CHAPTER 535

AN ACT to amend and reenact § 13 of Chapter 278 of the Acts
of Assembly of 1898-94, approved February 15, 1894, being
the charter of the town of Ashland, the section relating to
powers and authority of the mayor, so as to provide for a
police justice and his powers and jurisdiction,

[ H 695 }

Approved April 7, 1950

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 13 of Chapter 278 of the Acts of Assembly of 1893-
94, approved February 15, 1894, be amended and reenacted as
follows:

§ 13. The mayor * shall be a conservator of the peace and
shall have the authority to appoint such police force to aid the
sergeant of said town (who shall have control of same under
the orders of the mayor) whenever, and as, he may deem neces-
sary. * The mayor shall, unless and until a police justice is ap-
pointed as hereinafter provided, have power to issue warrants
and summon witnesses, and exclusive original jurisdiction to
try cases involving violations of town ordinances, or the collec-
tion of town taxes or assessments, or any other form of debts
owing to the town, and shall have like powers in the matter of
collecting fines and costs imposed by him, as are vested by law
in trial justices. The fees and costs in connection with such.
cases shall be the same as are authorized by law to be charged,
taxed and collected by trial justices for similar services, and
such fees, and all fines collected by the mayor shall be promptly
paid by him into the town treasury, unless the council by ordi-
nance directs some other disposition thereof; provided that the
council may, at any time it deems the same expedient, appoint
a police justice for the town, who shall be a resident and quali-
fied voter of the town, shall give such bond as the council re-
quires, shall serve during the pleasure of the council, and shall’
receive such compensation as the council prescribes.

In the event of the appointment of such police justice, he
shall have, during such time as he serves, and to the exclusion
of the mayor, the same powers and jurisdiction as are herein-
above conferred upon and vested in the mayor, and shall exer-
cise the same in like manner as they are above authorized and
directed to be exercised by the mayor.

There shall be one justice of the peace for the town of Ash-
land, who shall be appointed by the council and shali hold office
during its pleasure. He shall be a conservator of the peace with-.
in the limits of the town of Ashland, and one mile beyond, and
shall have the right and authority to issue warrants and summon.
witnesses involving violations of town ordinances, or the coilec-
tion of town taxes or assessments, or any debts due and owing
to the town. All warrants and process issued by the justice shall
be returnable before the mayor or the police justice, in the event
that one has been appointed. The fees in connection with any
such case shall be the same as the fees provided by law for trial
justices, and such fees shall be collected by him and paid into
the treasury of the town, unless the town, by ordinance, directs
some other disposition. The compensation of said justice of the
peace shall be determined by the council of the town and shall
be either in the form of a salary or the fees which the justice
collects.