The Virginia State Bar seeks public comment on proposed amendments to the bylaws of the Virginia State Bar and the Virginia State Bar Council. View all events or filter by agency. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. To learn, you have to listen. The mission of the Virginia Association of Commonwealths Attorneys (VACA) shall be to foster a closer relationship among fellow prosecutors, law enforcement and the public; to promote uniformity in the fair, effective and efficient administration of the law; to provide input on legislation that advances public safety for all in the Commonwealth; and to educate citizens of all aspects of the criminal justice system. "He had a little bit of an edge professionally," Gaines said. Fair and tough reporting on the policy and politics that affect all of us is more important than ever. While Robertson and Glass prosecuted in Staunton, they also had their own private practice on the side. He was first elected to the position of . He served in the Obama Administrations Justice Department for six years, specializing in the prosecution of complex financial crimes. Now, thanks to the leadership of Commonwealth's Attorneys, Virginia's criminal discovery rules are coming into conformity with what most Commonwealth's Attorney's offices have been doing for years. Have a news tip? Fairfax, VA 22030. Eleven commonwealth's attorneys who collectively represent more than 40 percent of the state's population formed an advocacy group this month to back criminal justice reform proposals, dubbing themselves Virginia Progressive Prosecutors for Justice. The Office of the Commonwealths Attorney prosecutes criminal cases within the Thirty First Judicial District. The Office of the Commonwealth Attorney is charged primarily with the prosecution of crime. Steve Descano was sworn in as the Commonwealths Attorney for Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax in January 2020. Darrel Tillar Mason of Manakin Sabot is the 2023 Recipient of the Edward L. Chambers Jr. Award. Virginia P.O. Are you a Victim or Witness? On April 13, 2023, the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board administratively suspended Duncan Kenner Brents license to practice law for failing to comply with a subpoena duces tecum issued by the Bar. Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. A. Effective April 18, 2023, the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board revoked Elizabeth Kathryn Browns license to practice law based on her affidavit consenting to the revocation. Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano recently released an update to the first data dashboard that his team has developed as part of his plan to build a sophisticated data program to drive the office's decision-making and promote transparency. Phone: 540-483-3092. For Employment Opportunities, pleaseclick here:The Office of the Commonwealths Attorney seeks candidates for anticipated full time Senior and Assistant Commonwealth's Attorneys, Administrative Staff, and Victim Witness Case Managers. VACA has recently lobbied lawmakers against legislation that would decriminalize marijuana, raise the threshold for a felony larceny charge to $1,000 and stop police from charging students with disorderly conduct for actions in schools all bills that failed for years under Republican control of the General Assembly but passed this year under Democratic leadership. Posted on 4/21/2023 Skip to content. Richmond, Virginia 23219-0026, Privacy Policy|Disaster Resources|VirginiaFreedom of Information Act. The Commonwealth's Attorney is the Chief Prosecutor in the City of Virginia Beach. Court-appointed attorney J&DR . (757) 385-4401. The Trustoria Professional Directory provides everyone with all the professional records needed to know the right service provider for any need. Fairfax, VA 22035, Office of the Fairfax Commonwealth's Attorney, Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. Nonpartisan. Since taking office, Steve has undertaken a reform agenda aimed at mitigating racial and socioeconomic disparities and countering mass incarceration in Fairfax Countys Justice System - while keeping our communities safe. All rights reserved. On July 1, 2020 new rules will take effect that will balance transparency and fairness with the need to protect victims and witnesses of crimes. the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. But he said he drew the line when it came to expanding expungement and parole, arguing allowing people to erase crimes from their records could present problems down the line when it came to offenses involving theft or moral turpitude and that expanding parole amounts to lying to citizens about how much time criminals will spend in prison. Richmond, VA 23219. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. Esta aplicacin no sustituye su derecho de obtener una traduccinprofesional provista por la Ciudad de Richmond como parte del Plan de Acceso aLenguaje. Assistant Commonwealth's Attorneys | Danville, VA - Official Website 15.2-1626. Attorney for the Commonwealth Please see our republishing guidelines for use of photos and graphics. The website's purpose is to promote a greater understanding of the role of the Commonwealths Attorney within Virginias criminal justice system. The following 72 pages are in this category, out of 72 total. County Fair. An action you have taken is directing you away from this site to the following address: Prince William County may not own or control the contents of this link. The mission of the Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys (VACA) shall be to foster a closer relationship among fellow prosecutors, law enforcement and the public; to promote uniformity in the fair, effective and efficient administration of the law; to provide input on legislation that advances public safety for all in the Commonwealth; Any requests should be submitted in writing with attention to Chaim Mandelbaum by fax at(703) 691-4004 or to 4110 Chain Bridge Rd, Suite114, Fairfax, VA 22030. 18.2 -268.8 DUI - Withdrawal of blood by Commonwealth or local office $25.00 18.2- 346.1 . Chuck Slemp serves as Chief Deputy Attorney General of Virginia. Members of the group have expressed general support for legislative agendas put forward by Senate Democrats and the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus. Elected Officials | Craig County, VA But after they got to know each other better, Gaines said Robertson opened up a bit more. Secretary of the Commonwealth - Secretary of the Commonwealth - Virginia Order Published. Remove all graphics and images from the website so that only the text and links are visible. Posted on 4/24/2023 Waynesboro attorney Wayne Glass said he was hired straight out of law school by Robertson in 1974. The Victim Witness Assistance Program was established in 1989 with the primary goal of assisting crime victims and their families throughout the criminal justice process, and to ensure that they receive fair and compassionate treatment. The new coalition represents a departure from the advocacy traditionally seen from prosecutors around the state, who are represented by the Virginia Association of Commonwealths Attorneys, which in the past has often opposed criminal justice reform initiatives. Amy Ashworth. Eleven commonwealths attorneys who collectively represent more than 40 percent of the states population formed an advocacy group this month to back criminal justice reform proposals, dubbing themselves Virginia Progressive Prosecutors for Justice. The attorneys general were James S. Wheat and Thomas Russell Bowden. Annual Events & Activities. Members of Virginia Progressive Prosecutors for Justice, Amy Ashworth; Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park, Parisa Dehghani-Tafti; Arlington County and Falls Church, Steve Descano; Fairfax County and City of Fairfax. ), But they expressed strong commitment for proposals that would: ensure prosecutors have access to police reports, complaints and disciplinary records; require that a judge sign off on any plan to serve a warrant either at night or without knocking; end to mandatory drivers license suspensions on drug convictions; give defendants the ability to have past convictions expunged; eliminate mandatory sentences; and clarify the discretionary powers of prosecutors.. Purpose The position of commonwealth's attorney was established by the Constitution of Virginia. (excluding holidays) Robertson served 11 terms in Staunton before his retirement. We work with our local law enforcement partners to protect and safeguard our community through the prevention and determent of crime. "Once he locked in on somebody, he definitely went after them," Gaines said. Welcome to the website of the Virginia Association of Commonwealths Attorneys. (Democrats in the House are planning to announce their own set of proposals following a series of committee meetings that will begin Wednesday. 12000 Government Center Pkwy Ned, a Lexington native, has been a fulltime journalist since 2008, beginning at The News-Gazette in Lexington, and including stints at the Berkshire Eagle, in Berkshire County, Mass., and the Times-Dispatch and Style Weekly in Richmond. He was first elected to the position of commonwealth's attorney in 1973. After his work in the Justice Department, Steve was selected as the Fairfax County NAACPs first nominee to the Countys Police Civilian Review Panel. Disclaimer. Other members have represented their localities for years and pursued reform at the local level, including Greg Underwood in Norfolk and Stephanie Morales in Portsmouth, who both took steps to stop prosecuting misdemeanor marijuana possession cases only to be rebuffed by local judges. The OCA is committed to promoting the long-term safety of the community while reforming Fairfax Countys justice system to make it more equitable. The Virginia State Bar Council has 22 new members from across the Commonwealth whose terms will begin July 1, 2023. Freedom of Information Act requests - Pursuant to Code 2.2-3704.2, the Office of the Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney has designated Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Chaim Mandelbaum as our Freedom of Information Act Officer as officially listed on: http://foiacouncil.dls.virginia.gov/foiacouncil.htm.