who sets policy for local district attorney in nc

What is the purpose of the North Carolina District Attorney's Office?

It is the duty of this office to represent the State of North Carolina with integrity and professionalism, while protecting victims and their rights, in the pursuit of justice. The goal of this site is to make the information and services provided by the District Attorney's Office and the criminal justice system available to the public.

What are the duties of a district attorney?

In addition, the Constitution requires a district attorney to “perform such duties related to appeals therefrom as the Attorney General may require, and [to] perform such other duties as the General Assembly may prescribe.”

How to contact the NC Attorney General’s office?

The Attorney General’s Office issues opinions reminding government entities of their obligations under these laws and how to comply. You can contact our Open Government Unit at [email protected] to get information on how to obtain public records and conduct open meetings.

How much discretion can a district attorney have?

Case law makes it clear that district attorneys may exercise a great deal of discretion in carrying out their duties, but the outer limits of their discretion are not clearly defined.

Who is above the district attorney?

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.

What does a district attorney do North Carolina?

In North Carolina, a District Attorney (DA) is the elected public official who represents the state in the prosecution of all criminal matters. The district attorney supervises a staff of assistant district attorneys (ADA), victim witness legal assistants (VWLA), investigators, and other administrative employees.

Is district attorney local or state?

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 or a group of counties.

What are the responsibilities of the Department of Justice?

The Department of Justice enforces federal laws, seeks just punishment for the guilty, and ensures the fair and impartial administration of justice.

Who is the DA in North Carolina?

Andrew MurrayAndrew Murray was appointed in May 2021, as District Attorney for North Carolina's 42nd Prosecutorial District, which includes Henderson, Transylvania, and Polk Counties.

What is the job of a district attorney?

Also called county or state attorneys, or prosecutors, district attorneys are elected to represent the government against criminal offenders in court. They review police reports, determine whether criminal charges are to be brought against perpetrators, and argue criminal cases in court.

How powerful is a district attorney?

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.

Can the state Attorney General prosecute local cases?

Chapter 1, section 1.09, of the Penal Code provides that, “with the consent of the appropriate local county or district attorney, the Attorney General has concurrent jurisdiction with that consenting local prosecutor” to prosecute certain offenses, including: Misuse of state property or funds. Abuse of office.

What's the difference between attorney and lawyer?

Attorney vs Lawyer: Comparing Definitions Lawyers are people who have gone to law school and often may have taken and passed the bar exam. Attorney has French origins, and stems from a word meaning to act on the behalf of others. The term attorney is an abbreviated form of the formal title 'attorney at law'.

Who's in charge of the Department of Justice?

Attorney General Merrick B. GarlandAttorney General Merrick B. Garland was sworn in as the 86th Attorney General of the United States on March 11, 2021. As the nation's chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Garland leads the Justice Department's 115,000 employees, who work across the United States and in more than 50 countries worldwide.

What are the four agencies run by the Department of Justice?

The mission of the Office of the Attorney General is to supervise and direct the administration and operation of the Department of Justice, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Bureau of Prisons, Office of Justice Programs, ...

What are the major functions of the four agencies of the Department of Justice?

"To enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law; to ensure public safety against threats foreign and domestic; to provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior; and to ensure fair and impartial ...

Who represents the state government?

The Attorney General: Represents all state government departments, agencies and commissions in legal matters. Provides legal opinions to the General Assembly, the Governor, or any other public official when requested.

Who may intervene in a court proceeding?

May intervene in proceedings before any courts, regulatory officers, agencies or bodies, either state or federal, on behalf of the State. May institute court proceeding on behalf of the State, its agencies or its citizens in any and all public interest matters.

Does NCDOJ represent individuals?

CONTACT NCDOJNCDOJ does not represent individuals in private cases. Need an attorney?

What is a district attorney?

Commonly refers to an attorney for the community elected by the people in his/her district to represent the interests of the general public, including crime victims in court proceedings against people accused of committing crimes. Other jurisdictions use various terms: Prosecutor, U.S. Attorney (a federal prosecutor), Solicitor or State's Attorney. You can learn more about your District Attorney on our "District Attorney" web page.

What counties are in District 43?

The 43rd District includes seven counties, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain. Geographically speaking, the district is one of the largest in North Carolina and also the only district that borders three separate states;

Who can bring a civil action against the government?

Any person who is denied access to inspect, examine or copy public records may bring a civil action in court against the government agency or official who denies access or copies. Courts are required to set immediate hearings for public records suits and to give hearings of these cases priority over other cases.

What are the rules for open meetings?

Open Meetings Laws specify: 1 Which State and local public bodies must hold open meetings 2 What type of notice public bodies must give before holding meetings 3 Under what circumstances a public body may enter into a closed session 4 How citizens may enforce the open meetings law if a public body attempts to exclude them from a meeting or fails to give proper notice

What is the Freedom of Information Act?

§ 552) generally provides that any person has a right, enforceable in court, of access to federal agency records, except to the extent that such records (or portions thereof) are protected by one of the nine exemptions or by one to three special law enforcement record exclusions.

What is the role of the Attorney General Stein?

Attorney General Stein and the Department of Justice help citizens know their rights and responsibilities under the law. We actively prosecute officials who violate the public’s trust.

Do government agencies charge fees for inspecting public records?

Government agencies may not charge fees for inspecting public records. Fees for certifying copies of public records are provided by law. However, unless otherwise provided by law, no public agency shall charge a fee for an uncertified copy of a public record that exceeds the actual cost to the public agency of making the copy. N.C.G.S. § 132-6.2 (b)