About the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office

Lancaster County's Commonwealth's Attorney is C. Jeffers "Jeff" Schmidt, Jr., who provides Lancaster County with his nearly 30 years of legal trial experience, including 17 years as criminal prosecutor in Lancaster County. This seasoned, career prosecutor represents Lancaster County residents, the Lancaster County Sheriff's Department, the Kilmarnock Police Department, the White Stone Police Department, the Virginia State Police, the Virginia Marine Police, the Game Wardens, Alcohol Beverage Control Investigators, as well as other law-enforcement agencies. Together they uphold the values of the law-abiding citizens of Lancaster County and ensure that Lancaster County will retain its reputation as a peaceful and safe community in which its citizens may live with their families.

The Commonwealth's Attorney of Lancaster County provides additional educational and outreach services to inform citizens about the criminal justice system. He and his office represent victims and witnesses in enforcing their rights in criminal court proceedings and in obtaining restitution from offenders. They work closely with law-enforcement officers, magistrates and judges to provide 24 hours a day, seven days a week legal advice.

Programs and Services

Victim-Witness Program provides information and assistance in the judicial process to victims of crime and witnesses in court cases. It provides advice and referrals to other local agencies for counseling or support services and assistance in obtaining court-ordered restitution, protective orders, and other procedures.

Community Involvement in Crime Prevention is part of the office's effort to maintain an informed alliance of citizens, law-enforcement officers and the prosecutor. The Commonwealth's Attorney works closely with law-enforcement agencies and civic organizations by volunteering to speak to groups in schools, churches, neighborhood and business organizations, clubs and civic groups. Speaking arrangements may be made through the Commonwealth's Attorney. He also is involved in mentoring programs to advise at-risk youth and families.

Multi-Jurisdictional Task Forces are coordinated between cooperating counties to combat drug trafficking within multi-jurisdictional boundaries and unite the anti-drug resources of Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, Essex and Westmoreland Counties.

Diversion Alternatives are provided before involvement in the criminal process and after trial to offer probation, supervision, job training, drug treatment and other educational opportunities to first time offenders who may not require incarceration.

Court Services are provided on behalf of the Commonwealth of Virginia and Lancaster County citizens to the Lancaster County Circuit Court (as scheduled), Lancaster County General District Court (every Wednesday), and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court (first and third Tuesdays), as well as the Virginia Supreme Court and Court of Appeals of Virginia. As an example of the volume of cases in those courts, the Commonwealth's Attorney in the past fiscal year from July 1999-June 2000 represented the Commonwealth in approximately 2,855 cases in the General District Court, 400 cases in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, and 476 cases in the Circuit Court, including 347 felonies and 129 misdemeanor appeals.

Contact Information

Any questions about this information should be forwarded to C. Jeffers Schmidt, Jr., Commonwealth's Attorney of Lancaster County.

Mailing Address:
Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney
of Lancaster County
P.O. Box 204
Lancaster, Virginia 22503-0204

Delivery Address:
8311 Mary Ball Road
Room 303 (2nd floor, front entrance)
Lancaster Courthouse
Lancaster, Virginia 22503

Telecopier: 804-462-5543

Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday, and by appointment

Phone Numbers:

Commonwealth's Attorney C. Jeffers Schmidt, Jr.
804-462-7240

Legal/Secretarial Assistant Lynn B. Moubray
804-462-7240

Victim-Witness Program
Coordinator, Gwen Carneal
804-462-5151

Circuit Court Clerk, Roberta H. Lewis
804-462-5611

General District Court Clerk, Faye R. Smith
804-462-0012

Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Clerk,
Dorothy B. Mathers
804-462-7250

Sheriff, Ronald D. Crockett
804-462-5111

Town of Kilmarnock Police Department
804-435-1200

Virginia State Police
800-553-3144, 804-333-3800

The Haven (domestic abuse shelter)
800-22HAVEN