Commonwealth’s Attorney seeks more prosecutors as digital evidence and jury trials expand

The Commonwealth’s Attorney told the board that expanding digital evidence, a rise in jury trials and ethical supervision obligations have increased workload and that she is seeking additional staff to maintain case quality and public safety. She said discovery now includes far more text messages, images and videos, and that preparing large volumes of evidence lengthens casework and trial preparation.

"We need additional time to listen to the jail calls," she said, explaining that some investigations rely on multiple recorded calls and large evidence reviews. She described jury trial demand—26 jury cases already set in calendar year 2026, covering roughly 46 trial days—and said a 2020 law change affecting sentencing has also contributed to greater jury activity. To address capacity the office requested two attorney positions (a senior assistant and an entry‑level assistant) and one legal assistant or staff position.

The attorney also described a policy shift: the office stopped handling certain citizen‑initiated misdemeanors in general district court to avoid conflicts and manage caseload, and later limited other officer‑initiated misdemeanor prosecutions (except offenses involving firearms, sexual offenses, or drugs) to preserve time for more serious prosecutions. She said grants for ceasefire prosecutors and similar positions can help but are intermittent and administratively demanding. Board members pressed on likely consequences for misdemeanor case outcomes and on whether grants or comp board standards could ease staffing pressures.