how did houston choose the district attorney

by Prof. Dustin McCullough 7 min read

What is the difference between a district attorney and a US Attorney?

District attorneys do not prosecute federal crimes, which are the jurisdiction of a United States Attorney. Many district attorneys also bear responsibilities not related to criminal prosecution.

Who is Houston County district attorney Kim Ogg and Mark Huffman?

Huffman, a Republican, is an attorney for the Houston Police Officers' Union and was endorsed by the organization during the 2020 election season. Ogg, a Democrat, is a former chief felony prosecutor who won election to the office in 2016.

What are the principal duties of a district attorney?

The principal duties of the district attorney are usually mandated by law and include representing the State in all criminal trials for crimes which occurred in the district attorney's geographical jurisdiction.

Who is Dallas County district attorney Mark Ogg?

Ogg, a Democrat, is a former chief felony prosecutor who won election to the office in 2016. The race for district attorney was not without its share of barbs traded between the candidates, including comments over the recent shooting death of Houston police Sgt. Harold Preston.

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Who was the Houston police officer who was shot?

The race for district attorney was not without its share of barbs traded between the candidates, including comments over the recent shooting death of Houston police Sgt. Harold Preston.

How many races did Democrats win in Harris County?

Wednesday's election victory was part of a blue trend in Harris County as Democrats won all 29 countywide races.

How many people were killed in the Houston police raid?

During her first term, Ogg's office has overseen a number of high profile cases, including the indictments of six former Houston police officers who were linked to the botched Harding Street raid in 2019 where two people were shot and killed.

How many prosecutors did Ogg fire?

Prior to taking office in 2017, Ogg fired 37 veteran prosecutors, saying at the time that the changes were part of a new direction.

What is the Houston District Attorney?

The Houston District Attorney is an attorney who prosecutes criminal cases for the government in Houston, TX. The District Attorney is part of the Department of Justice and heads the Houston Prosecutor's Office, staffed with multiple attorneys who act on behalf of the District Attorney. District Attorneys in Houston take a lead role in multiple phases of a criminal case and exercise a great deal of discretion in how a case is handled. District Attorneys may delegate certain cases, or aspects of cases, to other attorneys in the Houston DA's Office.

How many district attorneys are there in Houston?

There are 6 District Attorney Offices in Houston, Texas, serving a population of 2,267,336 people in an area of 630 square miles. There is 1 District Attorney Office per 377,889 people, and 1 District Attorney Office per 104 square miles.

What is a district attorney?

In the United States, a district attorney ( DA ), state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a local government area, typically a county. The exact name and scope of the office varies by state.

What is the jurisdiction of a district attorney?

The geographical jurisdiction of a district attorney may be delineated by the boundaries of a county, judicial circuit, or judicial district. Their duties generally include charging crimes through informations and/or grand jury indictments.

What is a prosecutor district?

This term for a prosecutor originates with the traditional use of the term "district" for multi-county prosecutorial jurisdictions in several U.S. states. For example, New York appointed prosecutors to multi-county districts prior to 1813.

What does a county attorney do?

For example, in Arizona, Missouri, Montana, and Minnesota a county attorney represents the county and state within their county, prosecutes all felonies occurring within the county, and prosecutes misdemeanors occurring within unincorporated areas of the county.

What states use state attorneys?

State's attorney or state attorney is used in Connecticut, Florida (state attorney), Illinois, Maryland, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Vermont. In Maryland, the roles of Assistant and Deputy are reversed from those used in "District Attorney" jurisdictions, with Deputy State's Attorney being the primary subordinate to the elected State's Attorney and Assistant State's Attorneys (ASA) being the line-level prosecutors of the office.

What is the role of a prosecutor?

In carrying out their duties, prosecutors have the authority to investigate persons, grant immunity to witnesses and accused criminals, and plea bargain with defendants. A district attorney leads a staff of prosecutors, who are most commonly known as deputy district attorneys (DDAs).

What is a DA?

In the United States, a district attorney ( DA ), state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a local government area, typically a county. The exact name and scope of the office varies by state.

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