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COURTS and CORRECTIONS The entire judicial system of the Commonwealth of Virginia was reorganized during the 1970s and early 1980s. The following chart shows the organization of the court system: Virginia's Judicial System
Magistrates (703-838-4515). Justices of the peace and special justices are called Special Magistrates. They are responsible for issuing process of arrest and search warrants, admitting to bail or committing to jail persons charged with offenses, and issuing arrest warrants and summons to appear and answer. Alexandria has five Special Magistrates who are appointed for four-year terms by the Chief Judge of the 18th Circuit Court. They exercise, within the City, all the power and authority conferred on magistrates by general state law. They are supervised by the Chief Circuit Court Judge and are given legal advice by the Commonwealth's Attorney. There is a magistrate on duty 24 hours a day at the Intake Unit of the Alexandria Detention Center. There are two types of courts not of record: General District Court and Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. The Commonwealth is divided into 31 districts. Alexandria is the 18th District. Its courthouse is located at 520 King Street. Each District Court has at least one full-time judge elected by the General Assembly for a term of six years. When a vacancy occurs, the 18th Circuit Court judges nominate no more than three persons for consideration by the General Assembly. If the General Assembly is in recess, an interim appointment is made by the Circuit Court judges. For Alexandria' s District Court, there are two regular judges and five substitute judges. The Clerk of the General District Court is appointed by the two regular judges. There are two regular judges for Alexandria' s Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. The Clerk of the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court is appointed by the two judges. The General District Court has original jurisdiction in all misdemeanors (fines up to $2,500 or sentences up to one year in jail, or both); original and exclusive jurisdiction in civil cases involving $3,000 or less; and concurrent jurisdiction with the 18th Circuit Court in claims involving $3,000.01 but not exceeding $15,000. The Court sits without a jury. The Court holds traffic court and preliminary hearings for any individual arrested and charged with a felony to determine if there is "probable cause." If "probable cause" is established, the accused is bound over to the Grand Jury. The Chief Judge of the General District Court appoints the Clerk. The General District Court has a “small claims court” for claims that do not exceed $2,000. For information on traffic cases, call 703-838-4041; for civil cases, call 703-838-4021; and for criminal cases, call 703- 838-4030. Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court (703-838-4141) has jurisdiction in cases involving juvenile delinquency, juvenile traffic offenses, children in need of services (runaways and truants), child abuse or neglect, parental relief of custody, entrustments, termination of parental rights, oversight of children in foster care, adult domestic violence, petitions for adult protective orders in family cases, child and spousal support enforcement, court consent to medical treatment of children, involuntary commitment of juveniles 14 years and over to mental health facilities, and other matters relating to crimes committed by one member of a family against another family member or by an adult against a minor. In Virginia, a minor is anyone under 18 years of age. Under certain situations in some delinquency cases, a juvenile court judge can send a juvenile’s case to Circuit Court for trial as an adult. Any final decisions of matters by this court can be appealed to the Circuit Court for a new trial. The Alexandria Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court is a Model Court for the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges - see www.pppncjfcj.org/." More information concerning the Court can be found at its website at http://alexandriava.gov/courts/jdrdc/. The Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Services Unit (703- 838-4144) provides services to juveniles and adults as follows:
Circuit Court (703-838-4123) is a court of unlimited general jurisdiction in certain matters. It can issue writs of mandamus, prohibitions, and certiorari. Divorce suits are heard in the Circuit Court. It has appellate jurisdiction in all cases, civil and criminal, from the lower courts and original jurisdiction for all felony indictments and for presentments, information, and indictments for misdemeanors. Appeals from the Circuit Court are either to the Court of Appeals or to the State Supreme Court. In criminal trials, trial by jury is mandatory unless waived by the defendant, the prosecutor, and the court. Deeds, wills, deeds of trust, and other papers are filed with the Clerk of this Court (703-838-4055 for wills, and 703-838-4066 for deeds). The Clerk maintains and processes land record documents for the City, handles probate and fiduciary matters, issues marriage licenses, and provides clerical assistance to the judges in all civil and criminal matters. Other duties include issuing notarial certificates, administering oaths to elected and appointed officials, and maintaining historical records and statistics for the City. The Clerk is a constitutional officer and is elected for an eight-year term. Judges are elected by a joint vote of both houses of the General Assembly and are commissioned by the Governor for a term of eight years. The Governor can make interim appointments when the General Assembly is in recess. Alexandria has three Circuit Court judges. The Court of Appeals of Virginia provides for intermediate appellate review of all decisions of the Circuit Courts in traffic infractions, in criminal cases, except where a sentence of death has been imposed, and in decisions of the Circuit Court involving domestic relations matters and appeals from administrative agencies. The Court also hears appeals from the Industrial Commission. It sits in panels of at least three judges at locations designated by the Chief Judge, so as to provide convenient access to the various areas of the Commonwealth. The 10 Court of Appeals judges are elected in the same manner as Circuit Court judges and serve a term of eight years. The Chief Judge is elected by the 10 judges and serves a term of four years. The Supreme Court of Virginia primary purpose is to review the decisions of lower courts in which appeals have been allowed. The Court, which is located in Richmond, also has the power to issue writs of mandamus, habeas corpus, and prohibition; it has original jurisdiction in cases of judicial censure and removal. The Court has seven justices who are elected by joint vote of both houses of the General Assembly and are commissioned by the Governor to serve 12-year terms. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is the administrative head of the state judicial system. JURY SELECTION AND FUNCTION. There are two kinds of Circuit Court juries: Grand and Petit. The Grand Jury consists of five to seven members who are at least 18 years of age, U.S. citizens, and residents of the Commonwealth of Virginia for at least one year and of Alexandria for six months. The Grand Jury hears written presentments and oral testimony, at its request, concerning individuals suspected of committing a felony. Jurors decide if there is probable cause to believe the accused has committed a crime, if so an indictment is returned, and the accused is tried. The Grand Jury is selected by the Clerk of the Court from a list of names submitted by the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court for the term beginning in August. Jurors receive $30.00 per day as an expense allowance. The Petit Jury is the trial jury serving the Circuit Court. A separate group serves each term of the Court. Every two months, the Clerk or Deputy Clerk of Court draws names needed for the term from a pool of names supplied by the Jury Commission. Usually 20 names are chosen for criminal juries and 13 for civil juries. Twelve members serve in criminal cases and seven serve in civil cases. Jurors receive $30.00 per day as an expense allowance. In Virginia, in all felony cases where the verdict of guilty is rendered, the jury also recommends the sentence. The Commonwealth's Attorney (703-838-4100) is a constitutional officer, who is elected by the citizens of Alexandria to a four-year term as the Chief Prosecutor for the City. The Commonwealth' s Attorney' s Office is responsible for prosecuting persons who have been accused of criminal offenses that occur within the City limits. The Office is composed of 14 attorneys and staff and is located in the Courthouse at 520 King Street, Suite 301. Attorneys handle specialized case assignments according to types of crimes (e.g. , burglary, robbery, etc.). The office also operates a number of programs to enhance its function, including a multi-jurisdiction drug prosecution program, which assigns an experienced assistant to prosecute higher level drug cases in federal court, a Community Prosecution Program, which deals with quality of life issues and prosecution of cases which have occurred in the Arlandria area of the City, the Victim-Witness Assistance Program, which provides information referral, and support services to crime victims and witnesses throughout the criminal justice process, and the V-STOP Program, which focuses on prosecution of domestic violence cases. The Office actively participates in the Youth Policy Commission, the Domestic Violence Intervention Project, and the Economic Opportunities Commission. Assistants are encouraged to serve as liaisons to citizens’ groups and participate in community service projects. If you would like a prosecutor to address your civic group or school class on an issue related to law enforcement, please call or email the office at randolph.sengel@alexandriava.gov. The Sheriff (703-838-4111) is a constitutional officer elected for a four-year term. The Office of Sheriff has primary responsibility for the management of the Alexandria Detention Center, Public Safety Center perimeter security, Courthouse and courtroom security, prisoner transportation, warrant execution, and service of all civil papers and court generated documents, and secondary responsibility for law enforcement in the City. The Office of Sheriff staff consists of 167 sworn employees and 44 civilian employees. The Office of Sheriff is one of a small number of agencies in the United States to be nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., Commission on Accreditation for Corrections, and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care. The Office of Sheriff has been honored by the National Sheriffs’ Association with the prestigious “Triple Crown Award” for achieving these national accreditations. The Sheriff’s administrative offices are located at 2003 Mill Road, and the Judicial Services Office is located in the Alexandria Courthouse, 520 King Street, Suite 308. Citizens are encouraged to become involved with the Office of Sheriff, the Detention Center, or the Courthouse as volunteers. For volunteer information, call 703-838-4111, x4904. For Courthouse and Detention Center tour information, call 703-838- 4111, x4727. For information on becoming a Deputy Sheriff, call 703-838-4111, x4117. The Alexandria Detention Center (703-838-4099) is located at 2001 Mill Road in the Alexandria Public Safety Complex. Opened in 1987, the Detention Center houses prisoners who are awaiting trail, serving jail sentences, and/or awaiting transfer to state facilities to serve longer sentences. The Detention Center has a rated capacity of 343 prisoners and is under contract with the U.S. Marshals Service to house 140 federal prisoners. The Detention Center holds prisoners awaiting trial, those serving sentences of 12 months or less, and those awaiting transfer to state facilities to serve longer sentences. For specific information about a prisoner call 703-838-4440. Family and friends visiting hours, by appointment only, are Monday through Thursday, 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Detention Center provides a wide range of programs and services to prisoners, including educational programs, substance abuse counseling, Sober Living Unit (a therapeutic community substance abuse program), religious services, library and law library services, commissary, mental health services, Women Empowered for change (a women’s life skills program), and medical services. Electronic monitoring, community service, work release, and educational release programs are utilized as alternatives to incarceration. Inmate labor is used to provide services to the City and Detention Center, thus creating a significant cost savings and positive utilization of incarceration time. Low risk prisoners go through extensive screening and orientation prior to working in the community under the supervision of a Deputy Sheriff. The Detention Center is nationally accredited. The Alexandria Alcohol Safety Action Program (ASAP) (703- 838-4266), provides intervention, probation, and case management to persons convicted of Driving Under the Influence, as well as other alcohol or drug offenses. ASAP also provides Habitual Offender and Pre-Court Evaluations. The office is located at 132 N. Royal Street, Suite 210. The Adult Probation and Parole Office (703-518-8000), located at 108 S. Washington Street, is the local office of the Community Corrections Division of the Virginia Department of Corrections. Probation/Parole Officers conduct investigations and prepare presentencing reports for the Circuit Court, and supervise ex-offenders in the community. The primary goal of community supervision is to encourage responsible behavior by ex-offenders. This Office, in close collaboration with City agencies, provides special programs that address a wide range of client needs, including substance abuse and mental health treatment, basic employment and educational services, and basic communication and life skills. The Alexandria branch of Legal Services of Northern Virginia (703-684-5566) is located at 603 King Street. Income-eligible and elderly City residents are provided legal advice and representation in many areas of civil (not criminal or traffic) law, including family, housing, consumer, elder, public benefits, education and employment law. The majority of criminal cases are handled by the Public Defenders Office (703-838-4477) which is also located at 132 N. Royal Street. The courts may also appoint attorneys from the local bar to represent indigent defendants. In cases where the court has appointed the public defender or an attorney from the private bar to represent an indigent client, and the client is convicted of an offense, attorney fees are assessed to the client as part of court costs in the matter. The fees assessed for public defenders and court-appointed attorneys are limited by State law. Hearing impaired persons should use the Virginia Relay Service to reach these offices, by calling 1-800-828-1120 (Text), or 1-800-828-1140 (Voice). The Alexandria Law Library (703-838-4077), located at 520 King Street, Lower Level, is open to the public. Its mission is to provide legal reference materials and forms for the benefit of the entire Alexandria community, including attorneys, judges, government employees, students, teachers, and the general public. The collection is non-circulating. Two photocopiers are available for use at 20 cents per page. A video, Your Day in Court: Representing Yourself in General District Court, may be rented with a refundable $20 deposit. Library staff will provide assistance in locating and using library materials. However, staff members cannot give legal advice, legal opinions or interpretations of the law. Services specifically provided for the public include: divorce, separation and name change form packets for a nominal fee; tax forms and instructions from all 50 states; Virginia legal collection focusing on family law, landlord/tenant disputes, bankruptcy, business formation, employment disputes, DUI and traffic infractions, debt collection and immigration; limited access to the Internet for purposes of legal research; access to Westlaw with researching and printing fees; and legal dictionaries and encyclopedias. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 p.m., with no reference service between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. each day. No appointment necessary.
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