Fall Semester Only
Professor Lethia Hammond (Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney for Botetourt County)
5 credits (2 credit class and 3 field placement credits)
Commonwealth Attorney's Externship
Commonwealth Attorney extern students will be placed with a Commonwealth's Attorney's office. Recent participating offices are located in Alleghany, Augusta, Botetourt, Buena Vista, Covington, Roanoke, Rockbridge, Staunton, and Waynesboro. Depending upon the placement location, travel time may be significant.
Externs prosecute felonies and misdemeanors under Virginia law in Virginia trial courts under the supervision of a prosecutor at the placement. Typical extern assignments include criminal traffic offenses such as DUI and reckless driving, domestic violence, drug offenses, shoplifting, and other larceny offenses. Most trials and hearings in which externs participate are before a judge; however, some externs have the opportunity to participate in a jury trial.
In addition to courtroom work, externs participate in plea bargaining, witness interviews, and other matters of trial preparation. Many extern students will have the opportunity to participate in a police ride along and visit the Western Regional Forensic Crime Lab. All participants will have the opportunity to observe a drug court, mental health docket, and a juvenile and Domestic Relations Court docket.
Further, most externs typically conduct some research and writing to help the attorneys at their placements with pending cases. Writing assignments often include drafting appellate Briefs in Opposition, discovery responses, motions in limine, and memoranda of law related to the sufficiency of the Commonwealth's evidence or the constitutionality of police action.
Federal Prosecution Externship
Federal extern students have been placed with the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Virginia where they try cases in Magistrate's court and assist on other matters under the supervision of federal prosecution attorneys.
Application
Requirements:
A student enrolled in this course may not simultaneously participate in another clinical program.
