how is the state attorney chosen

by Miss Myrtice Greenfelder Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago 4 min read

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. Select your state to connect to your state attorney general's website.

How are attorneys general chosen?

Mar 23, 2010 · State's Attorneys generally represent a defined geographic area, such as a county, judicial district or judicial circuit. These generally hold the title of County Attorney, District Attorney or Circuit Attorney, respectively. State's Attorneys can also represent a city and be known as a City Attorney.

How are state's attorneys elected?

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. Select your state to connect to your state attorney general's website. Find your state or territory:

What does the Office of the chief state's attorney do?

Jun 03, 2020 · Also to know, how is the state attorney general chosen? 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.

What is a state attorney?

Attorneys general are chosen in four different ways; they are either popularly elected or appointed by the governor, the state legislature, or the state supreme court. The office is elective in 43 states and chosen by a state government organ in seven.

What is the role of the Attorney General?

The state attorney general in each of the 50 U.S. states, of the federal district, or of any of the territories is the chief legal advisor to the state government and the state's chief law enforcement officer. In some states, the attorney general serves as the head of a state department of justice, with responsibilities similar to those of the United States Department of Justice .

How long does an attorney general serve?

Elected attorneys general serve a four-year term, except in Vermont, where the term is two years. Seven states do not popularly elect an attorney general. In Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Wyoming, the attorney general is a gubernatorial appointee. The attorney general in Tennessee is appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court ...

How many terms can an attorney general serve in Puerto Rico?

Many states have passed term limits limiting the selection to 2 consecutive terms (9 states); 2 terms maximum (4 states), but 33 states still have no term limits.

How are Attorney Generals chosen?

How many states elect their Attorney General?

Forty-three states publicly elect their attorneys general, reinforcing the office's relationship with, and direct accountability to, the people, in contrast with the Kings Attorneys of the past, whose singular service to their version of governors must have left those being governed wanting.

What are the criticisms of the Attorney General?

Among the chief criticisms of the office is that state attorneys general have strayed from their traditional defense-based lawyer role to assume a more proactive and political posture, often in ways that overstep the legal authority of the office and/or what would be historically recognized as the limits of institutional etiquette. In some cases, attorneys general look inward to test the bounds of their authority through involvement in state legislative matters, or by refusing to uphold state laws which they find to be in violation of an alternate, overarching ideological code, such as Pennsylvania AG Kathleen Kane 's stated refusal to enforce Pennsylvania's ban on same-sex marriage. Other times, AGs turn outward to reinterpret their function: In recent years, a number of cases have arisen where state attorneys general mounted coordinated efforts to challenge laws passed by the United States Congress or to exert influence over the outcome of pending federal legislation. The most prominent of these cases is the State Attorneys General Against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, which saw 26 Republican AGs team up to instigate a lawsuit against the federal government following Congress' passage of President Obama's health care reform bill.

How many states have no law degree requirements?

Considering the myriad legal responsibilities carried by state attorneys general, it may surprise you to discover that a whopping 19 states have no set statutory or constitutional provisions requiring an individual to hold a law degree, or have a valid license to practice law, in order to serve in the office of attorney general.

How much did 49 AGs settle for?

For instance, the nationwide mortgage crisis that led 49 AGs ( Oklahoma 's Scott Pruitt made an independent deal for his state) to negotiate and ultimately settle for $26 billion with a handful of large U.S. banks over dodgy home foreclosures in the wake of the 2008 market downturn.

How many states have a state resident requirement for an attorney general?

1, Oklahoma, sets the limit at 31. 1, Colorado, sets the limit at 27. 1, Mississippi, sets the limit at 26. State Citizen. 43 states have a formal provision stating an attorney general must be a state resident, while 7 do not have a formal provision. Of the 43 states, 24 specify the number of years and 19 do not.

What is the job of an attorney general?

The primary job of a state attorney general is to serve as chief legal adviser to the agencies and legislative organs that make up his or her state's government, in addition to the citizens residing within the state. It is this last common aspect of the role, ...

What does the state attorney do after a crime?

After levying criminal charges, the state's attorney will then prosecute those charged with a crime . This includes conducting discovery, plea bargaining, and trial . In some jurisdictions, the district attorney may act as chief counsel for city police, county police, state police and all state law enforcement agencies within ...

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 a prosecutor district?

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 is a county prosecutor in Ohio?

In Ohio a county prosecutor represents the county and state within their county, prosecutes all crimes within the county, and is legal adviser to the board of county commissioners, board of elections, and all other county officers and boards.

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?

What is the office of the Chief State Attorney?

Located in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, the Office of the Chief State's Attorney is responsible for the statewide administrative functions of the Division of Criminal Justice. In addition to budget, personnel and other administrative functions, the Office of the Chief State's Attorney includes specialized units for the investigation and prosecution of certain criminal matters and for representing the state in appellate and other legal matters.

Who is the Chief State Attorney of Connecticut?

Richard J. Colangelo, J r. was sworn in as Chief State's Attorney on January 31, 2020. As Chief State's Attorney, he is the chief law enforcement officer of the State of Connecticut and administrative head of the Division of Criminal Justice, the independent agency in the executive branch of state government that is responsible for ...

What is the statewide prosecution bureau?

The Statewide Prosecution Bureau is responsible for the investigation and prosecution of "white collar" crimes, including government corruption. Program areas include criminal violations of the environmental protection laws, government corruption and other offenses against public integrity. The bureau includes the Cold Case Unit, which is responsible for the investigation and prosecution of serious crimes that have gone "cold," or unsolved for a long period of time. The cases assigned to this Unit typically include unsolved murders, some of which took place decades ago. The Unit works closely with the State's Attorneys, the Connecticut State Police, municipal police departments, and nationally recognized forensics experts, utilizing the latest technology to solve these crimes.

What is the Division of Criminal Justice?

The Division of Criminal Justice is responsible for the prosecution of criminal housing matters through the Supervisory Assistant State's Attorney for Housing Matters in the Office of the Chief State's Attorney and prosecutors assigned to the Superior Court housing sessions statewide. Housing prosecutors are committed to the maintenance of decent, safe and sanitary housing, handling cases from investigation through criminal trial.

What is the Appellate Bureau?

The Appellate Bureau is responsible for representing the State of Connecticut in the vast majority of appeals challenging criminal convictions. This bureau, which employs approximately twenty-five prosecutors, prepares written legal arguments (briefs) and presentations (oral argument) before the Connecticut Supreme Court and the Connecticut Appellate Court.

What is the Medicaid fraud control unit?

The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigates and prosecutes fraud and abuse, including physical abuse and neglect of patients, in facilities that receive funding from Medicaid, a state and federally funded program that pays health care expenses for low-income individuals.

What is the purpose of the Workers Compensation Fraud Control Unit?

The Workers' Compensation Fraud Control Unit has two primary goals: the prosecution of fraud against the Workers' Compensation system, which compensates workers who are injured on the job , and public awareness of the problem of Workers' Compensation fraud.

How many state attorneys are there in Florida?

There are 20 State Attorneys in the State of Florida representing 20 judicial circuits. For more information about each of the circuits, visit Florida’s State Attorneys.

What is the role of the statewide prosecutor in Florida?

The Statewide Prosecutor is responsible for prosecuting certain criminal cases that span more than two judicial circuits.

What is a misdemeanor in Florida?

A misdemeanor offense is defined by Florida Law as offenses punishable by a maximum sentence of incarceration of up to one year in county jail.

How long does it take to get a trial?

Trial: Trial is when witnesses are needed in court. Trial is normally held within 175 days of the arrest for a felony (called Speedy Trial). Trial is normally held within 90 days for a misdemeanor or traffic case.

What happens if a case is not filed?

If the case is not filed, a No Information Notice is filed and the Defendant is released from custody if still in jail. All charges are dropped. Arraignment: Within two weeks of the charging decision, the defendant goes to court and enters a plea of guilty or not guilty.

What is a status conference hearing?

You will receive notification by phone or mail. Many cases are settled without witnesses having to go to trial. Status Conference: A hearing held to advise the court if the defense is ready to go to trial.

How to prepare for a jury trial?

Things to remember before coming to court: 1 Dress neatly and conservatively for court 2 Do not memorize your testimony, but try to review the facts before the trial. 3 Relax, speak loudly and clearly, directing your answers to the jury. 4 Do not lose your temper when answering questions. 5 Do not discuss your testimony with other witnesses

Overview

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 countyor a group of counties. The exact name and scope of the office varies by state. Alternative titles for the office include coun…

History

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. Even after those states broke up such districts and started appointing or electing prosecutors for individual counties, they continued to use the title "district attorney" for the most senior prosecutor in a county rather than switch to "county attorney".

Role

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. 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 informationsand/or grand jury indictment…

Departments

The district attorney usually divides their services into several departments that handle different areas of criminal law. Each department is staffed by several duly appointed and sworn ASAs. The departments of a large district attorney's office may include but are not limited to: felony, misdemeanor, domestic violence, traffic, juvenile, charging (or case filing), drug prosecution, forfeitures, civil affairs such as eminent domain, child advocacy, child support, victim assistance…

Nomenclature

The name of the role of local prosecutor may vary by state or jurisdiction based on whether they serve a county or a multi-county district, the responsibility to represent the state or county in addition to prosecution, or local historical customs.
District attorney and assistant district attorney are the most common titles for state prosecutors, and are used by jurisdictions within the United States including California, Delaware, Georgia, Mas…

Assistant district attorney

The assistant district attorney (assistant DA, ADA) (or state prosecutor or assistant state's attorney) is a law enforcement official who represents the state government on behalf of the district attorney in investigating and prosecuting individuals alleged to have committed a crime. In carrying out their duties to enforce state and local laws, ADA have the authority to investigate persons, is…

Appeals

Depending on state law, appeals are moved to appellate courts (also called appeals courts, courts of appeals, superior courts, or supreme courts in some states). During the appeals process district attorneys, in many cases, hands all relative prosecutorial materials to a state appellate prosecutor who in turn will represent the state in appellate courts with the advice and consent of the district attorney.

District attorney investigators

Some district attorneys maintain their own law enforcement arm whose members are sworn peace officers. Depending on the jurisdiction, they are referred to as district attorney investigators or county detectives.