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Criminal
Division
Under Construction -
Updates coming soon
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The Criminal Division is responsible for
reviewing criminal charges against adults and juveniles, who, after
investigations by local law enforcement officials, are alleged to have committed
felonies anywhere in the county, and misdemeanors which occur outside the
various city limits in the County. The review of potential charges can
lead to prosecuting an individual, seeking more information or investigation, or
declining to file a charge. Felonies are Prosecuted in Superior Court, and
misdemeanors are prosecuted in District Court at the Hall of Justice. Most
charges against juveniles are filed in Superior Court and heard in the courtroom
at the Cowlitz County Youth Services Center.
The Prosecutor and her deputies represent the
interests of the people of the State by ensuring that when charging an offender,
sufficient admissible evidence exists, which, when considered with reasonably
foreseeable defenses, would sustain and justify a conviction, and that the
charges accurately reflect the conduct. Great consideration to the rights
and interests of crime victims is a necessary and vital part of this decision
making process.
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