Chap. 257.—An ACT to amend and re-enact an act entitled an act to increase
the jurisdiction of justices of the peace for the city of Richmond, ap-
proved February 9, 1900, and the title of said act.

Approved February 16, 1901.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That the act of
the general assembly of Virginia, entitled an act to inerease the jurisdic-
tion of justices of the peace ‘for the city of Richmond, approved February
ninth, nineteen hundred, and the title of said act be amended and re-
cnacted so as to read as follows:

Chapter 311.—An act to amend and re-enact sections thirty-nine hun-
dred and fifty-five and thirty-nine hundred and fifty-six of the code of
Virginia, as amended by an act approved February seventeenth, eighteen
hundred and ninety-eight, in relation to process for the arrest of persons
charged with crime, be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

§ 3955. Who may issue process of arrest.—A judge of a circuit, county
or corporation court, in vacation as well as in term, or a justice, may issue
process for the arrest of a person charged with an offence.

§ 3966. When it may issue; what to recite and require——On complaint
of a criminal offence to any such officer, he shall examine, on oath, the
complainant, and any other witnesses, or when such officer shall suspect
that an offence punishable otherwise than by fine has been committed, he
may, without formal complaint, issue a summons for witnesses, and shall
examine such witnesses; and if he sees good reason to believe that an
offence has been committeed, shall issue his warrant reciting the offence,
and requiring the person accused to be arrested and brought before a
justice of the county or corporation, and in the same warrant may re-
quire the officer to whom it is directed to summon such witnesses as shall
be therein named to appear and give evidence on the examination: pro-
vided, that in cities and towns having a police force, the warrant shall
be directed, “to any policeman of said city (or town)” and shall be exe-
cuted by the policeman into whose hands it shall come or be delivered.

2. Nothing contained in this act shall impair the provisions of the
charter of any city or town which may provide for the issuance of process
for the arrest of persons charged with offences.

3. This act shall be in force from its passage.