For the purposes of this article:

Terms Used In West Virginia Code 62-16-3

  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Offense: includes every act or omission for which a fine, forfeiture, or punishment is imposed by law. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10

“Assessment” means an evaluation to determine whether a criminal defendant is a military service member as defined by this section, that the offense he or she has been charged with are attributable to their military service, and if the offender would benefit from the provisions set forth in this article.

“Court” means a Military Service Members Court.

“Department” means the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance.

“Military Service Members Court program” or “program” is a program that includes pre-adjudicatory and post-adjudicatory treatment for military service members.

“Military service member” means a person who is currently serving in the Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy, or Coast Guard on active duty, reserve status, or in the National Guard, or a person who served in the active military, or who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable.

“Offender” means a criminal defendant who qualifies as a military service member under this article.

“Post-adjudicatory program” means a program in which the offender has admitted guilt or has been found guilty and agrees, with the prosecutor’s consent, to enter a court program as part of his or her sentence.

“Pre-adjudicatory program” means a program that allows the offender, with the consent of the prosecutor, team, and the court to expedite the offender’s criminal case before conviction or before filing of a criminal case and requires the offender to agree to and successfully complete the court program as part of the written agreement.

“VA” means the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

“VJO” means the Veterans Justice Outreach program of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

“Written agreement” means the agreement executed to allow a military service member to participate in a court program.