what is district attorney in va

by Rahsaan Jerde DVM 10 min read

A Virginia Commonwealth

Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, normally known as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 53 member states, nearly all of them former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the Commonwealth Secretariat, which focuses on int…

Attorney is the prosecuting officer of a criminal case (i.e., the official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses). Other states call them district attorneys (or "D.A.s"), but they serve the same functions.

A Virginia Commonwealth Attorney is the prosecuting officer of a criminal case (i.e., the official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses). Other states call them district attorneys (or "D.A.s"), but they serve the same functions.Feb 25, 2019

Full Answer

What does the district attorney do?

Feb 25, 2019 · Virginia District Attorneys. A Virginia Commonwealth Attorney is the prosecuting officer of a criminal case (i.e., the official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses). Other states call them district attorneys (or …

Who is the district attorney of Virginia?

Dec 07, 2021 · Western District Divisions Abingdon Division. Counties: Bland, Buchanan, Grayson, Russell, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wythe Independent Cities: Bristol Big Stone ...

Who does a district attorney represent?

Find 2045 listings related to District Attorney in Virginia Beach on YP.com. See reviews, photos, directions, phone numbers and more for District Attorney locations in Virginia Beach, VA.

What kind of cases does district attorney get?

The Commonwealth's Attorney represents the people of Virginia in prosecuting criminal cases. The position is similar to that of the 'District Attorney' in many other states. The Commonwealth's Attorney, elected by the people to a four year term, typically appoints one or more assistants to handle cases under his or her supervision.

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What is the job of a district attorney?

A district attorney is a public official who is appointed or elected to represent the state in criminal judicial proceedings in a particular judicial district or county; an appointed or elected officer who prosecutes cases in a particular judicial district.

How powerful is a district attorney?

The DA has immense power in influencing an individual's decision to enter into a plea deal or to take their case to trial. More than 90 percent of all criminal cases end in a plea deal. The district attorney has the power to offer a sentence to the individual charged with a crime.

Why would a state attorney call me?

The DA is required to call you under the Victim Bill of Rights because this is a domestic violence case. They could get in trouble if they did not do so. They have to send you a victim impact statement, get your position on the case, find out...May 15, 2012

Why do police overcharge?

But when police or prosecutors want to use leverage on that individual, to gain an advantage or possibly to gain additional information about their bad acts or those of others, and use pressure, then they can “Overcharge” or “Undercharge” an individual to get what they want.Jan 2, 2021

What is a district attorney?

In the United States, a district attorney ( DA ), state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a local government area, typically a county. The exact name and scope of the office varies by state.

What is an assistant district attorney?

The assistant district attorney (assistant DA, ADA) (or state prosecutor or assistant state's attorney) is a law enforcement official who represents the state government on behalf of the district attorney in investigating and prosecuting individuals alleged to have committed a crime. In carrying out their duties to enforce state and local laws, ...

What is a DA?

In the United States, a district attorney ( DA ), state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a local government area, typically a county. The exact name and scope of the office varies by state.

What is the role of a prosecutor?

In carrying out their duties, prosecutors have the authority to investigate persons, grant immunity to witnesses and accused criminals, and plea bargain with defendants. A district attorney leads a staff of prosecutors, who are most commonly known as deputy district attorneys (DDAs).

What does a county attorney do?

For example, in Arizona, Missouri, Montana, and Minnesota a county attorney represents the county and state within their county, prosecutes all felonies occurring within the county, and prosecutes misdemeanors occurring within unincorporated areas of the county.

Is the salary of an ADA lower than the salary of an elected DA?

The salary of an ADA will be lower than the elected DA. The non-monetary benefits of the job induce many to work as an ADA; these include the opportunity to amass trial experience, perform a public service, and network professionally.

Western District Divisions

Counties: Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington#N#Independent Cities: Bristol

Eastern District Divisions

Counties: Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William, Stafford#N#Independent Cities: Alexandria

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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.

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Overview

  • Welcome to the United States Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Led by U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger, the office serves more than six million residents living in Northern Virginia, the Greater Richmond Region, Hampton Roads, Tidewater, and surrounding communities.
See more on justice.gov

History

Role

Departments

In the United States, a district attorney (DA), state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a local government area, typically a countyor a group of counties. The exact name and scope of the office varies by state. Alternative titles for the office include coun…

Nomenclature

This term for a prosecutor originates with the traditional use of the term "district" for multi-county prosecutorial jurisdictions in several U.S. states. For example, New York appointed prosecutors to multi-county districts prior to 1813. Even after those states broke up such districts and started appointing or electing prosecutors for individual counties, they continued to use the title "district attorney" for the most senior prosecutor in a county rather than switch to "county attorney".

Assistant district attorney

The principal duties of the district attorney are usually mandated by law and include representing the State in all criminal trials for crimes which occurred in the district attorney's geographical jurisdiction. The geographical jurisdiction of a district attorney may be delineated by the boundaries of a county, judicial circuit, or judicial district.
Their duties generally include charging crimes through informationsand/or grand jury indictment…

Appeals

The district attorney usually divides their services into several departments that handle different areas of criminal law. Each department is staffed by several duly appointed and sworn ASAs. The departments of a large district attorney's office may include but are not limited to: felony, misdemeanor, domestic violence, traffic, juvenile, charging (or case filing), drug prosecution, forfeitures, civil affairs such as eminent domain, child advocacy, child support, victim assistance…

District attorney investigators

The name of the role of local prosecutor may vary by state or jurisdiction based on whether they serve a county or a multi-county district, the responsibility to represent the state or county in addition to prosecution, or local historical customs.
District attorney and assistant district attorney are the most common titles for state prosecutors, and are used by jurisdictions within the United States including California, Delaware, Georgia, Mas…