Virginia Law

Article 7. Commonwealth's Attorneys' Services Council.

A. The Commonwealth's Attorneys' Services Council is established as a supervisory council, within the meaning of § 2.2-2100, in the executive branch of state government. The purpose of the Council shall be to ensure the upgrading of criminal justice administration by providing and coordinating training, education and services for attorneys for the Commonwealth, there is created in the executive branch the Commonwealth's Attorneys' Services Council that shall be under the direction and control of the Governor.

B. The Council shall consist of not more than sixteen members, as follows: one attorney for the Commonwealth for each congressional district in the Commonwealth to be elected as provided in subsection C; the president, the president-elect, the vice-president and the secretary-treasurer of the Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys, and the immediate past president of the Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys. The president of the Association shall be the chairman of the Council; the president-elect and vice-president shall be first and second vice-chairmen, respectively, and the secretary-treasurer shall serve as secretary of the Council.

C. The initial terms of the members elected from congressional districts shall be as follows: for the members from the odd-numbered districts, until July 1 of the next following even-numbered year after their election; for the members from the even-numbered districts, until July 1 of the next following odd-numbered year after the election; thereafter, all terms shall be for two years.

The election for members shall be held annually at the annual meeting of the Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys. One member shall be elected initially, and every two years thereafter, from each of the several congressional districts by the membership of the Association at large. Each such member shall be an attorney for the Commonwealth holding office within his congressional district.

D. Upon the termination of the office of any member as attorney for the Commonwealth, his membership on the Council shall be terminated. Vacancies shall be filled for the congressional district in which the former member resided for the unexpired term by a majority vote of the Council. Members shall be eligible for more than one term.

E. The Council shall establish its own bylaws, procedures and requirements with respect to quorum, place and conduct of its meetings and its other business matters, provided, that such bylaws shall include a provision that the Council hold no less than ten meetings a year, and that other meetings be held when called by the chairman, or, in the absence of the chairman, the first vice-chairman, or upon the written request of four members.

F. Members of the Council shall receive no salaries but shall be reimbursed their reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties as provided in § 2.2-2825.

1978, c. 455, §§ 2.1-64.28:1, 2.1-64.28:2; 1984, c. 720; 1992, c. 81; 2001, c. 844.

The Council, in order to (i) strengthen the criminal justice system in the Commonwealth; (ii) provide a professional organization for the education, training, service and coordination of technical efforts of state prosecutors; and (iii) maintain and improve prosecutor efficiency and effectiveness in enforcing the law of the Commonwealth, shall have, but are not limited to, the following powers and duties:

1. Organize, supervise and perform functions consistent with this article;

2. Coordinate training and continuing legal education activities for attorneys for the Commonwealth;

3. Contract or enter into agreements with state or federal agencies or education institutions;

4. Gather and disseminate information to attorneys for the Commonwealth relative to their official duties, including changes in the law affecting their office and information on individuals identified as criminal gang members, as transmitted by the Department of Corrections and the Department of Juvenile Justice;

5. Coordinate with the Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Judicial Conference in reference to training and interdisciplinary criminal justice matters;

6. Obtain statistical reports from attorneys for the Commonwealth relating to their performance, function and work-load;

7. Receive and establish an equitable distribution plan for the allocation of any funds from public or private sources;

8. Maintain close contact with the office of the Attorney General and with all attorneys for the Commonwealth and assistant attorneys for the Commonwealth in the discussion of problems or recommendations concerning necessary research, minimum standards, educational needs and other matters relative to upgrading the professional status of attorneys for the Commonwealth;

9. Gather information on changes in the law that affect the duties and responsibilities of law-enforcement officers, make such information available to law-enforcement agencies, law-enforcement training academies, and the Department of Criminal Justice Services; and

10. Perform such other acts as may be necessary for the effective performance of its duties.

1978, c. 455, § 2.1-64.28:4; 1984, c. 779; 2001, c. 844; 2006, cc. 431, 500; 2013, c. 79.

The Council, with the concurrence of the Governor, shall appoint an administrator, who shall serve under the supervision and at the pleasure of the Council. He shall perform the duties and exercise the functions the Council assigns to him. He shall receive a salary for his services to be paid by the Council subject to the approval of the Governor.

1978, c. 455, § 2.1-64.28:3; 1984, c. 720; 1992, c. 81; 2001, c. 844.

A. There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting revolving fund to be known as the Commonwealth's Attorneys Training Fund, referred to in this section as "the Fund." The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller.

B. The Fund shall consist of all proceeds distributed to the Commonwealth's Attorneys' Services Council in January 2014 as a result of the federal equitable sharing distribution following the settlement of United States v. Abbott Laboratories, Case No. 1:12-CR-00026 (W.D Va.)(Settlement). The Fund shall also consist of any moneys appropriated from the general fund, grants and donations received by the Council, and other moneys received by the State Treasurer and designated for deposit in the Fund. Interest and other income earned on the Fund shall be credited to the Fund. Any moneys remaining in the Fund, including interest and other income thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund.

C. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the moneys and other property comprising the Fund shall be invested, reinvested, and managed by the Board of the Virginia Retirement System as provided in § 51.1-124.37. The State Treasurer shall not be held liable for losses suffered by the Virginia Retirement System on investments made under the authority of this section.

D. The Fund shall be expended solely for the purpose of supporting prosecutor training and, as appropriate, law-enforcement training and associated costs approved by the Council and any other purpose permitted by this article that is consistent with the Settlement described in subsection B.

E. An amount not to exceed six percent of the moving average of the market value of the Fund calculated over the previous five years or since inception, whichever is shorter, on a one-year delayed basis, net of any administrative fee assessed pursuant to subsection E of § 51.1-124.37, may be expended in a calendar year for any purpose permitted by this article. The Council shall not be required to expend such amount in a calendar year, and any amount up to such six percent that is not expended in a calendar year may be expended in any other calendar year.

F. The disbursement of moneys from the Fund shall be made by the State Comptroller at the written request of the Council.

2015, cc. 212, 226.