Bethany Harrison
Lynchburg's Commonwealth's Attorney
Meet Bethany Harrison
I began serving the citizens of Lynchburg as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in 2006. In 2017 the voters of the City of Lynchburg elected me to serve as their Commonwealth’s Attorney.
I am responsible for the prosecution of the most serious criminal cases and the supervision of many talented prosecutors and dedicated support staff in our office.
I have tried the tough cases and fought to win justice for the victims of crime. The Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office is one of the largest law firms in town, handling the most challenging and complex cases. Including the Commonwealth’s Attorney, we employ 12 attorneys and 28 total employees.
"I'll never forget that it is you, the citizens of Lynchburg, who I work for. Your safety is my daily mission."
I love Lynchburg. My children are being raised here. As your Commonwealth’s Attorney, I fight every day to make this a safe community for all of us to live, work, and raise children.
BIOGRAPHY
I’m a born and raised Virginian originally from Chesterfield County. I graduated from the University of Virginia in 2001 with a B.A. in English. I earned my J.D. from the University of Alabama in 2005 and became licensed to practice law in Virginia in that same year.
I first went to work for the Family Foundation, a Virginia nonprofit advocating in the General Assembly for conservative family values. I cherished my time working for the Family Foundation but my calling was to be a prosecutor. It was all I wanted to do. In 2006, I was hired as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in Lynchburg.
After serving as Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney and then as Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney, I was elected in 2017 as your Commonwealth’s Attorney. My term began on January 1, 2018 and I oversee the prosecution of the most serious and complex cases in the City of Lynchburg. In addition, I am responsible for the supervision of many talented prosecutors and our dedicated support staff. In my career I have prosecuted over 3,000 cases.
I have prosecuted tough cases of all varieties such as sexual assault, child abuse, domestic violence, violent felonies, and murder. I’ve gained the experience and perspective that only come with dealing with such cases first hand. An effective Commonwealth’s Attorney must have a foundation of knowledge and experience to make tough decisions and have those tough decisions respected. As a prosecutor, I am a voice for those who have been victimized by crime. It is my solemn responsibility to get justice for them. These experiences have motivated my work in the community as well.
I was appointed by Governor Glenn Youngkin and have the honor to now to serve as the only current Commonwealth's Attorney alongside 16 other members on the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission. This body, which features judges, attorneys and elected representatives, serves a critical statutory role in the equitable administration of justice in the Commonwealth.
I have served as the President of the Board of Directors for the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Central Virginia, a local nonprofit that advocates for abused or neglected children. I also served on the Board of Directors of the YWCA of Central Virginia, which manages programs such as the Domestic Violence Prevention Center and the Sexual Assault Response Program. I have served as the chairperson of the Coalition Against Domestic Violence for the 24th Judicial Circuit (Amherst, Bedford, Campbell, Nelson & Lynchburg).
My husband, Eric, and I were married in 2007. We met in law school and he is currently Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney for Campbell County. We have two wonderful boys.
Our family loves Lynchburg and we love raising our children here. We have been members of Rivermont Evangelical Presbyterian Church for several years, where my husband also serves as a Deacon.
During my first campaign in 2017