how attorney general district attorney work

What does a district attorney do?

Attorney General. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland was sworn in as the 86 th Attorney General of the United States on March 11, 2021. As the nation’s chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Garland leads the Justice Department’s 115,000 employees, who work across the United States and in more than 50 countries worldwide. Under his leadership, the …

What does the United States Attorney General do?

April 12, 2022. AG Ferguson: JUUL must pay Washington $22.5 million over its unlawful advertising practices. Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced that JUUL must pay $22.5 million to resolve Ferguson’s lawsuit against the e-cigarette company. The lawsuit asserts that JUUL violated the law when it...

Who appoints the Attorney General of the district of Columbia?

The Department of Law is part of the executive branch of Alaska state government. The attorney general is the principal executive officer of the department, and is appointed by the governor of Alaska. The attorney general serves as the legal advisor for the governor and other state officers, prosecutes all violations of state criminal law, and enforces the consumer protection and …

What is the difference between a prosecutor and an assistant district attorney?

The attorneys, paralegals, investigators, administrative assistants, and other hard-working professionals at the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) promote the public interest of the District of Columbia and its citizens. Learn more about the divisions of OAG and the varied work they do on behalf of District residents by reading our blog series, "Voices from Across my Office."

What does the AG do?

As the chief officer of the Department of Justice, the attorney general enforces federal laws, provides legal counsel in federal cases, interprets the laws that govern executive departments, heads federal jails and penal institutions, and examines alleged violations of federal laws.

What is the difference between a DA and a prosecutor?

A prosecutor and a defense attorney are both lawyers who have completed law school and passed the bar examination. However, a defense attorney defends the individual that a prosecutor is trying to convince the jury is guilty. In a criminal court, these attorneys are on opposite sides.

What is the most important duty of state Attorney General?

Attorneys general are the top legal officers of their state or territory. They advise and represent their legislature and state agencies and act as the “People's Lawyer” for the citizens. Most are elected, though a few are appointed by the governor.

Is a district attorney a lawyer?

The D.A. or District Attorney is a lawyer in the U.S. who works for the state and prosecutes people on behalf of it. There are also, of course, defense attorneys in America who act on behalf of their clients.

Who is more powerful judge or prosecutor?

Because punishment for a crime is largely determined by the sentence that lawmakers have established in the criminal code, the prosecutor often has more power over how much punishment someone convicted of a crime receives than the judge who does the actual sentencing.Aug 23, 2021

How many US attorney generals are there?

In the order of creation, the position of attorney general was the fourth cabinet level position created by Congress, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Attorneys general may be impeached and removed from office by Congress. As of 2013 the office of U.S. Attorney General has been held by eighty two people.

What is the primary job of the attorney general quizlet?

What is the role of the Attorney General? Head of the Department of Justice, top law enforcement officer and lawyer for the United States, defends the US and the Constitution in court cases.

What is an attorney called?

A lawyer (also called attorney, counsel, or counselor) is a licensed professional who advises and represents others in legal matters. Today's lawyer can be young or old, male or female.Sep 10, 2019

What is the job of the Attorney General?

The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United Stateson all legal matters. The attorney general is a statutory member of the Cabinet of the United States.

Is "general" a noun?

The title "attorney general" is an example of a noun (attorney) followed by a postpositive adjective(general).[8]". General" is a description of the type of attorney, not a title or rank in itself (as it would be in the military).[8]

What is the role of the Department of Justice?

Each state government maintains a department of justice responsible for the prosecution of crimes. Counties, cities and towns also employ attorneys to prosecute crimes against state or local ordinances. These departments are staffed by attorneys who present the government's evidence to a judge or jury for a final determination of guilt.

What is the discretion of a prosecutor?

Prosecutors are given wide discretion over whether to prosecute an offender. Even if the evidence seems solid in the grand jury proceedings, there is always the possibility that the evidence will not be enough to move forward; witnesses disappear; or evidence reveals that another perpetrator was actually responsible. Criminal charges stemming from a police investigation, as opposed to a grand jury, often present a prosecutor with the difficult choice of accepting the charges or declining to prosecute. Citizen complaints alleging criminal activity are often declined due to a lack of evidence.

What is plea bargain?

A plea bargain is when the state, through its prosecutor, agrees to charge the defendant with a lesser crime carrying less penalty in exchange for a waiver of the defendant's right to a trial.

What is the role of a prosecutor in a criminal case?

Conduct Trials. If a criminal case goes to trial, the prosecutor must first work with the defense attorney to select a jury to hear the case. The prosecutor must investigate the background of jurors for potential bias and may excuse any candidate who likely cannot render an impartial verdict.

What is the purpose of a grand jury?

The prosecutor presents evidence in the form of witness testimony before the grand jury, whose members then decide whether there is probable cause for a criminal charge. Grand jury proceedings are closed to the public and are not subject to the rules of evidence. As such, hearsay evidence and testimony otherwise inadmissible in a trial may be introduced to the grand jury. In most jurisdictions, grand juries are reserved for the indictment of felony crimes only .

What is the job of a prosecutor?

It is the prosecutor's job to make certain the evidence available and admissible in the case is sufficient to meet this burden. The prosecutor generally relies on the police to produce sufficient evidence of the crime, but it is the prosecutor's ultimate responsibility to investigate illegal activity.

Is a grand jury open to the public?

Grand jury proceedings are closed to the public and are not subject to the rules of evidence. As such, hearsay evidence and testimony otherwise inadmissible in a trial may be introduced to the grand jury. In most jurisdictions, grand juries are reserved for the indictment of felony crimes only.

Charter amendment

In the November 2, 2010, general election, voters approved Charter Amendment IV that made the office of Attorney General an elected position.

Election delays

In July 2012, the District of Columbia council voted to postpone the election of attorney general to 2018, citing a dispute over how much power the elected attorney general would have. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson called the vote "an embarrassment."

2014 election

Joining Zukerberg as candidates for the position were insurance litigator and activist Lorie Masters, federal lawyer Edward "Smitty" Smith, white-collar attorney Karl Racine, and legislative policy analyst Lateefah Williams.

Previous Attorneys General for the District of Columbia

In 1824, the position of City Attorney was established by resolution of the City Council. When the District of Columbia took on the territorial form of government on July 1, 1871, the position of Attorney for the District of Columbia was established by the First Legislative Assembly.

Jobs with OAG

The attorneys, paralegals, investigators, administrative assistants, and other hard-working professionals at the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) promote the public interest of the District of Columbia and its citizens.

Staff Attorney Positions

Note: To be eligible for an attorney position you must be a current member in good standing of a bar and be eligible to waive into the District of Columbia within 360 days of appointment. Current JD law students are not eligible for attorney positions but may apply for OAG’s internship program that accepts applications throughout the year.

Non-Attorney Staff Positions

ACCOMMODATIONS: If any applicant has questions or needs a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact: Joy J. Dorsey at [email protected] or by phone at (202) 724-1526.

Who is Kamala Harris?

Kamala D. Harris, 32nd Attorney General. Born and raised in the East Bay, Kamala is the daughter of Dr. Shyamala Gopalan, a Tamilian breast cancer specialist who traveled to the United States from Chennai, India to pursue her graduate studies at UC Berkeley.

What college did Kamala go to?

After attending public schools, Kamala's strong commitment to justice and public service led her to Howard University, America’s oldest historically black university, and then to the University of Cali fornia, Hastings College of the Law.