Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ Services Council

Murder One: Basic Homicide Prosecution
2026-11-08 - 2026-11-11 | –, Staunton, VA
This program is a four-day training for approximately 35 prosecutors on essential homicide prosecution skills to include: Ethics, Discovery, Exculpatory Evidence, etc. The training will cover all aspects of preparing and trying a successful homicide case from voir dire to closing argument. Emphasis will be on investigations and working with witnesses, evidence gathering and presentation, preparation of expert witnesses, and forensics as well as meeting common defenses including alibi, NGRI, misidentifications, causation of death and self-defense.
Lodging will be provided for attendees whose office is more than twenty-five miles from the venue in Williamsburg. Breakfast and lunch will be provided to all attendees.
For more information, contact Jill Harris at jcharris@wm.edu.
Click here to register.

Murder Two: Advanced Homicide Prosecution
2026-11-11 - 2026-11-14 | –, Staunton, VA
A four-day training program for approximately 35 prosecutors on advanced homicide prosecution skills to include: Ethics, Discovery, Exculpatory Evidence, etc. The training will examine difficult challenges in complex homicide cases, including drug overdose deaths, child homicides, multi-defendant cases, no-body and cold cases. This training will also examine advanced issues such as mental health defenses and aggravated murder cases. Previous attendance at one of CASC’s Homicide programs is a pre-requisite, unless CASC permission is granted.
Lodging will be provided for attendees whose office is more than twenty-five miles from the venue in Williamsburg. Breakfast and lunch will be provided to all attendees..
For more information, contact Jill Harris at jcharris@wm.edu.
Click here to register.

Executive Program 2026
2026-12-02 - 2026-12-04 | –, Harrisonburg
The Executive Program is a training seminar devoted to management issues, with attendance restricted to the 120 elected Commonwealth’s Attorneys and Chief Deputies. The program addresses leadership skills, office management, case management, employment practices and personnel issues, police relations, press and public relations and other topics important to prosecutors in leadership positions.
For more information, contact Elliott J. Casey at ejcasey@wm.edu or 757-585-4370.
Registration will open in September 2026.

Spring Institute 2027
2027-04-11 - 2027-04-14 | –, Norfolk, VA
The Spring Institute program agenda is a multi-track continuing legal education program offering up to 18 hours of live MCLE credits, emphasizing ethics, recent legislative enactments, recent judicial decisions, current developments in criminal law. Attendance is open to all Virginia prosecutors.
For more information, contact Jill Harris at jcharris@wm.edu
Registration open January 2027.

Annual Summer Conference 2027
2027-08-05 - 2027-08-08 | –, Virginia Beach, VA
The VACA 88th Annual Summer Conference will be held August 5 – 8, 2026, at the Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront.

This single-track continuing legal education program offering approximately 12.0 MCLE credits is open to all Virginia prosecutors.
For more information, contact Jill Harris at jcharris@wm.edu.
Registration opens in May 2027.

Executive Program 2027
2027-12-01 - 2027-12-03 | –, Blacksburg, VA
The Executive Program is a training seminar devoted to management issues, with attendance restricted to the 120 elected Commonwealth’s Attorneys and Chief Deputies. The program addresses leadership skills, office management, case management, employment practices and personnel issues, police relations, press and public relations and other topics important to prosecutors in leadership positions.
For more information, contact Elliott J. Casey at ejcasey@wm.edu or 757-585-4370.
Registration will open in September 2027.

Spring Institute 2028
2028-04-23 - 2028-04-26 | –, Norfolk, VA
The Spring Institute program agenda is a multi-track continuing legal education program offering up to 18 hours of live MCLE credits, emphasizing ethics, recent legislative enactments, recent judicial decisions, current developments in criminal law. Attendance is open to all Virginia prosecutors.
For more information, contact Jill Harris at jcharris@wm.edu
Registration open January 2028.
