what do you call the commonweaith attorney

"District attorney" is the title of the chief prosecutor of a jurisdiction within only 21 of the 50 states. Other jurisdictions may use "attorney general," "county attorney," "prosecuting attorney," "state's attorney," "state attorney," "commonwealth's attorney," "circuit attorney," "solicitor," or "district attorney general." 2

Full Answer

What is the difference between a commonwealth attorney and state attorney?

FAQ | Commonwealth Attorney. Frequenty Asked Questions. This Web site is designed to assist you by: Providing information about recent indictments and convictions of offenders. Offering support services for victims of crimes, including information about Victims Rights and Victim Notification programs. Educating you about the judicial process ...

What does the Gloucester County commonwealth's attorney do?

JOHN T. DUSEWICZ, Commonwealth's Attorney. . The mission of this office is to seek justice for our community by giving victims a voice, holding offenders accountable, and preserving the integrity of the criminal justice system.

What do you call the chief prosecutor in your state?

Although commonwealth's attorneys represent Virginians in court, they do not provide legal counsel to state government. This is the role of the Attorney General of Virginia, who is elected by the state's voters every four years. Commonwealth's attorneys also do not provide legal counsel to individual citizens on private matters.

What are the different types of attorneys?

Mar 23, 2010 · States that refer to themselves as commonwealths, such as Virginia and Kentucky, refer to them as Commonwealth's Attorneys [source: Commonwealth's Attorneys Services Council]. State's Attorneys generally represent a defined geographic area, such as a county, judicial district or judicial circuit.

Responsibilities & Staff

The Commonwealth's Attorney's Office is responsible for prosecuting all felony, domestic violence, and serious misdemeanor cases in Gloucester County where the Code of Virginia requires.

Victim-Witness Assistance Program

The Victim-Witness Assistance Program is also housed within this office. It is responsible for assisting victims of crimes as their cases proceed through the criminal justice system.

Additional Information

Our website is designed to help you understand the role of our office in the criminal justice system. We hope that the information contained on this site will answer any questions you may have. Please feel free to call our office if you have any additional questions.

What district is Roanoke VA in?

The commonwealth's attorney prosecutes misdemeanor and felony cases for the city of Roanoke and the Commonwealth of Virginia in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District, General District, and Circuit Courts.

How often does the Attorney General of Virginia serve?

This is the role of the Attorney General of Virginia, who is elected by the state's voters every four years. Commonwealth's attorneys also do not provide legal counsel to individual citizens on private matters. Citizens in need of legal assistance may call the Virginia State Bar Referral Service at 800-552-7977.

What is a prosecutor?

A State's Attorney is the most common term for a prosecutor, someone who represents the people in criminal and civil legal matters. But while the most iconic image of a State's Attorney is ...

How are state attorneys elected?

In general, State's Attorneys are elected by the people they represent. Their duties are spelled out in the laws of the local governments they represent, and they're held accountable by the voters for how well they do their jobs and how well their performance matches up with the local politics of the area. But a State's Attorney hardly ever does ...

What is the job of a criminal prosecutor?

Criminal prosecutions are the chief duty of most State's Attorney offices. In many states, such as Michigan, criminal prosecutions follow a predetermined series of steps [source: Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan ]. First, police file a warrant or charging request with the State's Attorney following an investigation.

How do police arrest a suspect?

First, police file a warrant or charging request with the State's Attorney following an investigation. Attorneys review the request and may decide to issue a warrant, which allows the police to arrest the suspect. An arraignment in court follows, at which the suspect is formally charged with a crime and enters a plea.

What is an arraignment in court?

An arraignment in court follows, at which the suspect is formally charged with a crime and enters a plea. Depending on the type and severity of a crime, there can be several pretrial hearings. At some point during these hearings, a plea bargain may be offered to induce the suspect to enter a guilty plea. Advertisement.

How many judicial districts does the US have?

One U.S. Attorney is assigned to each of 93 federal judicial districts around the country and is the top law enforcement official for the federal government in those districts. From there, the attorney will prosecute criminal cases, represent the federal government and collect debts owed to the federal government.

What happens before a trial?

Before a trial takes place, the process of discovery takes place, at which the State's Attorney and the defense attorney share information they intend to introduce as evidence at trial.

What does the judge do at an arraignment?

At the arraignment, the judge will advise the defendant of the charges brought against him and advise the defendant of his rights. The defendant is the only person that needs to be present for the arraignment. There will be NO evidence heard by the judge at this court event.

How long is a felony sentence?

A: A felony is a major crime that may be punished with a minimum sentence of one year in the Department of Corrections and a maximum of life imprisonment or the death penalty, depending on the severity of the crime committed.

What happens if you ignore a court order?

A subpoena is a court order to appear at court at the time and date specified. Ignoring a court order may have legal consequences including fines and incarceration.

How long is the Kentucky bar exam?

Kentucky’s “bar exam” takes two days and occurs once in July and once in February. Although prosecutorial salaries are usually less than can be obtained in private practice, the chief rewards are in making a difference in the community, seeing that justice is done, and speaking for victims of crime.

Can a victim drop charges in Kentucky?

Many people incorrectly believe that a victim has the power to “press charges” against the abuser, or to later “drop the charges”. All crimes are offenses against the community, not just the individual victim. Criminal complaints are prosecuted on behalf of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, not the individual who called the police, or the person who may have been personally harmed by the defendant’s conduct. Requests to dismiss or “drop” charges must be approved by the prosecutor before being placed before the judge. This is important because it takes the responsibility for prosecuting the abuser off the victim’s shoulders and makes it the prosecuting attorney’s responsibility, where it legally belongs. It also means that the defendant cannot “pressure” the victim into dropping the charges.

How to get money from probation?

Call the Office of Probation and Parole and ask for the probation officer who is assigned to the case. The probation officer can help you get your money if restitution was a condition of the defendant’s probation and if the defendant is still on probation.

Can you get compensation for pain and suffering in Kentucky?

With regard to compensation for pain and suffering, you may need to contact a private attorney.

How to get a copy of a police report?

The defense attorney can obtain a copy of the police report from the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for his or her criminal defendant. If you are the victim of a crime, you can obtain a copy of the police report by making a request to the police department where the crime occurred. I want a divorce.

Can a prosecutor speak to a defense attorney in Kentucky?

As long as you are represented by a defense attorney, a prosecutor may speak only to that attorney. Any questions that you have about your case should be answered by your attorney. If you continue to be dissatisfied with your court-appointed attorney, you will have to contact the judge assigned to your case.

T. Kevin Wilson

It is up to the Commonwealth Attorney whether to get involved in the prosecution of misdemeanor cases. It sounds like in that jurisdiction they elected not to.#N#More

Casey Rian Stevens

Commonwealth's Attorneys have discretion as to whether to participate in the prosecution of misdemeanor cases.

Donato Joseph Rinaldi

This makes no sense.#N#Are you CERTAIN that you were in criminal court?#N#The commonwealth goes first in a criminal trial. So you are telling me that when the...

How to address a concern with the district attorney?

The district attorney may not have the authority to address your concern, and may simply refer you to another office. If you are not sure to whom you should address your concern, consider telephoning the district attorney's office or contacting an attorney.

Is "district attorney" capitalized?

"District attorney" is not a proper noun, and does not need to be capitalized unless it is being used as a person's title. For example, "I have a question for District Attorney Johnson" versus "I have a question for the district attorney."

Erin Joanne Smith

There are many factors that will impact whether the Commonwealth's Attorney will talk to you about reducing your charge.

Wayne Lee Kim

I have practiced in Loudoun for 10 years. The prosecutors do not negotiate with unrepresented people in Loudoun County

Scott Raymond Sexauer

You did not state the offense, or the jurisdiction where you must appear in court; those facts are important. In some courts, you do not talk to the prosecutors at all; the prosecutors only deal with defense lawyers. If you do not have a lawyer, you talk directly to the judge, who may or may not find you guilty of a less serious offense.

Samantha Bohannon

Depending on what your charge is and whether the Commonwealth Attorney even gets involved will make a difference in whether you would contact the Commonwealth Attorney. That being said, anyone can contact the Commonwealth's Attorney, it's just a matter of whether they will talk with you about it...

Rixon Charles Rafter III

No. Commonwealth's office is not interested in bargaining with you. you would need to prove your case in court.