Chap. 264.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 4106 of the code of Virginia
as amended and re-enacted by an act approved February 23, 1894, as amended
and re-enacted by an act approved March 5, 1896, in relation to the jurisdiction
of police justices and justices of the peace as to the trial of offenders in certain
cases.

Approved February 9, 1898.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That section
forty-one hundred and six of the code of Virginia as amended and re-
enacted by an act of the general assembly of Virginia, approved Feb-
ruary twenty-third, eighteen hundred and ninety-four, as amended by
an act approved March fifth, eighteen hundred and ninety-six, touching
the jurisdiction of police justices and justices of the peace as to trial of
offenders in certain cases be amended and re-enacted so as to read as
follows:

§ 4106. What criminal offences police justices and justices of the
peace may try.—The several police justices and justices of the peace, in
addition to the jurisdiction exercised by them as conservators of the
peace, shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the county and corpora-

- waa a
tion courts of the state in all cases of violations of the revenue laws of
the state and of offences arising under the provisions of chapter one
hundred and eighty-seven of sections thirty-eight hundred and one,
thirtv-eight hundred and two, thirty-eight hundred and three and thirty-
eight hundred and four of the code of Virginia, and shall have exclusive
original jurisdiction for the trial of all other misdemeanor cases occurring
within their jurisdiction, in all of which cases the punishment may be the
same as the county and corporation courts are authorized to impose.
But the grand juries hereafter sworn in the county and corporation
courts are hereby authorized and empowered to inquire into and bring
to the attention of the court by presentment or indictment al] such mis-
demeanors as were cognizable by such grand juries prior to March fifth,
elehteen hundred and ninety-six, and in all cases of misdemeanor in
which a presentment or indictment is found by a grand jury, and for the
trial of which such Justices have exclusive original jurisdiction, a copy
of such indictment or presentment, together with the names of the wit-
nesses upon whose testimony such indictment or presentment was made,
shall be certified and delivered by the clerk of the court in which it is
found to some justice of the district in which such offence was com-
mitted, said justice to be designated by the court in its order, and such
justice shall forthwith deliver such copy of said indictment or present-
ment to the sheriff or some constable of his county or sergeant or police-
man of his corporation, which copy shall have the force and effect of a
warrant of arrest, and the officer shall thereupon arrest the person or
persons so indicted or presented and carry such person or persons be-
fore said justice for trial, and shall summon the witnesses aforesaid
to appear before such justice, and the same proceedings shall be had
thereon as are had upon a warrant issued by a justice: provided,
that in any city in which there is a police justice the powers and juris-
diction conferred by this section shall not be exercised by any other
justice of such city except when acting for and in the stead of the police
justice according to law. Each police justice and justice of the peace
shall try or procure some other justice to try every misdemeanor which
is brought before him as herein provided.
2. This act shall be in force from its passage.