who does county district attorney work for

by Prof. Malcolm Stark 5 min read

A district attorney typically works for a county or state government and acts as the prosecutor in criminal cases. Each state maintains a justice department responsible for criminal prosecutions. Cities, towns and counties also maintain justice departments responsible for prosecuting crimes against local and state ordinances.

The District Attorney (DA) is a constitutionally elected county official. The District Attorney is responsible for the prosecution of criminal violations of state law and county ordinances occurring within a county under California Government Code Section 26500.

Full Answer

What is the job description of a district attorney?

District attorneys, sometimes called county attorneys, state attorneys, or prosecutors, are responsible for representing the government against criminal offenders in court. In many places, a district attorney must be elected into the position. At the federal level, a district attorney is called a U.S. Attorney.

What is the role of the district attorney?

Mar 11, 2022 · Generally speaking, county attorneys are public employees who work at the county level, representing the interests of the government in court in addition to advising public officials on legal matters. They do not practice law privately and the scope of the cases they handle depends on whether there is also a district attorney in the region.

Are district attorneys elected or appointed?

District Attorney Law and Legal Definition. A district attorney is an elected or appointed public official of a county or designated district whose duties are governed by state law. Generally, the duties of a district attorney are to manage the prosecutor's office, investigate alleged crimes in cooperation with law enforcement, and file criminal charges or bringing evidence before the …

What does a district attorney do?

Jun 30, 2018 · Role & Duties of a District Attorney. Each state government maintains a department of justice responsible for the prosecution of crimes. Counties, cities and towns also employ attorneys to...

image

What is the difference between a District Attorney DA and a county attorney CA?

A lawyer who represents the state in local criminal cases is usually referred to as the "District Attorney," although, depending on your state, these attorneys can go by other titles such as "Prosecuting Attorney" or "County Attorney." The Attorney General of a state typically represents the state in civil cases, but ...

What is the difference between a DA and a prosecutor?

Prosecutors handle court proceedings, including trials, that may follow the filing of criminal charges. The District Attorney's Office prosecutes cases in a large geographical area covering 4,084 square miles.

What is the job of a District Attorney who is the District Attorney for the El Paso County?

Located in El Paso, Texas, the District Attorney's Office represents the state and victims of crime in the prosecution of adult felony and misdemeanor cases committed in El Paso, Culberson and Hudspeth counties.

What is the work of a DA?

A District Attorney is a lawyer who prosecutes criminal cases against people charged with crimes. The crimes can range from the most serious crimes like murder to less serious charges like vandalism. District Attorneys work for county governments and represent the government in criminal prosecutions.

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.

Who is above the district attorney?

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.

How much does a DA make?

How much does a District Attorney make? The average District Attorney in the US makes $77,118. The average bonus for a District Attorney is $7,054 which represents 9% of their salary, with 100% of people reporting that they receive a bonus each year.

Who is the current Texas Criminal District Attorney for El Paso TX?

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – An expense of $2,600 in civil forfeiture funds could lead to a criminal charge against District Attorney Yvonne Rosales, according to an opinion from the Texas Ethics Commission (TEC).Nov 30, 2021

Who is the mayor of El Paso Texas?

Oscar LeeserEl Paso / MayorOscar Leeser is an American politician who has served as the 52nd mayor of El Paso, Texas since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 50th mayor from 2013 to 2017. Wikipedia

What does a state attorney do?

The functions of the State Attorney is as follows: The drafting and managing of contracts on behalf of the State. The handling of criminal and civil litigation cases instituted against State officials and committed by means of acts or omissions while executing their official duties.

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 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 prosecutor district?

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.

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?

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 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?

District attorneys, sometimes called county attorneys, state attorneys, or prosecutors, are responsible for representing the government against criminal offenders in court. In many places, a district attorney must be elected into the position. At the federal level, a district attorney is called a U.S. Attorney.

What Are Typical Duties of a District Attorney?

A district attorney routinely reviews police reports, assesses whether to bring criminal charges against perpetrators, prosecutes criminal cases in the courtroom, and communicates with victims, law enforcement, judges, and criminals. The work schedule of a district attorney can be hectic.

What Education Do I Need to Become a District Attorney?

It takes approximately seven years to become a lawyer. Four years consist of undergraduate studies and the remaining three years are spent in law school. Most states require potential lawyers to be graduates of an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited school to qualify for admission to the bar.

Do You Have to Have Licensure to Practice as a District Attorney?

Required licensure for a district attorney involves the successful completion of one or more bar exams and admission into his or her state's bar association. The lawyer can then provide services within the state where he or she is approved.

What Other Areas Can Lawyers Specialize In?

A lawyer can work in a variety of settings and specialize in many different areas. For example, a lawyer can specialize in family law and concentrate their practice in adoption, child support, and divorce. Some specialize in public-interest law, fighting with, or for, non-profit organizations and disadvantaged people.

What is the job description of a county attorney?

The job description for a county attorney depends on the county where the attorney practices. Generally speaking, county attorneys are public employees who work at the county level, representing the interests of the government in court in addition to advising public officials on legal matters .

What is the role of a county attorney in a criminal case?

Crimes like robbery, murder, and rape are charged as crimes against the government, rather than individual victims, and the county attorney represents the county in the suit, acting as a prosecutor. The county attorney develops a case, assembles witnesses, participates in evidence discovery, and goes to trial with the case if ...

Why do people apply for county attorneys?

People usually apply for positions as county attorneys because they are interested in serving the public interest.

Do county attorneys practice law privately?

They do not practice law privately and the scope of the cases they handle depends on whether there is also a district attorney in the region. If there is no district attorney, county attorneys handle civil and criminal cases all the way to the level of district court. If one is present, county attorneys practice only in county court ...

Do county attorneys work in criminal cases?

Some county attorneys practice only in county court and may not be involved in criminal cases. The structure of a county attorney's office varies. For some county attorneys, the focus of the work is on civil matters like restraining orders, child custody disputes, and so forth, paired with advising county officials by request.

What is a district attorney?

A district attorney is an elected or appointed public official of a county or designated district whose duties are governed by state law.

What is the role of the Attorney General in impeachment proceedings?

To, when requested to do so by the Attorney General, assist the Attorney General in the prosecution of all impeachment proceedings which it is his or her duty to institute before a court involving any official or officials in their respective judicial circuits.

What are the duties of a grand jury?

Specific duties may include the following: To attend on the grand juries, advise them in relation to matters of law, and examine and swear witnesses before them. To draw up all indictments and to prosecute all indictable offenses.

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 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 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 Manhattan District Attorney?

The New York County District Attorney, also known as the Manhattan District Attorney, is the elected district attorney for New York County (Manhattan), New York. The office is responsible for the prosecution of violations of New York state laws ( federal law violations in Manhattan are prosecuted by the U.S.

Who is the District Attorney in Blue Bloods?

Blue Bloods: Depicts the prosecution of criminal suspects by lawyers of the New York County District Attorney's office through the character ADA Erin Reagan. In the show, however, the office of District Attorney is a position appointed by the Governor, and not elected.

When did Westchester County become a district?

In 1818, each county in the state became its own district.

Can a district attorney delegate a petty crime?

District attorneys are legally permitted to delegate the prosecution of petty crimes or offenses. Prosecutors do not normally handle New York City Criminal Court summons court cases, and the Manhattan DA has a memorandum of understanding with the NYPD allowing the NYPD's Legal Bureau to selectively prosecute them.

What does a deputy district attorney do?

A deputy district attorney has many roles, including legal research and helping prepare a witness to take the stand in the courtroom.

What does a district attorney do when a murder charge is filed?

If it is a very serious charge, such as murder, the district attorney will typically take over at that point. The deputy will still assist in the case by gathering research and conducting interviews. When a defendant is charged with a crime, it is up to the office of the district attorney to determine whether a case can be made against the person.

What does a deputy DA do?

If the government's prosecutor decides to proceed with the case, the deputy DA will appear in court on the state's behalf and prosecute the case. Typically, after speaking to the involved parties, he or she then prepares a plea offer, which the defendant's attorney presents to the defendant. If the defendant accepts the offer, ...

What does a felony attorney do?

When handling a felony case, this attorney generally represents the government during initial court proceedings and might be called upon to present the case to the grand jury. If the grand jury indicts the defendant, he or she may be asked to continue with the prosecution through the court hearing or jury trial.

Who decides if a case goes to trial?

When a defendant is charged with a crime, it is up to the office of the district attorney to determine whether a case can be made against the person. In most areas, the district attorney decides which cases will go to trial and which cases will not.

What happens when a misdemeanor arrest is made?

When law enforcement officials make a misdemeanor arrest, they then turn over evidence and reports to the district attorney's office for examination. The deputy district attorney will take on the responsibility of building the case against that defendant. This process can include interviewing victims and potential witnesses to determine ...

image

Requirements For A District Attorney

  • Here are the requirements that aspiring district attorneys need to fulfill before finding work in the field:
See more on indeed.com

Work Environment For District Attorneys

  • 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-tim…
See more on indeed.com

Salary and Job Outlook For District Attorneys

  • 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 additio…
See more on indeed.com

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.