Commonwealth's Attorney

Commonwealth’s Attorney Howard Gwynn began his career as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in May of 1982. In November 1990, he was elected as the Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney. Today, he leads an office of over 70 attorneys and staff who pursue justice for the people of Newport News.

Mr. Gwynn was the Valedictorian of his class at Carver High School in Newport News. He went on to graduate with honors from Dartmouth in 1974 and the University of Michigan law school in 1977, before returning to his hometown.

Mr. Gwynn recognizes that survivors of crime often live with trauma and pain from their experiences, and he champions programs and community outreach to ensure fair treatment for crime victims and their families. Under Mr. Gwynn’s leadership, our office also participates in alternatives to incarceration such as drug treatment court and the behavioral health docket. Learn more about those programs here.