Many of you have heard different stories regarding the issues with the current Commonwealth’s Attorney, but now, as Goochland’s Circuit Court Clerk, I want to share with you my side of the story and my issues with the current Commonwealth’s Attorney. As the Clerk of the Circuit Court it is my job to make sure Circuit Court is run smoothly for the benefit of the Judge and the community. This requires teamwork between my office, the Sheriff’s Office, and the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office and my office work together seamlessly, but we lack the commitment of any type of partnership with the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney. This puts a damper on any type of trust one may have when it comes to the court setting. You know you are in a difficult position when you hear at least once a day from a defense attorney “I sure do hope your current commonwealth’s attorney is re-elected”. This statement alone shows there is no justice being done for our community.
I want to give few examples of some of the current problems I face in Circuit Court. Please keep in mind when I say “Court” or “Judge” this is my opinion/interpretation alone, not the Judge’s opinion. Any sitting/reputable Judge would never get into politics.
- In open Court, our current Commonwealth’s Attorney likes to use the phrase, “he has never seen a document,” when, in fact, either a defense attorney, my office, the Sheriff’s Office, has emailed to him prior to going into court in order to ensure timely and efficient court preparation on the part of all involved.
- Our current Commonwealth’s Attorney goes into Court unprepared and seems very unfamiliar with his cases. He cannot recall if it is a defendant’s 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or a probation violation.
- Our current Commonwealth’s Attorney has a history of submitting witness subpoenas late. Most of the time my office does not receive the proof of service on these. I also have reason to believe the sheriff’s deputies are not being provided subpoenas for cases they need to be witnesses on until after the court date or not even at all.
- My office has repeatedly received, and continues to receive, incorrect paperwork to be filed in our office with wrong charges on defendants at the last minute. My office must correct the paperwork and make sure the correct charge is being assessed before it is brought to court.
- Our current Commonwealth’s Attorney disagrees with the Judge about sentencing guidelines on defendants. The judge is a very smart man. He knows what he is doing. He sentences defendants appropriately.
- Our current Commonwealth’s Attorney is unfamiliar with the furnished docket that is provided to his office by my office before Court by calling names that are not on the docket or calling defendants at the wrong time.
- Our current Commonwealth’s Attorney will not acknowledge or respond to any of my staff when he is spoken to in the Courtroom or in his office.
While these are just a few of the issues I have with the current Commonwealth’s Attorney, I hope you will see that there is a desperate need for a change. As I do not have an opponent in my race this fall, I am pledging to spend my time working to elect John Lumpkins as our new Commonwealth’s Attorney because I love this community and believe in doing what is right for Goochland. We need your help and your vote to help save Goochland. Please join me in voting for John Lumpkins for Commonwealth’s Attorney.
Amanda S. Adams
Clerk
Goochland Circuit Court