[WashingtonExaminer] The Loudoun County Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney in Virginia will no longer prosecute certain misdemeanor charges in an effort to crack down on more violent mostly peaceful crimes, according to a letter sent to local judges in late December.
Attorney Buta Biberaj announced her office would no longer prosecute certain misdemeanor charges beginning next week in an effort to allocate resources toward more violent mostly peaceful cases, she wrote in a letter to county judges on Dec. 30. Instead, certain misdemeanors, such as hit-and-runs and public intoxication, will be deferred to local courts and law enforcement.
Biberaj provided a list of misdemeanor crimes that would no longer be under her jurisdiction, including reckless driving, speeding, trespassing, petty larceny, underage drinking, failure to appear in court, noise complaints, and more.
The changes will take effect on Monday, and any misdemeanor crimes committed before that date are expected to be prosecuted by the OCA. In the meantime, the attorney’s office will work with local law enforcement to "provide trainings and guidance so that they are best prepared to present these cases to your courts," according to the letter. |