Meet Carol I. Zacheiss.

Carol was raised in the New York metropolitan area and began her legal career as a prosecutor in Brooklyn and the Bronx, where she spent her first seven years in the courtroom.

After relocating to the Richmond, Virginia area, she continued as a prosecutor with the Richmond City Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, handling violent crime cases — including robberies and firearm possession charges — and serving on the office’s Domestic Violence Team.

That experience shaped what came next. Carol joined the Petersburg Public Defender’s Office, drawn to representing people facing serious charges who might otherwise go without strong representation, and later helped open two new Public Defender’s Offices in the Tidewater region before entering private practice.

Today, Carol’s practice is devoted exclusively to criminal defense. She has deep experience with drug crime and firearms charges, Fourth Amendment search-and-seizure issues, criminal record expungement, restoration of gun rights, and protective order matters — representing clients throughout Hopewell, Prince George, and Petersburg.

Outside the office, Carol spends her time with family and friends, her two working dogs, and pursuits that keep her grounded — traveling, swimming, reading, cooking, gardening, and animal rescue.