) (West) (2014).
Virginia Practice Series: Jury Instructions (2014-2015) (West) (with Margaret Ivey) (2014).
Criminal Law: Cases and Comments (Foundation Press 9th ed.) (with Andre Moenssens et al.) (2013).
Virginia Practice Series: Criminal Offenses and Defenses (2013-2014) (West) (2013).
Virginia Practice Series: Jury Instructions (2013-2014) (West) (with Margaret Ivey et al.) (2013).
Criminal Procedure: Materials and Cases (West 4th ed.) (with Russell Weaver et al.) (2010).
Manual for the Trial of Capital Cases in Virginia (Virginia Practice Lawyers Handbook 3rd ed.) (2009).
Virginia Practice: Jury Instructions (with Joseph Tate) (2006).
Virginia Practice: Jury Instructions (with Joseph Tate) (2005).
Virginia Practice: Jury Instructions (with Joseph Tate) (2004).
Criminal Law and Procedure: An Introduction (2002).
2001 Supplement to Criminal Procedure: Cases, Problems, and Exercises (West Group) (2001).
Criminal Procedure: Cases, Problems and Exercises (West Group) (with Russell Weaver et al.) (2001).
Teacher's Manual to Accompany Criminal Procedure: Cases, Problems and Exercises (West Group) (2001).
Virginia Criminal Procedure Forms (2000).
Admissibility of Evidence in Virginia: A Manual for Virginia Trial Lawyers (with Joseph Tate et al.) (1998).
Trial of Capital Murder Cases in Virginia (Virginia CLE 2nd Ed.) (1998).
Virginia Practice: Virginia Jury Instructions (with Michael Herbert) (1998).
Criminal Law and Procedure: An Introduction (West) (1996).
Virginia Criminal Procedure Forms (1995).
May it Please the Court: A Biography of Judge Robert R. Merhige, Jr. (1992).
Admissibility of Evidence in Virginia: A Manual for Virginia Trial Lawyers (The Harrison Company) (with Thomas Guernsey) (1990).
The Limits of Litigation: The Dalkon Shield Controversy (Carolina Academic Press) (1990).
Virginia Criminal Procedure (The Harrison Company Publishers) (1983).
Virginia Magistrates' Manual (1974).
Journal ArticlesIn Memorium: Professor Peter Nash Swisher, 51 University of Richmond Law Review 327 (2016).
Watching the Watchers, 82 Mississippi Law Journal 821 (2013).
A Unified Theory for Seizures of the Persons, 81 Mississippi Law Journal 915 (2012).
The Virginia Rules of Evidence, 16 Richmond Journal of Law and the Public Interest 1-4 (2012).
A Brave New World of Stop and Frisk, 18 Washington & Lee Journal of Civil Rights & Social Justice 83 (2011).
The Company of Scoundrels, 67 Washington and Lee Law Review 401 (2010).
Dedication, 12 Richmond Journal of Law and the Public Interest 189 (2008).
In Memorium: Robert R. Merhige, Jr. - To Preserve, Protect, and Defend the Constitution of the United States, 40 University of Richmond Law Review 1 (2005).
Making the Right Gamble: The Odds on Probable Cause, Symposium on The Tools to Interpret the Fourth Amendment, 74 Mississippi Law Journal 279 (2004).
Choosing Perspectives in Criminal Procedure, 6 William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal 677 (1998).
The Federalism Pendulum, Symposium on Federalism and the Criminal Justice System, 98 West Virginia Law Review 771 (1996).
Putting the People Back into the Fourth Amendment, 62 George Washington Law Review 359 (1994).
The Right of the People to Be Secure, 82 Kentucky Law Journal 145 (1993).
In Pursuit of the Elusive Fourth Amendment: The Police Chase Cases, 58 Tennessee Law Review 73 (1990).
The Theory and Practice of Defending Judges against Unjust Criticism, 23 Connecticut Law Review 99 (1990).
Judicial Reflections upon the 1973 Uprising at Wounded Knee, 2 Journal of Contemporary Legal Issues 1 (1989).
When Racists and Radicals Meet, 38 Emory Law Journal 1145 (with Margaret Ivey) (1989).
An Empirical Case Study of Informal Alternative Dispute Resolution, 4 Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution 1 (1988).
A Case Study of the Federal Judiciary's Role in Court-Ordered Busing: The Professional and Personal Experiences of U.S. District Judge Robert M. Merhige, Jr., 3 Journal of Law & Politics 693 (with Margaret Ivey) (1987).
A Tribute to Malcolm Ray Doubles: The Passing of a Legal Legend, 21 University of Richmond Law Review 607 (1987).
Criminal Procedure, 21 University of Richmond Law Review 727 (1987).
Criminal Prosecutions in Environmental Law: A Study of the "Kepone" Case, 12 Columbia Journal of Environmental Law 291 (with Margaret Ivey) (1987).
Implied Hearsay: Defusing the Battle Line between Pragmatism and Theory, 11 Southern Illinois University Law Journal 1127 (1987).
An Alternative Approach to the Good Faith Controversy, 37 Mercer Law Review 957 (1986).
Annual Survey of Virginia Law: Virginia Criminal Procedure, 20 University of Richmond Law Review 789 (1986).
Dodging a Bullet, but Opening Old Wounds In Fourth Amendment Jurisprudence, 16 Seton Hall Law Review 597 (1986).
Implied Hearsay, 12 Virginia Bar Association Journal 16 (1986).
Criminal Procedure, 19 University of Richmond Law Review 697 (1985).
The Road to Exclusion is Paved with Bad Intentions: A Bad Faith Corollary to the Good Faith Exception, 87 West Virginia Law Review 747 (1985).
Hearings on Jury Bias or Misconduct, 10 Virginia Bar Association Journal 20 (1984).
Antitrust & Local Government, Search and Seizure, 17 U. Rich. L. Rev. 661 (with Howard Feller et al.) (1983).
Search and Seizures: Constitutional and Common Law, 17 U. Rich. L. Rev. 665 (1983).
Warrantless Searches and Seizures in Virginia, 17 University of Richmond Law Review 721 (1983).
Post-Whalen Double Jeopardy in Virginia, 8 Virginia Bar Association Journal 17 (1982).
A Case for Jury Determination of Search and Seizure Law, 15 University of Richmond Law Review 791 (1981).
The Jury as a Source of Reasonable Search and Seizure Law, 1980 Brigham Young University Law Review 739 (1980).
The Fourth Amendment in Flux: The Rise and Fall of Probable Cause, 1979 University of Illinois Law Forum 763 (1979).
Some Observations and Proposals on the Nature of the Fourth Amendment, 46 George Washington Law Review 529 (1978).
The Criminal Justice Standards and Goals Process in Virginia, 11 University of Richmond Law Review 529 (1977).
The Emergency Exception to the Fourth Amendment, 9 University of Richmond Law Review 249 (1975).
The Virginia Magistrate System, 1 Virginia Bar Association Journal 13 (1975).
Warrantless Search of a College Dormitory, 7 Akron Law Review 422 (1974).
Admiralty Jurisdiction in Tort Actions, 23 Washington and Lee Law Review 345 (1966).
NewslettersAnnals of the Prisoners’ Rights Movement: The Contributions of Judge Merhige, 24 Criminal Law Bulletin 521 (Thomson Reuters ) (1988).
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In the News
Pretrial Detention: Dispelling an Oxymoron With Direct Action (Big Easy Magazine)
Fri., Jul. 9, 2021Experts weigh in on potential legal challenges of proposed marijuana decriminalization (GoDanRiver.com)
Fri., Jan. 17, 2020VCU Health is making DUI cases harder to prosecute by refusing to draw blood samples, local authorities say (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Fri., Jul. 27, 2018Alleged home invader claims 'involuntary intoxiation' defense in Fairfax abduction trial (The Washington Post)
Fri., May. 13, 2016Police Mum on Next Step in Student's 2009 Slaying (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Tue., Oct. 21, 2014Will Bob McDonnell's Adam and Eve defense sway a jury? (Daily Press)
Sun., Aug. 24, 2014Victim recantations prove weak in most criminal cases (Daily Press)
Sun., Jan. 26, 2014Unarmed man shot by Newport News police tells his story (Daily Press, Pharmacy Choice)
Sun., Aug. 11, 2013Police ask for public's help in cracking unsolved homicides (Hampton Roads Daily Press)
Sun., Aug. 12, 2012