A district attorney is an appointed official who represents a county, city or state in criminal matters. Their job is multifaceted. In addition to analyzing evidence and deciding when prosecution is necessitated, they must argue cases in court and prosecute criminals.
Job Description
A district attorney is an appointed or elected public official who can represent a county, city or state. The DA is intimately involved in the prosecution of each criminal case in his jurisdiction. Their job is to rectify wrongdoings committed against the public.
Other Duties
The district attorney analyzes and gathers evidence to determine whether there are grounds to prosecute individuals. If a case goes to trial, the DA must present his case to a judge. Criminal proceedings are controlled almost entirely by the district attorney.
Requirements
There are a number of requirements for candidacy. Those who seek to become a district attorney must be practicing attorneys at law for a number of years. It is encouraged, and often required depending on the area, that candidates have resided in the district in which they’re running.
Salary
The median salary for this position is dependent on the number of years it has been held. Those who have held the position one to four years average roughly $60,000 a year. That number doubles for district attorneys who have worked for 20 years or more.
The Office of the DA
The office of the district attorney is comprised of many individuals who serve at the will of the DA. Assistant district attorneys have a wide variety of responsibilities that ensure the district attorney’s job is done properly and with precision. ADAs perform extensive research dependent on each case, draft legal documents such as motions, and can appear in court to help try a case.
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