what does the prosecutor in the new york state attorney general's office do

What is the role of the New York State Attorney General?

The Attorney General of New York is the state's chief legal officer and heads the New York State Department of Law. According to the office's official website, the attorney general "not only advises the Executive branch of State government, but also defends actions and proceedings on behalf of the State."

What is the New York State Criminal Prosecution Bureau?

The Criminal Prosecution Bureau has attorneys located throughout the State of New York and is responsible for the investigation and prosecution of a wide variety of criminal cases brought by the Attorney General. The Attorney General's authority to prosecute crimes is found throughout the laws of New York State.

What does a prosecutor do?

A prosecutor is an attorney who represents the government throughout the criminal justice process, including arraignment, hearings, trials, and appeals. There are local, state, and federal prosecutors in the United States.

Who is the head of the Department of law?

Our Office. As head of the Department of Law, the Attorney General is both the “People's Lawyer” and the State's chief legal officer.

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Can the NY Attorney General prosecute?

Under this section, the head of a department, division or agency of the State of New York may request that the Attorney General investigate and prosecute the commission of any offense related to the authority of that agency.

Who is the state prosecutor in New York?

Incumbent Democrat Letitia James currently serves as attorney general, in office since January 1, 2019.

What are the 3 main job duties of the NYS Attorney General?

Representing the state and state agencies before the state and federal courts. Handling criminal appeals and serious statewide criminal prosecutions. Instituting civil suits on behalf of the state.

How much does the New York Attorney General make?

State executive salariesOffice and current officialSalaryAttorney General of New York Letitia JamesNew York Secretary of State Robert RodriguezNew York Public Service Commission James Alesi$127,000New York Commissioner of Agriculture Richard A. Ball$120,80011 more rows

What is the Attorney General's office?

Merrick GarlandUnited States / Attorney generalMerrick Brian Garland is an American lawyer and jurist serving as the 86th United States attorney general beginning in March 2021. He served as a circuit judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 1997 to 2021. Wikipedia

What is an attorney vs lawyer?

However, when practising law, lawyers can only provide legal assistance, advice, and counselling to their clients while an attorney can represent clients in court and initiate defendant prosecutions in addition to providing legal counsel and consultation.

How powerful is the attorney general?

The Attorney General of the United States – appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate – heads the DOJ with its more than 100,000 attorneys, special agents, and other staff. It represents the United States in federal criminal and civil litigation, and provides legal advice to the President and Cabinet.

What power does the US Attorney General have?

The principal duties of the Attorney General are to: Represent the United States in legal matters. Supervise and direct the administration and operation of the offices, boards, divisions, and bureaus that comprise the Department.

What does the US Attorney General investigate?

The Attorney General's responsibilities include safeguarding Californians from harm and promoting community safety, preserving California's spectacular natural resources, enforcing civil rights laws, and helping victims of identity theft, mortgage-related fraud, illegal business practices, and other consumer crimes.

Who is the current Attorney General of NY?

Letitia James (Democratic Party)New York / Attorney generalLetitia Ann "Tish" James is an American lawyer, activist, and politician. She is a member of the Democratic Party and the current Attorney General of New York, having won the 2018 election to succeed appointed Attorney General Barbara Underwood. Wikipedia

Who is NY Attorney General now?

Letitia JamesLetitia James Letitia “Tish” James is the 67th Attorney General for the State of New York. With decades of work, she is an experienced attorney and public servant with a long record of accomplishments.

How much does an assistant attorney general make in New York?

How much does an Assistant Attorney General make in New York, NY? The average Assistant Attorney General salary in New York, NY is $102,190 as of August 29, 2022, but the salary range typically falls between $87,115 and $118,208.

Who is the new district attorney in New York?

The current district attorney is Alvin Bragg. He was elected in 2021 to succeed Cyrus Vance Jr....New York County District Attorney.District Attorney of New York CountyIncumbent Alvin Bragg since January 1, 2022Formation1801First holderRichard RikerWebsiteManhattanDA.org1 more row

How much do criminal prosecutors make in New York?

How much does a Prosecutor make in New York? The average Prosecutor salary in New York is $67,318 as of August 29, 2022, but the range typically falls between $60,559 and $83,387.

How many district attorneys are there in NY?

New York State has one District Attorney for each of its 62 counties, in addition to a D.A. for each of New York City's five boroughs....Directory of New York District Attorneys.Albany County District AttorneyOrange County District AttorneyCayuga County District AttorneyRensselaer County Attorney33 more rows•Mar 14, 2019

Why hundreds of NY prosecutors are leaving?

New York City's prosecutors are leaving in droves, citing pandemic burnout, low salaries and two intersecting laws that fundamentally changed the nature of their jobs. “They just simply can't do it anymore,” Darcel Clark, the Bronx district attorney, said in a Friday interview.

What does the Attorney General do?

In fulfilling the duties of the State’s chief legal counsel, the Attorney General not only advises the Executive branch of State government, but also defends actions and proceedings on behalf of the State.

What is the Attorney General's authority?

The Attorney General's authority also includes the activities and investigations of the State Organized Crime Task Force and Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. While the Attorney General acts independently of the Governor, the Governor or a state agency may request the Attorney General to undertake specific criminal investigations and prosecutions.

How many divisions are there in the Department of Law?

The legal functions of the Department of Law are divided primarily into five major divisions: Appeals and Opinions, State Counsel, Criminal Justice, Economic Justice and Social Justice. Over 1,800 employees, including over 700 attorneys, as well as forensic accountants, legal assistants, scientists, investigators, and support staff, ...

Who is the Chief Judge of New York?

New York State Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman proposed an increased role for judges to oversee the grand jury process in these types of cases. State legislators ultimately failed to reach an agreement about how to improve the grand jury process or whether to create a statewide independent prosecutor.

Who appointed Eric Garner as a prosecutor?

Following controversial grand jury decisions in the police killings of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri and Eric Garner in Staten Island, New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order last week appointing the New York State Attorney General’s Office as a special prosecutor in cases involving unarmed civilians killed by police officers. Under the executive order, New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman can also review cases where it's unclear if a civilian was armed and dangerous at the time of death. The order will be in effect for one year.

Which state has the authority to supersede all district attorneys by executive?

New York State is currently the only state to have given its Attorney General the authority to supersede all district attorneys by executive when it comes to prosecuting cases where police kill unarmed civilians.

Who is the special prosecutor for the death of an unarmed civilain?

Cuomo, Schneiderman’s office will take over from local prosecutors to act as a special prosecutor for cases when a police officer is involved in the death of an unarmed civilain, a change that aims to ensure impartial proceedings.

What was the legislative session in 2015?

The 2015 legislative session in Albany was marked by state legislators debating various ideas from requiring prosecutors to publicly disclose what charges they are asking grand juries to consider to compelling prosecutors to release the details of grand jury deliberations.

What is NY Connects?

NY Connects is your trusted place to go for free, unbiased information about long term services and supports in New York State for people of all ages or with any type of disability.

What is guided search?

The Guided Search helps you find long term services and supports in your area. A set of questions will help you identify services and supports that may meet your needs.

What Is The Role Of The Prosecutor?

According to the American Bar Association, a prosecutor “should act with diligence and promptness to investigate, litigate, and dispose of criminal charges, consistent with the interests of justice and with due regard for fairness, accuracy, and rights of the defendant, victims, and witnesses.”

Where do prosecutors work?

There are local, state, and federal prosecutors in the United States. In New York, local prosecutors work in District Attorney’s Offices while at the state level cases are prosecuted by the N.Y.S. Attorney General’s Office. At the federal level prosecutors work in one of several U.S. Attorney’s Offices , which are part of the U.S. Department of Justice.

What Makes A Former Prosecutor An Excellent Criminal Lawyer?

It is a criminal lawyer’s job to defend those rights throughout every stage of the criminal justice system, including in court during any legal proceedings. Because they know how prosecutor’s think and act, no one makes a better criminal defense lawyer than a former prosecutor.

Why do we give the prosecutor powers?

All these powers are given to the prosecutor to help ensure that “the justice is done”, and if a prosecutor does their job properly justice should prevail. However, time and time again we have seen examples of prosecutorial misconduct (which can include withholding evidence) and prosecutorial overreaching resulting in defendants being overcharged and facing excessive criminal penalties.

What happens if you get convicted of a crime in New York?

With the power to decide what to charge and what pleas to offer, it can seem like the prosecutor holds a criminal defendant’s very life in their hands. If convicted, a defendant can end serving a jail term, having to submit to probation or parole supervision, paying heavy fines, and suffering many other personal costs. Simply put, while a prosecutor’s job is supposed to be seeking justice, all too often overzealous prosecutors are only interested in getting a conviction and attempting to get the maximum sentence.

When is the attorney general election in New York?

For New York, 2018, 2022, 2026, 2030 and 2034 are all attorney general election years.

Who won the Democratic primary for Attorney General of New York?

Letitia James defeated Zephyr Teachout, Sean Maloney, and Leecia Eve in the Democratic primary for Attorney General of New York on September 13, 2018.

How much does the Attorney General make in 2020?

In 2020, the attorney general received a salary of $210,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

How many divisions does the Attorney General have?

As of January 13, 2021, the attorney general's legal functions are divided into five major divisions:

What does the Attorney General's website call the officer?

The attorney general's official website calls the officer "People's Lawyer" and the state's chief legal officer. Duties included on this resource include:

How old do you have to be to be an attorney general?

Qualifications. Under state law, in order to be considered for the office of attorney general, a person must be: at least 30 years old. a resident of New York for at least five years next preceding the election.

What party controls the governor of New York?

New York has a Democratic triplex. The Democratic Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.