Each United States attorney shall be appointed for a term of four years. On the expiration of his term, a United States attorney shall continue to perform the duties of his office until his successor is appointed and qualifies. Each United States attorney is subject to removal by the President.
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.
93 U.S. AttorneysCurrently, there are 93 U.S. Attorneys in 94 district offices located throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
To serve a United States agency or corporation, or a United States officer or employee sued only in an official capacity, a party must serve the United States and also send a copy of the summons and of the complaint by registered or certified mail to the agency, corporation, officer, or employee.
District attorneys have the power to choose which charges are filed against an individual accused of a crime. When the police arrest someone, the district attorney's office has the power to prosecute those cases, divert the accused to a program or drug treatment, or dismiss the case altogether.
District attorneys are either elected by the local constituents they represent or appointed by the chief executive of the jurisdiction. Except for the District of Columbia and three states—Connecticut, New Jersey, and Alaska—other 47 states across the country elect their District Attorneys.
In practice, district attorneys, who prosecute the bulk of criminal cases in the United States, answer to no one. The state attorney general is the highest law enforcement officer in state government and often has the power to review complaints about unethical and illegal conduct on the part of district attorneys.
Under 28 U.S.C. § 547, the role of the United States Attorney is to: (1) prosecute criminal cases brought by the federal government; (2) prosecute or defend civil cases where the United States is a party; and (3) collect debts owed to the federal government when administrative agencies are unable to do so.
The United States district courts are the trial courts of the federal court system. Within limits set by Congress and the Constitution, the district courts have jurisdiction to hear nearly all categories of federal cases, including both civil and criminal matters.
A summons must be served at least 7 days before the court date if it is served by personal delivery, or 21 days before the court date if it is served by postal delivery. If a summons has not been correctly served, you are not obliged to appear in court in response to it.
Under the Rules of the Superior Courts, a Summons (the document that initiates legal proceedings) remains in force for a 12-month period from the day it is issued1. If the Summons is not served on the defendant(s) within that 12-month period, it expires and cannot then be validly served.
Every summon shall be served by a police officer, or by an officer of the court issuing, it or any other public servant. The summon shall, if practical, be served personally on the person summoned, by delivering or tendering to him one of the duplicates of the summons.