What does a magistrate do in Virginia?

What does a magistrate do in Virginia?

Magistrate Services Magistrate duties include issuing various types of processes such as arrest warrants, summonses, search warrants, emergency protective orders, emergency custody orders, and certain civil warrants.

What cases go to the magistrates court?

Magistrates deal with three kinds of cases:

• Summary offences. These are less serious cases, such as motoring offences and minor assaults, where the defendant is not usually entitled to trial by jury.
• Either-way offences.
• Indictable-only offences, such as murder, manslaughter, rape and robbery.

Does WV have a judiciary case search?

For those that are pubic, individuals can visit the West Virginia State Law Library, which generally has cases on record. To initiate a search for court records, those interested will need to know either the case number, the name of the parties involved or the name of the attorney that defended the case.

What power do magistrates have?

Magistrates have sentencing powers that allow them to impose a range of sentences, including unlimited fines, bans, community orders and up to 12 months’ custody, depending on the offence. Find out more about the different types of sentence and see the guidelines for sentencing offences in magistrates’ courts.

Who is present at a magistrates court?

Magistrates (also called Justices of the Peace) are ordinary people who hear cases in court in their community. They sit in benches of three, including two ‘wingers’ and one who sits in the centre who has received special training to act as chair, known as the Presiding Justice.

What sentences can Magistrates Court give?

Magistrates have sentencing powers that allow them to impose a range of sentences, including unlimited fines, bans, community orders and up to 12 months’ custody, depending on the offence.

Can anyone go to magistrates court?

A magistrates’ court is usually open to the public. People may sit quietly and listen at the back of the court. Please note this is a representation only – the people in the room may be different. Not all courts look exactly alike.

What Offences are heard in the magistrates court?

Magistrates are trained, unpaid members of their local community, who work part-time and deal with less serious criminal cases, such as minor theft, criminal damage, public disorder and motoring offences.