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Email: Chapter 62, Article 10

ARTICLE 10. PREVENTION OF CRIME.

§62-10-1. Security to keep the peace.

Every magistrate shall have the power to require, from persons not of good fame, security for their good behavior and to keep the peace, for a term not exceeding one year. A person who violates a court order to keep the peace may be fined not more than $250.

§62-10-2. Intended offense -- Complaint; warrant.

If complaint be made to any justice, that there is good cause to fear that a person intends to commit an offense against the person or property of another, he shall examine the complainant on oath, and any witnesses who may be produced, reduce the complaint to writing, and cause it to be signed by the complainant. If it appear proper, such justice shall issue a warrant, reciting the complaint, and requiring the person complained of forthwith to be apprehended and brought before him or some other justice of the county.

§62-10-3. Hearing, judgment, appeal process for security to keep the peace.

When a defendant appears pursuant to section one, article ten, chapter sixty-two of the Code of West Virginia, if the magistrate, upon hearing the parties, decides that there is not good cause for the complaint, the magistrate shall discharge the defendant, and may grant judgment in the defendant's favor and against the complainant for the defendant's costs. If the magistrate decides there is good cause for the complaint, he or she may grant judgment for the complainant and may require a bond of the person against whom the judgment is granted. The magistrate may then enter a judgment against the defendant for the full costs of the prosecution, or any part thereof. If the defendant violates the conditions of the bond, he or she may be fined not more than $250. If the defendant fails to pay the fine imposed, the magistrate granting the judgment under this section for costs may, pursuant to article four, chapter thirty-eight of the Code of West Virginia issue a writ of execution on the defendant's personal property. A person from whom a bond is required may, upon the imposition of the bond, appeal the judgment to the circuit court of the county in which the judgment was granted.

§62-10-4. Same -- Proceedings on appeal; discharge from commitment by circuit court.

The court may dismiss the complaint, or affirm the judgment, and make such order as it may deem proper as to the costs. If it award costs against the appellant, the recognizance which he may have given shall stand as surety therefor. When there is a failure to prosecute the appeal, such recognizance shall remain in force, although there be no order of affirmance. On any appeal the court may require of the appellant a new recognizance if it deem proper. Any person committed to jail under this article may be discharged by the circuit court, or the judge thereof in vacation, upon such terms as may be deemed reasonable.

§62-10-5. Recognizance in carrying weapons.

If any person go armed with a deadly, dangerous or prohibited weapon in violation of any of the provisions of article seven, chapter sixty-one of this code, he may be required to give a recognizance, with the right of appeal, as before provided, and like proceedings shall be had on such appeal.

§62-10-6. Offenses in presence of constable.

If any person shall, in the presence of a constable and within his county, make an affray, or threaten to beat, wound or kill another, or to commit violence against his person or property; or content with angry words to the disturbance of the peace; or improperly or indecently expose his person; or appear in a state of gross intoxication in a public place; such constable may, without warrant or other process, or further proof, arrest such offending person and take him before some justice of the county in which such offense is committed, who, upon hearing the testimony of such constable and other witnesses, if any are then and there produced, if, in his opinion the offense charged be proved, shall require the offender to give bond or recognizance, with surety, to keep the peace and be of good behavior for a term not exceeding one year.

§62-10-7. Offenses in presence of justice.

If any offense enumerated in section six of this article be committed in the presence of a justice within his county, or, the offender being brought before him the commission thereof be proved to his satisfaction, he may, besides requiring a bond or recognizance with surety, as provided in the preceding section, impose a fine upon the offender not exceeding $5. If such bond or recognizance be not then and there given, or such fine be not then and there paid, such justice shall commit the offender to the jail of his county, there to remain until such bond or recognizance be given, and such fine be paid; but no imprisonment under this section shall continue more than ten days, at the end of which the sheriff or jailer shall discharge the prisoner, unless he has been commanded by proper authority to detain him for some other cause.

§62-10-8. Special peace officers at fairs.

It shall be lawful for any justice of the peace, on the application of any of the officers of any state, county, or independent agricultural and mechanical association, agricultural society or industrial association of this state, to appoint a suitable number of discreet persons to assist in keeping the peace during the time when any such society shall be holding its annual or other fairs, and make an entry in his docket of the names of all such persons he shall so appoint.

All such persons so appointed by a justice shall have full power, and it shall be their duty, to suppress all riots, disturbances and breaches of the peace that may occur on such fair grounds, or within one mile thereof, during the time such fairs are being held, and may, upon view, arrest any person who may, at such time and place be guilty of violating any law of this state, and may pursue and arrest any such person anywhere in this state, and bring him before any justice of the county in which such offense was committed; and the justice, if he considers that there is sufficient cause to charge the party with violating the law, shall certify to the circuit court, or other court of record having jurisdiction in criminal cases in the county, the nature and character of the offense, and shall take from the party a recognizance, with good security, in the sum of not less than $100 nor more than $5,00, conditioned for his appearance before such court and to answer any indictment that may be made against him and not to depart without the leave of the court, and for his keeping the peace and being of good behavior until he shall appear before said circuit court; and the justice shall immediately transmit such certificate and recognizance to the clerk of such court, together with a list of the witnesses on the part of the state. Should the party fail to enter into such recognizance, the justice shall commit him to the county jail for trial, and shall make out a warrant of commitment to the jailer, who shall detain him in his custody until discharged by order of such court, unless he sooner enter into such recognizance before some justice of the county. Should such last-named recognizance be entered into, the justice taking the same shall transmit it to the clerk of the circuit court; and the justice making such commitment shall transmit a copy of it to said clerk, together with a list of the witnesses on the part of the state.

§62-10-9. Power and authority of sheriffs, deputy sheriffs and correctional officers to make arrests.

Sheriffs and each of their deputies are hereby authorized and empowered within their respective counties to make arrests for any crime for which a warrant has been issued in violation of any laws of the United States or of this state, and to make arrests without warrant for all violations of any of the criminal laws of the United States, or of this state, when committed in their presence. A correctional officer may execute a warrant, issued for the arrest of a person, only when the person named in the warrant is already in the custody of the officer or when the person voluntarily surrenders to the correctional officer at the county or regional jail or a state correctional facility at which the correctional officer is employed.