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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>347469</law_id><section_number>15.2-1627</section_number><catch_line>Duties of attorneys for the Commonwealth and their assistants</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><referred_to_by><reference>15.2-1542</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="46" identifier="15.2">Counties, Cities and Towns</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="2" identifier="II">Powers of Local Government</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="7" identifier="16">Local Constitutional Officers, Courthouses and Supplies</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="4" identifier="4">Attorney for the Commonwealth</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> No attorney for the Commonwealth, or assistant attorney for the Commonwealth, shall be required to carry out any duties as a part of his office in civil matters of advising the <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> and all boards, departments, agencies, officials and employees of his <span class="dictionary">county</span> or <span class="dictionary">city</span>; of drafting or preparing <span class="dictionary">county</span> or <span class="dictionary">city</span> <span class="dictionary">ordinances</span>; of defending or bringing actions in which the <span class="dictionary">county</span> or <span class="dictionary">city</span>, or any of its boards, departments or agencies, or officials and employees thereof, shall be a <span class="dictionary">party</span>; or in any other manner of advising or representing the <span class="dictionary">county</span> or <span class="dictionary">city</span>, its boards, departments, agencies, officials and employees, except in matters involving the enforcement of the criminal <span class="dictionary">law</span> within the <span class="dictionary">county</span> or <span class="dictionary">city</span>. <a id="paragraph-1296345" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1627/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The attorney for the Commonwealth and assistant attorney for the Commonwealth shall be a part of the department of <span class="dictionary">law</span> enforcement of the <span class="dictionary">county</span> or <span class="dictionary">city</span> in which he is elected or appointed, and shall have the duties and powers imposed upon him by general <span class="dictionary">law</span>, including the duty of prosecuting all warrants, <span class="dictionary">indictments</span> or informations charging a <span class="dictionary">felony</span>, and he may in his discretion, <span class="dictionary">prosecute</span> Class 1, 2 and 3 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanors</span>, or any other violation, the <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> of which carries a <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> of confinement in jail, or a fine of $500 or more, or both such confinement and fine. He shall enforce all forfeitures, and carry out all duties imposed upon him by &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Enforcement" href="/2.2-3126/">2.2-3126</a>. He may enforce the provisions of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Refusal of tests; penalties; procedures" href="/18.2-268.3/">18.2-268.3</a>, <a class="law" title="Consent to blood or breath test" href="/29.1-738.2/">29.1-738.2</a>, <a class="law" title="Possession of marijuana in commercial motor vehicle unlawful; civil penalty" href="/46.2-341.20_7/">46.2-341.20:7</a>, or <a class="law" title="Refusal of tests; issuance of out-of-service orders; disqualification" href="/46.2-341.26_3/">46.2-341.26:3</a>. He may, in his discretion, file a <span class="dictionary">petition</span> for <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> pursuant to Chapter 25 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="When appeal by the Commonwealth allowed" href="/19.2-398/">19.2-398</a> et seq.) of Title 19.2 and he shall continue to represent the Commonwealth in any such <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> before the <span class="dictionary">Court</span> of <span class="dictionary">Appeals</span> or the Supreme <span class="dictionary">Court</span> for which he was the prosecuting attorney, unless and until the <span class="dictionary">Court</span> of <span class="dictionary">Appeals</span> grants the <span class="dictionary">petition</span>, except that he shall remain <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> of record in an <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> regarding <span class="dictionary">bail</span>, <span class="dictionary">bond</span>, or <span class="dictionary">recognizance</span> pursuant to Article 1 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/19.2-119/">19.2-119</a> et seq.) of Chapter 9 of Title 19.2 or subsection B of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="When appeal by the Commonwealth allowed" href="/19.2-398/">19.2-398</a>.
			He shall also represent the Commonwealth in an <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> of a civil matter related to the enforcement of a criminal <span class="dictionary">law</span> or a criminal case for which he was the prosecuting attorney, including a <span class="dictionary">petition</span> for expungement of a <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>&#x2019;s criminal record, an action of forfeiture filed in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 22.1 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Commencing an action of forfeiture" href="/19.2-386.1/">19.2-386.1</a> et seq.) of Title 19.2, or any matter which he may enforce pursuant to this section. <a id="paragraph-1296346" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1627/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1977, c. 584, &#xA7; 15.1-8.1; 1978, c. 141; 1988, c. 389; 1997, c. 587; 2011, c. 210; 2017, c. 623; 2020, cc. 1285, 1286; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 489, 550, 551; 2023, cc. 314, 315.</history><metadata><court_decisions><item key="0"><name>Kozmina v. Com.</name><case_number>092395</case_number><citation>706 S.E.2d 860</citation><date>2011-03-04</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1058069/kozmina-v-com/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 706 S.E.2d 860 (2011) .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Supreme Court of Virginia">SCV</abbr></court_html></item><item key="1"><name>Paul H. Lundmark v. Commonwealth of Virginia</name><case_number>0677212</case_number><citation></citation><date>2022-03-08</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/6448964/paul-h-lundmark-v-commonwealth-of-virginia/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. VIRGINIA: .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="2"><name>Paul H. Lundmark v. Commonwealth of Virginia</name><case_number>0677212</case_number><citation></citation><date>2022-04-12</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/6460717/paul-h-lundmark-v-commonwealth-of-virginia/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. VIRGINIA: .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="3"><name>Roberson v. City of Virginia Beach</name><case_number>3065071</case_number><citation>674 S.E.2d 569</citation><date>2009-03-31</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1062518/roberson-v-city-of-virginia-beach/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 674 S.E.2d 569 (2009) .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="4"><name>Frank Ernest Miller, Jr. v. Commonwealth</name><case_number>1513974</case_number><citation>29 Va. App. 47</citation><date>1999-01-26</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1066523/frank-ernest-miller-jr-v-commonwealth/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. HODGES, Senior Judge. .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="5"><name>Mary Price v. Commonwealth of Virginia</name><case_number>0343201</case_number><citation></citation><date>2020-11-04</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/4803173/mary-price-v-commonwealth-of-virginia/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="6"><name>Daniels v. Mobley</name><case_number>121242</case_number><citation></citation><date>2013-02-28</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1057773/daniels-v-mobley/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. PRESENT:    All the Justices .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Supreme Court of Virginia">SCV</abbr></court_html></item><item key="7"><name>Hicks v. Commonwealth</name><case_number>Record 1895-99-2</case_number><citation>535 S.E.2d 678</citation><date>2000-10-17</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1273243/hicks-v-commonwealth/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. HUMPHREYS, Judge. .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="8"><name>Hicks v. Commonwealth</name><case_number>1895992</case_number><citation>548 S.E.2d 249</citation><date>2001-07-03</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1065024/hicks-v-commonwealth/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. *64HUMPHREYS, Judge, with whom WILLIS, BRAY, BUMGARDNER and AGEE, JJ., .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="9"><name>In Re Horan</name><case_number>Record No. 060023 and Record No. 060024</case_number><citation>634 S.E.2d 675</citation><date>2006-01-19</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1058857/in-re-horan/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 634 S.E.2d 675 (2006)&#xD; .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Supreme Court of Virginia">SCV</abbr></court_html></item></court_decisions></metadata></law>
