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.
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.
46 years oldThe average age of an employed assistant district attorney is 46 years old. The most common ethnicity of assistant district attorneys is White (79.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (6.9%) and Asian (5.8%).
Marilyn MosbyAssumed office January 8, 2015Preceded byGregg BernsteinPersonal detailsBornMarilyn James January 22, 1980 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.11 more rows
Salary Ranges for District Attorneys The salaries of District Attorneys in the US range from $13,279 to $356,999 , with a median salary of $64,623 . The middle 57% of District Attorneys makes between $64,627 and $162,013, with the top 86% making $356,999.
54.4% of all district attorneys are women, while 45.6% are men. The average age of an employed district attorney is 46 years old. The most common ethnicity of district attorneys is White (79.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (6.9%) and Asian (5.8%).
Below is a listing of current United States Attorneys for all 94 districts.
Currently, 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.
The study found that, of the 2,437 elected prosecutors serving around the country, which includes officials at the state and local levels, just 61 are black—and of those, more than half are concentrated in Virginia and Mississippi. In 14 states, all elected prosecutors are white.
Assistant attorneys may work in several offices at different levels of government. District attorneys', public defenders' and state attorneys' offices all hire assistant attorneys. Depending on the employer, an assistant attorney may argue cases for the plaintiff or defendant.
Assistant attorneys in a district attorney's office represent their state as trial attorneys in all cases. They also act as the petitioner for children, the mentally ill and juvenile defendants. They may provide training for government agencies.
Assistant attorneys can also be found working for the state under the public defender's office. As a public defender, an assistant attorney provides legal representation for defendants without counsel. In this capacity, assistant attorneys use functional knowledge of methods, principles and practices of criminal law to argue criminal cases.
An assistant attorney in the state's attorney office helps carry out the policy of the state's attorney. He or she may conduct legal research and represent the state's attorney in routine legal issues. Assistant attorneys in this position must understand civil law, criminal law and rules of procedure.
An assistant district attorney (ADA) is a member of law enforcement who conducts criminal prosecutions on behalf of the city or county district attorney’s office.There are many different types of ADAs and positions depend on experience and specialty, such as civil or criminal law.
There are several key qualifications for becoming a district attorney. You must have a juris doctor degree from an accredited law school and have passed the bar association exam in your state. In law school, you should focus on criminal justice and hone your litigation skills.
While much of a district attorney's job can take place in a legal office, they can also work in other locations like libraries and courtrooms. Because district attorneys typically work for counties and state governments, they often collaborate with other professionals, like specialists and paralegals, to gather evidence to use in criminal prosecutions. While district attorneys usually have full-time work hours, most also spend time working overtime and on the weekends, especially while working on complex cases.
This can include learning communication technologies, video conferencing, voice messaging systems and email. It might also be necessary to learn how to use document management software, computerized litigation support and electronic discovery.
Crime prosecution typically begins before charging a perpetrator. In most states, district attorneys first convene a grand jury before issuing a formal criminal charge or indictment. The prosecutor gathers witness testimonies and presents them before the grand jury, where members analyze the facts to determine whether to prosecute or not. Prosecutors are allowed to introduce testimonies and hearsay evidence that is inadmissible in a trial, to the grand jury.
Time management skills can help a district attorney organize competing priorities and develop a strong work ethic. Time and calendar management skills can also help a prosecutor meet deadlines.
District attorneys should also possess problem-solving skills to evaluate and structure arguments and court proceedings.
The national average salary for attorneys in the United States, including district attorneys, is currently $94,578 per year, which is a very competitive salary. However, the compensation that a district attorney receives can vary depending on their education level, experience and skills obtained throughout their career. Attorneys also typically receive employment benefits in addition to their salaries, like health insurance and professional development assistance.
A Juris Doctor degree may also be necessary for the success of a prosecutor. It can take between two and three years to complete a Juris Doctor degree, but law students attending part-time classes can take up to five years to complete their studies.
District attorneys have significant decision-making power and the decisions they make have a big impact on the community. They can decide whether criminal charges are brought to court, which cases are dismissed or diverted from court, and — to some extent — the sanctions that people convicted of crimes will face. Yet, the duties, employees and practices of these offices are often not well-known to the communities they serve. This post describes the role of district attorneys in North Carolina, the structure of the Durham DA’s Office, and how criminal cases generally make their way to court.
District attorneys hire assistant district attorneys to represent the State in court. The Durham County District Attorney’s Office employs about twenty assistant district attorneys. In addition, the Office employs approximately twenty legal assistants and victim service coordinators who help attorneys with their caseloads, connect crime victims to resources, and uphold the rights that crime victims are entitled to under the law. The Office also includes administrators who oversee operations, as well as other support staff. These staff members are employees of the North Carolina Judicial Branch.
The Durham County District Attorney’s Office prosecutes all criminal cases in Durham County. Our job usually begins after police file criminal charges, although prosecutors in Durham often consult with police on what charges are most appropriate for serious cases, such as homicides and sexual assaults. While prosecutors can bring criminal charges, they do not arrest people.
Prosecutors represent the State when someone is accused of committing a crime. They decide whether to bring the criminal charges filed by police to court. It’s then their job to prove to a judge or jury that the crime occurred and that the person accused of committing the crime (the defendant) did it.
Prosecutors negotiate with defense attorneys on a resolution.
It is a common misconception that prosecutors represent the victims in criminal cases. While the DA’s Office works closely with crime victims to understand what happened and reach a fair outcome, the prosecutor represents the State and has a duty to act in the best interest of the public.
The case is received by the DA’s Office and assigned to staff.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.