what is commonwealth's attorney fairfax city, fairfax county

by Makayla Rowe 9 min read

What does the Fairfax County commonwealth's attorney do?

Steve Descano was sworn in as the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax in January 2020. He is a veteran, former federal prosecutor, husband, and father. Since taking office, Steve has undertaken a reform agenda aimed at mitigating racial and socioeconomic disparities and countering mass incarceration in Fairfax County’s Justice System.

How do I contact the Fairfax County district attorney's office?

The Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney, located in Fairfax, VA, is an agency that prosecutes criminal cases on behalf of the Fairfax government. The District Attorney heads the Fairfax Prosecutor's Office, directing the attorneys who work for the office. In Fairfax, the District Attorney plays a central role in criminal cases, working with police to decide whether to bring …

What kind of cases does the Fairfax County Attorney's office prosecute?

Commonwealth's Attorney As the chief law enforcement officer in the city and in Fairfax County, the Commonwealth's Attorney prosecutes criminal cases, including all felonies occurring in the city. Residents of the city and Fairfax County elect the Commonwealth's Attorney to a 4-year term.The principal focus of this office is major crimes, and the office works closely with the …

What is the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office doing to help people in need?

Oct 28, 2019 · On November 5, 2019, Fairfax County residents will vote for candidates for the office of Commonwealth Attorney [OCA] to serve a four-year term. In the absence of a lay or civilian review board, this opportunity for the electorate to voice its sentiments remains its sole opportunity to express voter opinion concerning the performance and mission of the agency.

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Who is the district attorney for Fairfax County VA?

Attorney Steve DescanoCommonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano Steve Descano was sworn in as the Commonwealth's Attorney for Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax in January 2020. He is a veteran, former federal prosecutor, husband, and father.

What is Va Commonwealth Attorney?

The Commonwealth's Attorney is an elected official who is the chief law enforcement officer of a city, town, or county within Virginia. The office, as established by the Virginia Constitution and Code of Virginia, has a primary duty to prosecute all felonies and most misdemeanors charged within the jurisdiction.

Who is my Fairfax County representative?

Congressman Gerald E. "Gerry" Connolly is serving his fourth term in the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 11th District, which includes Fairfax County, Prince William County, the towns of Dumfries and Herndon, and the City of Fairfax in Northern Virginia.

Why is Fairfax City not in Fairfax County?

As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,150,309, making it the Commonwealth's most populous jurisdiction, with around 13% of Virginia's population. ... The county seat is Fairfax, although because it is an independent city under Virginia law, the city of Fairfax is not part of Fairfax County.

Who oversees the commonwealth attorney of Virginia?

Shannon L. TaylorUnder the leadership of Shannon L. Taylor, the Commonwealth's Attorney's office is responsible for representing and protecting the people of Henrico County by presenting evidence in court against persons charged with committing crimes. The Commonwealth's Attorney's office presents cases in three different courts.

Who won Roanoke Commonwealth attorney?

Attorney Don CaldwellRoanoke Commonwealth's Attorney Don Caldwell was elected to an 11th term Tuesday. With 22 of 23 precincts reporting, Caldwell had 56% of the vote, according to unofficial results.Nov 2, 2021

How do I contact Fairfax County Board of Supervisors?

Extra Large [email protected] Government Center Parkway, Suite 530. Fairfax, VA 22035.Jeffrey C. McKay, Chairman.

What is the role of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors?

The Board of Supervisors establishes county government policy, passes resolutions and ordinances (within the limits of its authority established by the Virginia General Assembly), approves the budget, sets local tax rates, approves land use plans and makes appointments to various positions.

Does Fairfax County have a Board of Supervisors?

Fairfax County has an elected Board of Supervisors consisting of nine members elected by district, plus a chairman elected at-large.

What is Fairfax city known for?

The City of Fairfax, Virginia, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The six-square-mile jurisdiction in the heart of Northern Virginia was founded in 1805 as the Town of Providence. Known for its courthouse, it was for a time known as Fairfax Courthouse, then as the Town of Fairfax.

What is Fairfax Virginia known for?

Fairfax County is home to 11 Fortune 500 company headquarters, as of 2020. Fairfax County has the largest concentration of technology jobs of any major US market. Fairfax County is also home to some of the top emergency responders on international crisis teams in the country, most notably Virginia Task Force 1, VATF-1.

What is the difference between Fairfax city and county?

While the city is the county seat, a small portion of the county comprising the courthouse complex, the jail and a small area nearby is itself an exclave of the county within the city. Fairfax County's Government Center is west of the City of Fairfax.

Specific Commitment to Decarceration

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Recently John Creuzot of Texas set a goal of de-carcerating Dallas County by 15 to 20% in his first term. His plan to do that includes changing pre-trial detention policies to err on release, and instructing his prosecutors to not pursue theft charges of necessary items valued under $750. These are practical changes all wi…
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Alternatives to Incarceration

  • Misdemeanor charges make up approximately 80% of state and local dockets nationwide. The majority are for minor offenses like trespassing, loitering, and drug possession. These arrests and convictions can significantly affect people's lives, even when they result in short sentences or probation, costing people their jobs, housing, student loans, immigration status, and even their c…
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Transparency and Accountability

  • Data collected from the Vera Institute, an independent national nonprofit, on the population of Fairfax County's local jail reveals that black people are incarcerated at nearly four times the rate of white people. If elected, how will you address these racial disparities in Fairfax County? Are racial disparities currently tracked and analyzed, and if so, what is the plan for releasing that informati…
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Decriminalizing Marijuana

  • Will you commit to stop criminally prosecuting simple marijuana possession instances and instead dismiss, divert or treat those cases as civil infractions? Morrogh: Yes, divert. Descano: Yes, not prosecute.
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Juvenile Justice

  • Will you create and/or release a policy that directs your prosecutors not to charge juveniles as adults? Morrogh: No, I will tell you that certification for juveniles is extremely rare and it is for common sense reasons. Sometimes I have to do that. It is not fun. I do not like to do it. I try to do it as rarely as possible but sometimes it is necessary. But, I would say the vast majority of cases…
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Solitary Confinement

  • What is each candidate's view on solitary confinement? Morrogh: It might be necessary, at some time, to isolate someone for a discreet period of time, who may be out of control or something. I think we should treat our criminals like we treat everybody, with dignity. The penalty might be incarceration, they might have done something really bad, but they should not be tortured, psych…
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Death Penalty

  • Countless studies have shown that the death penalty is fraught with error, provides no public safety benefit than other services and has routinely imposed on people with diminished culpability. Studies also show that the death penalty is applied in a racially discriminatory manner. Would you commit to never seeking the death penalty? Morrogh: No, I could not do that. Again, i…
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Community Oversight

  • Will you commit to form a community advisory board, that includes members who have been directly impacted by the criminal justice system, that will meet monthly to discuss the community's priorities and how the Fairfax County Commonwealth attorney's office will respond to those issues? Morrogh: Yes. Descano: Yes.
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Pretrial Reform

  • Nearly half of the people in Virginia's jail are awaiting trial and have not yet been convicted of a crime. The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services is currently conducting a snapshot analysis of Virginia's pre-trial system and initial results are shocking. Nearly 44% of those held are African American, despite only making up 20% of the population. 60% are being held on misdem…
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Police Accountability

  • Most fatalities involving law enforcement do not go to trial. If elected, how do you propose to balance your duties, to hold law enforcement accountable, to the people with your reliance from them to try a case? Morrogh: It is vital to our system of justice that the police are held accountable, and the prosecutors are held accountable, and the judges are held accountable. W…
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