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Magistrates are part of the Court System and are judicial officers of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The principal function of the Magistrate is to provide an independent and unbiased review of complaints brought to the office by law enforcement officers and citizens. Magistrates are not police officers. Instead, Magistrates are issuing officers who serve as a buffer between law enforcement and society. Magistrates are specially trained to perform such duties as issuing search warrants, arrests warrants, summonses, subpoenas and setting bail. In addition, Magistrates may assist the public by providing information on the judicial system processes and procedures.
The Magistrates office is open twenty-four hours a day and 365 days a year. The Magistrates office is the place law enforcement officers and citizens use to access the court system. Magistrates take complaints for those who wish to file criminal charges on persons alleged to have committed criminal offenses. The Magistrate is specially trained to make independent and unbiased reviews of facts presented on sworn complaints in order to determine whether or not to issue arrest warrants, search warrents, summonses, and certain types of civil processes. The magistrate also sets bail on those persons arrested on criminal charges. Citizens may also come to the Magistrate to make prepayments on certain traffic infractions and non-jailable criminal offenses.
City of Chesapeake, Virginia