how does county attorney get casees

by Roselyn Hill 4 min read

There are several different ways that the District Attorney's Office in Los Angeles County receives their cases. Typically, someone gets arrested, and if they don't bail out, they are in court within one to three days.

Full Answer

What does the county attorney’s office do?

How does my case get to the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office? If a suspect has already been arrested, or if the police or sheriff’s office are seeking his/her arrest, the police or sheriff’s office will turn the case over to my office for a review. The case is reviewed by an assistant district attorney who determines whether there is sufficient evidence to prove that an offense …

What is the difference between a county attorney and state attorney?

To become a county attorney in Kentucky, a person must be at least 24 years of age, is required to be a citizen of Kentucky, must have been a resident of the state for two years, and must reside in the county for which he or she serves, one year prior to the election. Lastly, the county attorney candidate must be a licensed practicing attorney for two years prior to election.

What happens at a state's attorney trial?

First, police file a warrant or charging request with the State's Attorney following an investigation. Attorneys review the request and may decide to issue a warrant, which allows the police to arrest the suspect. An arraignment in court follows, at which the suspect is formally charged with a crime and enters a plea.

What kind of cases does the district attorney's office take?

The District Attorney's Justice System Integrity Division (JSID) investigates and prosecutes criminal conduct by persons who work within the justice system in Los Angeles County, including attorneys, judges, court employees and law enforcement personnel. To contact JSID, call (213) 974-3888. The District Attorney's Consumer Protection Division investigates and prosecutes …

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What does a county attorney do in Texas?

A county attorney in Texas has the following duties: Represents the state in prosecuting misdemeanor criminal cases. Works with law enforcement officers in the investigation of criminal cases. Provides legal advice to the Commissioners Court and to other elected officials.

What happens when a case goes to the States attorney?

Either a judge or a jury may decide the verdict on how well the State's Attorney proved the case. During the trial, the State's Attorney may make opening and closing statements, offer evidence, question witnesses and challenge the defense attorney's legal actions.

Why do prosecutors sometimes choose not to prosecute criminal cases?

Prosecutors may decline to press charges because they think it unlikely that a conviction will result. No matter what the prosecutor's personal feelings about the case, the prosecutor needs legally admissible evidence sufficient to prove the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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 one reason prosecutors may decide to dismiss cases?

After charges are filed, prosecutors and sometimes courts may dismiss such charges for some of the same reasons that charges are dropped before being filed. Evidence may be poor, witnesses may be unavailable or illegal tactics may have been used to gather evidence or make arrests.

What's the difference between attorney and lawyer?

For example in the US, an attorney is a general term for a lawyer that has passed a bar examination and can practice law in a particular jurisdiction. Attorneys act as lawyers but not all lawyers can perform the work of attorneys.Oct 22, 2021

What happens if charges are dropped before court?

If your charges are dropped, it means that, at least for now, you won't have to go to court to face them. You're free to be released if you're being detained. However, a prosecutor may decide to bring the charges back against you in the future, making it important to be aware of the risks going forward.Apr 26, 2021

How do you get a prosecutor to drop charges?

There are several ways for criminal defendants to convince a prosecutor to drop their charges. They can present exculpatory evidence, complete a pretrial diversion program, agree to testify against another defendant, take a plea deal, or show that their rights were violated by the police.Jul 14, 2021

Do police need evidence to charge?

1. The evidential test. Before charging, the CPS must be satisfied that there is enough evidence. This means there must be a realistic prospect of conviction in relation to each accused and for each and every charge.Mar 14, 2022

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.

Is District Attorney elected?

Depending on the state, an elected prosecutor may go by titles like “District Attorney,” “State Attorney,” “Prosecuting Attorney” or “County Attorney.” They are elected to 4-year terms by the voters in the county or local district that they serve.

What do district attorneys do?

A district attorney is a public official who is appointed or elected to represent the state in criminal judicial proceedings in a particular judicial district or county; an appointed or elected officer who prosecutes cases in a particular judicial district.

What is the job of a county attorney?

The most obvious responsibility is the prosecution of all violations of criminal law within the jurisdiction of the district court ; that includes all misdemeanors, such as DUI offenses, other traffic violations, assault, and theft of less than $300.

What happens if a county attorney refuses to pay child support?

Even if a county attorney does not collect delinquent child support payments, he or she is responsible for prosecuting those who refuse to support their children. Most often, parents pay willingly, and the county attorneys’ offices do not have to become involved. But there are times when some will refuse to pay.

How old do you have to be to be a county attorney in Kentucky?

To become a county attorney in Kentucky, a person must be at least 24 years of age, is required to be a citizen of Kentucky, must have been a resident of the state for two years, and must reside in the county for which he or she serves, one year prior to the election. Lastly, the county attorney candidate must be a licensed practicing attorney ...

What is juvenile court?

Juvenile cases are broken down into three categories: status, dependence, and criminal. These cases are heard in a separate division of district court, which is usually referred to as juvenile court.

What are the three categories of juvenile cases?

Juvenile cases are broken down into three categories: status, dependence, and criminal. These cases are heard in a separate division of district court, which is usually referred to as juvenile court. Status cases involve acts that wouldn’t be considered crimes if adults committed them.

Who collects delinquent child support?

Most county attorneys contract annually with the Cabinet for Families and Children to collect delinquent child support payments in their counties. Even if a county attorney does not collect delinquent child support payments, he or she is responsible for prosecuting those who refuse to support their children.

Can a parent sue for child support?

In civil court, the custodial parent can sue for child support owed. In criminal court, the delinquent parent also can be charged with either a misdemeanor or a felony. If the parent owes less than $1,000, he or she can be charged with nonsupport, a misdemeanor charge carrying up to a $500 fine and/or one year in jail.

Do state attorneys prosecute criminals?

But while the most iconic image of a State's Attorney is the trial prosecutor depicted in countless television shows, books and films, State's Attorneys don't just prosecute accused criminals.

How are state attorneys elected?

In general, State's Attorneys are elected by the people they represent. Their duties are spelled out in the laws of the local governments they represent, and they're held accountable by the voters for how well they do their jobs and how well their performance matches up with the local politics of the area. But a State's Attorney hardly ever does ...

What is a prosecutor?

A State's Attorney is the most common term for a prosecutor, someone who represents the people in criminal and civil legal matters. But while the most iconic image of a State's Attorney is ...

What is a state attorney?

A State's Attorney is the most common term for a prosecutor, someone who represents the people in criminal and civil legal matters. But while the most iconic image of a State's Attorney is the trial prosecutor depicted in countless television shows, books and films, State's Attorneys don't just prosecute accused criminals. ...

What does the head of law enforcement do?

As the head law enforcement official for their jurisdiction, they're also charged with looking out for the public's interest in all legal matters. Sometimes, that means filing a lawsuit against a company taking part in illegal business practices, in order to punish it and force it to stop.

Does a state attorney do the job alone?

But a State's Attorney hardly ever does the job alone . Many have offices that contain dozens or even hundreds of appointed assistant or deputy State's Attorneys, as well as support staff. These assistants or deputies are the ones who routinely appear in court, representing the State's Attorney's office.

What is the job of a criminal prosecutor?

Criminal prosecutions are the chief duty of most State's Attorney offices. In many states, such as Michigan, criminal prosecutions follow a predetermined series of steps [source: Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan ]. First, police file a warrant or charging request with the State's Attorney following an investigation.

John J. Choi

Learn about the leader of the first prosecution office in the state of Minnesota.

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Find out about the divisions and units that make up the County Attorney's Office.

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Know your rights, find resources and learn how we support victims throughout the court process.

What to do if your attorney fails to comply with the law?

If he fails to comply, you should explore filing a grievance with the state supreme court's attorney regulation office.

What to do if your attorney is in violation of ethics?

Your attorney may be in violation of attorney ethical rules. You should provide him one more opportunity to provide you copies of your file by making a written request. If he fails to comply, you should explore filing a grievance with the state supreme court's attorney regulation office. Report Abuse. Report Abuse.

Can an attorney hold a file hostage?

She/He must return your entire file within a reasonable time even if you owe money. An attorney can not hold hostage your file.

What happens if an attorney doesn't surrender a file?

If the attorney doesn't surrender the file, then, I'd think that your next step would be a complaint to the Bar Association. Report Abuse. Report Abuse.

Biography

Jenny P. Dorsey, who is licensed in state and federal courts, proudly serves the people of Nueces County. The Chief of Litigation, the Chief of Administrative Services, and support staff sustain the functions and operations of the Nueces County Attorney’s office.

Description of Office

Provides legal advice to the Commissioners Court, elected officials, and County Boards.

What is the difference between a public defender and a court appointed attorney?

Both can be excellent or awful. Generally speaking, Public Defenders work within a "Public Defender's Office", which means they have some degree of support, supervision, mentoring, etc. On the other hand, Court Appointed Attorneys are often solo practitioners, ...

What is a public defender?

Generally speaking, Public Defenders work within a "Public Defender's Office", which means they have some degree of support, supervision, mentoring, etc. On the other hand, Court Appointed Attorneys are often solo practitioners, many of whom have no office staff or partners, and certainly, no... 1 found this answer helpful.

What is the Prosecutor's decision?

The Prosecutor's Decision: Using the Police Report. Typically, prosecutors base their initial charging decisions on the documents sent to them by the arresting police officers (usually called police or arrest reports ).

Can a prosecutor file charges against a suspect?

Prosecutors can file charges on all crimes for which the police arrested a suspect, can file charges that are more or less severe than the charges leveled by the police, or can decide not to file any charges at all. ( U.S. v. Batchelder, U.S. Sup. Ct. 1979.)

Why do prosecutor files shoplifting charges?

For example, a prosecutor may file charges on every shoplifting case, no matter how weak, to curry favor with local store owners who want to get the word out that shoplifters will be prosecuted. For similar reasons, a prosecutor may pursue otherwise weak prostitution charges to avoid alienating powerful civic groups.

Can a police officer file charges based on probable cause?

Police officers usually make arrests based only on whether they have good reason ( probable cause) to believe a crime has been committed. By contrast, prosecutors can file formal charges only if they believe that they can prove a suspect guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecutors can also take a broader perspective.

What is an arrest report?

Arrest reports summarize the events leading up to arrests and provide numerous other details, such as dates, time, location, weather conditions, and witnesses' names and addresses. Arrest reports are almost always one-sided.

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