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Commonwealth’s Attorney
Responsibilities
The commonwealth's attorney for Pittsylvania County is a constitutional officer, elected by the voters of the county to serve as the county's prosecutor and chief law enforcement official. All of the prosecutors and staff of the office are dedicated to the pursuit of justice and protection of the rights and property of all citizens of, and visitors to, Pittsylvania County.
We work in close cooperation with the Victim Witness Assistance Program, the Sheriff's Office, and other law enforcement agencies to vigorously and fairly protect the rights of crime victims, to enforce the criminal laws of the commonwealth, and to hold accountable those who violate the law.
We are dedicated to conducting this vital public safety function with integrity, professionalism, and respect for the rights of all we serve.
- Who is my Commonwealth’s Attorney, and what does he do?
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Your Commonwealth’s Attorney for Pittsylvania County is Robert "Bryan" Haskins. He and his staff of attorneys are responsible for prosecuting criminal violations of the Code of Virginia.
- What is the difference between a felony and a misdemeanor?
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A felony is a serious crime and is punished by the possibility of serving more than 1 year in prison. A felony offense may require more than one court appearance for witnesses.
A misdemeanor is a less serious crime for which the punishment can vary but cannot be greater than 1 year in jail. - What happens if I get subpoenaed as a witness and I don’t show up for court?
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Failure to appear as a witness can be punished as contempt of court. Unless you were excused by the court or an attorney in the case you can be fined and/or put in jail for failing to appear.
If you are a witness for the commonwealth and an emergency arises which prevents you from coming to court then you need to call our office at 434-432-7900 immediately to discuss the problem. - What if my employer does not want me to go to court?
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If you are subpoenaed, then your employer cannot prevent you from coming to court. If your employer needs verification then you may contact our office at 434-432-7900 and we can contact your employer directly to verify the information.
- Can I drop charges?
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No, only the prosecutor handling the case has the authority to dismiss a charge.
- What is an “advisement” hearing and why don’t I need to come as a witness?
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An advisement hearing is held as soon as possible after a person is charged with a crime for which he or she could go to jail is found guilty. The judge uses this hearing to “advise” the defendant of his right to have a lawyer represent him, and to have the defendant tell him what he wants to do about getting a lawyer. Witnesses do not need to appear for this hearing.
- What is a preliminary hearing and do I really need to come?
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Preliminary hearings occur when someone is charged by a warrant with a felony offense. The preliminary hearing is not a trial. The commonwealth presents some, but usually not all, of the evidence against the defendant. This often includes presenting the testimony of witnesses. The judge listens to the evidence and decides whether to send the charge(s) to the grand jury for indictment. If you are subpoenaed then you must come to the preliminary hearing unless you are excused.
- What is a “grand jury” and how does it work?
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The constitution guarantees that no person can be required to stand trial for a felony offense unless a grand jury decides they should have to stand trial. The grand jury is made up of a panel of citizens who are called in to serve for 1 day every 2 months.
The grand jury’s role is to listen to the evidence presented for the indictment and make a decision whether a person will have to stand trial or not for the alleged crime. Grand jury proceedings are secret and are not open to the public. The witnesses are usually police officers who present summaries of the case and answer any questions the jury members may have.
If you have questions about whether a defendant was indicted or not in a case you are involved in, then call our office at 434-432-7900 after 2 p.m. on the day the case went to the grand jury, our office usually knows the grand jury’s decision by then. - Who can come be with me in court?
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All trials of adult defendants are open to the public. Anyone can come and sit in the courtroom to be there as support for you. Juvenile trials are always closed to the public unless the juvenile defendant asks for a public trial. You may still bring people with you for support, but if the juvenile trial is closed to the public then your support person cannot come into the court with you. Your victim-witness coordinator can always be in the courtroom for you.
- Will I have to testify in front of the defendant?
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Yes. Every witness must testify in open court in the presence of the defendant. The only exception is for children who would be unable to do so because of the trauma of seeing the defendant looking at them while testifying. In these circumstances, it is possible for the child to testify by way of closed circuit TV. If you believe your child cannot testify in front of the defendant then contact our office at 434-432-7900 immediately to discuss the matter.
- How do I find out which prosecutor will be with me in court?
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You may contact our office at 434-432-7900 and ask for this information. We will need for you to tell us the date you are subpoenaed to be in court, the court you are supposed to be in, and the name of the defendant. All of this information will be on your subpoena.
- How do I find out if my case has been “called off”?
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Many times defendants will announce at the last minute they want to go ahead and plead guilty, and when this happens the court does not require witnesses to attend. Additionally, sometimes medical or other emergencies arise, which require a last minute postponement of the trial.
Our office makes every effort to notify witnesses when these events occur. You are also encouraged to call our office at 434-432-7900 the afternoon before your scheduled trial day to receive the latest information on whether the case will go to trial the next day or not. - What do I do if my court date is set during my vacation?
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Contact us immediately at 434-432-7900. We will attempt to move the case for you if we can. If you are a witness in Circuit Court, then you should expect to receive a letter in the mail asking you to notify us of dates when you cannot appear in court. This letter is sent to witnesses before the case is set for trial. If you receive this letter, then please call our office as soon as possible to let us know you these problem dates.
- Who pays for my travel expenses to get to court?
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Witnesses who drive their personal vehicles can receive payment for their travel mileage both to and from court. These payments can be made after the last trip to court. Sometimes witnesses live far enough away that they must fly in for the trial. Our office can make travel arrangements for you, including airfare, rental cars, and hotel room stays.
The state will pay for these expenses, and if the defendant is found guilty then he will be required to repay the state.
If you have any questions about travel expenses, and in particular long distance travel expenses, then you are encouraged to contact us as at 434-432-7900 soon as possible so we can discuss the matter and if necessary make the travel arrangements for you. - Is there any financial help available for a crime victim’s medical expenses?
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Yes. Virginia operates a Crime Injury Compensation Fund, which can compensate victims for their financial loss. Our victim witness coordinator will gladly help you with the application process.
- What do I do if someone threatens me for being a witness?
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It is normal to be concerned about threats being made against you for being a witness to a crime. You should notify the Sheriff’s Department and the victim witness coordinator immediately if you are threatened for being a witness, and if it is an emergency situation then call 911. While threats and incidents of retaliation are rare, we take them very seriously.
- My husband promised never to hit me again. Can I drop the charge against him?
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No. Once the charge is issued it must go to court.
- This is my husband’s 1st time being prosecuted for hitting me. Is there a way the court can do something about it without finding him guilty?
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A person charged for the 1st time with domestic assault and battery may qualify for a first offender probation sentence that does not require a finding of guilty. Under this system, the court finds there is enough evidence to convict the defendant, but withholds a guilty finding and places the defendant of probation for 2 years.
The court can order as part of the probation period that the defendant attend and complete an anger management class and substance abuse classes. If the defendant follows all of the rules then he can have his charge dismissed at the end of the 2 years period. If you have any questions about this program then contact the Commonwealth’s Attorney at 434-432-7900, who will be handling you case, for more information. - What contact information does the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office need for me if I am a witness?
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We need your current address for the subpoena. We also need as many numbers you can give us to make contact with you, including home, cell, and work phone numbers. We are not required to disclose this information to the defendant or his attorney if you do not want us to.
- What if the defense attorney contacts me?
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A defense attorney and/or his investigator must properly identify themselves and tell you who they work for. You are never required to talk to a defense attorney or his investigator. The decision to talk or not talk is entirely yours.
A defense attorney and/or his investigator must properly identify themselves and tell you who they work for. You are never required to talk to a defense attorney or his investigator. The decision to talk or not talk is entirely yours. - Are there any registered sex offenders living near me?
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There are a number of convicted sex offenders who live in Pittsylvania County. To learn who they are and where they live go to the Virginia State Police Sex Offender Registry website.