what laws does a district attorney litigate?

by Dr. Carlo Blanda Sr. 7 min read

A district or prosecuting attorney is the legal representative of the state, county, or municipality, whose primary function resides in instituting criminal proceedings against violators of state or municipal penal laws.

What is a district attorney’s responsibility for prosecutions?

5 hours ago · SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — The district attorneys of San Francisco and Los Angeles have filed a joint lawsuit against a law firm that has filed thousands of lawsuits against small businesses alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

What does the district attorney have to do in a timely manner?

Article IV of the North Carolina Constitution, which sets forth the judicial power of the State, addresses the responsibilities of district attorneys. Section 18 requires the district attorney to “advise the officers of justice in his district,” and makes the district attorney “responsible for the prosecution on behalf of the State of all criminal actions in the Superior Courts of his district.”

How much discretion can a district attorney have?

Mar 20, 2018 · The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently held that an agreement between a district attorney and private law firms to litigate actions in the name…

Why did the district attorneys of San Francisco and Los Angeles file lawsuits?

•La. Const. art. 5, §26 gives the District Attorney original jurisdiction over every criminal prosecution by the state in his district. •La. Code Crim. P. art. 680 provides grounds for recusal of the District Attorney. •When a District Attorney recuses himself, the case ordinarily becomes the responsibility of the Attorney General.

What is the role of a DA?

A district attorney has the power to prosecute people charged with crimes, ranging from homicide to petty theft. A district attorney (DA) is also known as a state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, county attorney, city attorney, circuit attorney, or commonwealth's attorney, depending on the defined geographic area.Apr 1, 2021

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.

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.

What can a district attorney 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 are the duties of a district attorney?

Statutory responsibilities. G.S. 7A-61 requires the district attorney to do the following: 1 prepare the trial dockets; 2 prosecute in a timely manner all criminal actions and infractions requiring prosecution in the superior and district courts of the districtattorney’s prosecutorial district; 3 advise the officers of justice in the districtattorney’s district; 4 represent the State in juvenile cases in the superior and district courts in which the juvenile is represented by an attorney; 5 provide to the Attorney General any case files, records and additional information necessary for the Attorney General to conduct appeals to the Appellate Division for cases from the districtattorney’s prosecutorial district; and 6 devote his or her full time to the duties of his office and not engage in the private practice of law.

What is the role of a district attorney in North Carolina?

Section 18 requires the district attorney to “advise the officers of justice in his district,” and makes the district attorney “responsible for the prosecution on behalf of the State ...

Why is prosecutorial discretion important in North Carolina?

The North Carolina Court of Appeals has explained that prosecutorial discretion is necessary to weigh “such factors as the likelihood of successful prosecution, the social value of obtaining a conviction as against the time and expense to the state, and the prosecutor’s own sense of justice in the particular case.”.

What are the benefits of a prosecutors' weighing of case specific factors?

As the court of appeals noted in Rogers, society benefits from a prosecutors’ weighing of case specific factors including the social value of obtaining a conviction, the time and expense to the State, and the prosecutor’s own sense of justice.

Does Kansas City prosecute marijuana?

Prosecutors in St. Louis and Kansas City announced last year their plans not to prosecute marijuana possession cases, subject to certain exceptions. Boston’s newly elected district attorney, Rachel Rollins, campaigned on a promise to decline to prosecute fifteen enumerated charges, including shoplifting, larceny under $250, trespassing, ...

Does nonenforcement authority authorize policy based nonenforcement of federal laws?

In the context of federal executive authority, UC Hastings College of the Law Professor Zachary Price has argued that presidential nonenforcement authority does not authorize policy-based nonenforcement of federal laws for entire categories of offenders.

What is the discretion of a prosecutor?

Prosecutors are given wide discretion over whether to prosecute an offender. Even if the evidence seems solid in the grand jury proceedings, there is always the possibility that the evidence will not be enough to move forward; witnesses disappear; or evidence reveals that another perpetrator was actually responsible. Criminal charges stemming from a police investigation, as opposed to a grand jury, often present a prosecutor with the difficult choice of accepting the charges or declining to prosecute. Citizen complaints alleging criminal activity are often declined due to a lack of evidence.

What is the job of a prosecutor?

It is the prosecutor's job to make certain the evidence available and admissible in the case is sufficient to meet this burden. The prosecutor generally relies on the police to produce sufficient evidence of the crime, but it is the prosecutor's ultimate responsibility to investigate illegal activity.

What is plea bargain?

A plea bargain is when the state, through its prosecutor, agrees to charge the defendant with a lesser crime carrying less penalty in exchange for a waiver of the defendant's right to a trial.

What happens when a jury is empaneled?

Once the jury is empaneled, the prosecutor presents the jury with an opening statement summarizing the case. The state presents its evidence first, followed by the defense. Throughout the trial, the prosecutor must make appropriate objections against evidence possibly inadmissible under the rules of evidence.

What is the role of a prosecutor in a criminal case?

Conduct Trials. If a criminal case goes to trial, the prosecutor must first work with the defense attorney to select a jury to hear the case. The prosecutor must investigate the background of jurors for potential bias and may excuse any candidate who likely cannot render an impartial verdict.

What is the role of the state government in the prosecution of crimes?

Each state government maintains a department of justice responsible for the prosecution of crimes. Counties, cities and towns also employ attorneys to prosecute crimes against state or local ordinances. These departments are staffed by attorneys who present the government's evidence to a judge or jury for a final determination of guilt. Known as a county or city attorney, district attorney, commonwealth attorney, prosecutor, state's attorney or deputy attorney general, these legal professionals are granted wide discretion with regard to deciding whether to prosecute, what charges to file and whether to permit a plea agreement.

What happens when a state loses a case?

In the event that the state loses its case, the prosecutor can appeal the case to the next highest state court. Many states employ attorneys specifically for appeals, known as appellate attorneys. Appeals prosecutors review the evidence and records from the trial and form an oral argument before the appellate court.

What is a division attorney?

Division attorneys maintain active caseloads and are responsible for all aspects of litigation, from initial interviews of named defendants to investigation, depositions, paper discovery, negotiation of settlements, motions, court conferences, arguments, and trials by jury.

What is the Division of Law?

The Division defends against individual damages actions and class actions seeking institutional reform. The Division faces a substantial volume of cases, in a complex, ever-changing area of law. The federal courts in which the Division attorneys exclusively practice maintain stringent standards and enforce strict deadlines.

What is the Special Federal Litigation Division?

The Special Federal Litigation Division defends the City and its officials in civil rights cases brought in federal court in which police, District Attorney, or correction officer misconduct is claimed. The cases on which division attorneys work grow out of contact between citizens and law enforcement officers in three distinct contexts: police ...

What is the law that governs the resolution of civil cases?

The law governing the resolution of these cases is the Constitution of the United States and the vastly complex area of federal law specific to 42 U.S.C. Section 1983, the post-Civil War statute which authorizes suit for violation of constitutional rights.