(a) A prosecuting attorney of any county of this state or a person acting as a special prosecutor may enter into a pretrial diversion agreement with a person under investigation or charged with an offense against the state of West Virginia, when he or she considers it to be in the interests of justice. The agreement is to be in writing and is to be executed in the presence of the person's attorney, unless the person has executed a waiver of counsel.

(b) Any agreement entered into pursuant to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section may not exceed twenty-four months in duration. The duration of the agreement must be specified in the agreement. The terms of any agreement entered into pursuant to the provisions of this section may include conditions similar to those set forth in section nine, article twelve, chapter sixty-two of this code relating to conditions of probation. The agreement may require supervision by a probation officer of the circuit court, with the consent of the court. An agreement entered into pursuant to this section must include a provision that the applicable statute of limitations be tolled for the period of the agreement.

(c) A person who has entered into an agreement for pretrial diversion with a prosecuting attorney and who has successfully complied with the terms of the agreement is not subject to prosecution for the offense or offenses described in the agreement or for the underlying conduct or transaction constituting the offense or offenses described in the agreement, unless the agreement includes a provision that upon compliance the person agrees to plead guilty or nolo contendere to a specific related offense, with or without a specific sentencing recommendation by the prosecuting attorney.

(d) No person charged with a violation of the provisions of section two, article five, chapter seventeen-c of this code may participate in a pretrial diversion program: Provided, That a court may defer proceedings in accordance with section two-b, article five, chapter seventeen-c of this code. No person charged with a violation of the provisions of section twenty-eight, article two of this chapter may participate in a pretrial diversion program unless the program is part of a community corrections program approved pursuant to the provisions of article eleven-c, chapter sixty-two of this code. No person indicted for a felony crime of violence against the person where the alleged victim is a family or household member as defined in section two hundred three, article twenty-seven, chapter forty-eight of this code or indicted for a violation of the provisions of sections three, four or seven, article eight-b of this chapter is eligible to participate in a pretrial diversion program. No defendant charged with a violation of the provisions of section twenty-eight, article two of this chapter or subsections (b) or (c), section nine, article two of this chapter where the alleged victim is a family or household member is eligible for pretrial diversion programs if he or she has a prior conviction for the offense charged or if he or she has previously been granted a period of pretrial diversion pursuant to this section for the offense charged. Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, defendants charged with violations of the provisions of section twenty-eight, article two, chapter sixty-one of this code or the provisions of subsection (b) or (c), section nine, article two of said chapter where the alleged victim is a family or household member as defined by the provisions of section two hundred three, article twenty-seven, chapter forty-eight of this code are ineligible for participation in a pretrial diversion program before July 1, 2002, and before the community corrections subcommittee of the Governor's Committee on Crime, Delinquency and Correction established pursuant to the provisions of section two, article eleven-c, chapter sixty-two of this code, in consultation with the working group of the subcommittee, has approved guidelines for a safe and effective program for diverting defendants charged with domestic violence.

(e) The provisions of section twenty-five of this article are inapplicable to defendants participating in pretrial diversion programs who are charged with a violation of the provisions of section twenty-eight, article two, chapter sixty-one of this code. The community corrections subcommittee of the Governor's Committee on Crime, Delinquency and Correction established pursuant to the provisions of section two, article eleven-c, chapter sixty-two of this code shall, upon approving any program of pretrial diversion for persons charged with violations of the provisions of section twenty-eight, article two, chapter sixty-one of this code, establish and maintain a central registry of the participants in the programs which may be accessed by judicial officers and court personnel.