Purcellville is headed back to court this week, as jurors gather to decide whether Vice Mayor Carl "Ben" Nett should keep his seat or be shown the door. The recall trial follows nearly a year of petition drives, dueling lawsuits, and a bare-knuckled fight over the town's police department that has split neighbors and packed public meetings. The proceeding is a civil one, focused on whether the recall petition's claims justify removal from office, and it is moving forward at the same time as separate criminal cases against Nett.
Recall trial opens in circuit court
The three-day jury hearing opened April 20 after earlier scheduling delays related to Nett's parallel criminal cases, according to FOX 5 DC. Petition organizers argue that Nett misused his position on the town council after he was fired from the Purcellville Police Department and that he pushed to dismantle the force in the middle of a budget crunch. FOX 5 DC also notes that the recall drive has been in motion for months and that the civil recall track is formally separate from Nett's criminal indictments.
Criminal charges still pending
Nett and former town manager Kwasi Fraser were arrested last summer following an investigation approved by state authorities, and prosecutors have since brought felony charges that include allegations of bid-rigging and improper access to law enforcement databases, local reporting has detailed. WTOP reported that Nett faces several counts, including alleged violations of the Virginia Criminal Information Network, and that those criminal cases are on a different court schedule from the civil recall. Nett and Fraser have pleaded not guilty, and a steady stream of motions and scheduling orders has pushed the criminal timeline into later this year.
How the recall unfolded
The political fight dates back to spring 2025, when town council votes to dismantle the Purcellville Police Department triggered sharp public backlash and spurred residents to organize a recall petition, according to The Washington Post. The Post recounts a cascade of lawsuits, grievance panels, and packed council meetings that deepened divisions inside the town and helped fuel the push to collect signatures for recalls. That turbulent backdrop is a big part of why a local petition effort has drawn wider legal and political attention beyond Purcellville's borders.
Legal stakes for Purcellville and Nett
Even before jurors weigh the recall, state officials have already limited Nett's role. FOX 5 DC reports that Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed a bill that lets an elected official be suspended while criminal charges are pending. As for the recall itself, it is a civil proceeding that could remove Nett from the council if jurors find that the petition's allegations hold up, NBC4 Washington has noted, while the separate criminal indictments carry the possibility of felony penalties. Attorneys on both sides have told the court to expect witness testimony and documents that connect council decisions to the timelines of town votes and personnel changes.
Dates and what is next
Local coverage indicates that the recall hearing is expected to run through April 22, with jurors tasked with deciding whether the petition meets Virginia's legal standard for removing an elected official. The Blue Ridge Leader reported that the recall trial was scheduled for April 20 to 22 and that Nett's criminal trials on separate indictments are set for later this year. Whatever the jury decides this week will have an immediate impact on who helps run Purcellville and could trigger more legal filings or fresh political maneuvering from residents and council members.
Residents who have crowded into Town Hall say they want more transparency and accountability from their leaders, while Nett's supporters argue the recall is a politically driven attack, according to local reporting. Northern Virginia Magazine reported that petition organizers gathered more than 1,100 signatures and described how fights over town spending and growth have intensified the community's tensions. For Purcellville, the coming days in court will show whether that frustration translates into a legal ouster for the vice mayor or whether the political struggle simply shifts to a new arena later this year.
