February 24, 2003 |
2003-R-0231 | |
STATES THAT ELECT THEIR CHIEF PROSECUTORS | ||
| ||
By: George Coppolo, Chief Attorney | ||
You asked how many states elect their chief prosecutors.
According to a report published in the May 2002 U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin, 47 states elect their chief prosecutors and three (Alaska, Connecticut, and New Jersey) appoint them. The report is based on a review of state statutes, a 2001 national Directory of Prosecuting Attorneys, and state prosecutor coordinator's offices.
Table 1 lists the number of chief prosecutors for each state, their titles, and areas of jurisdiction.
Table 1: Chief Prosecutors Who Handle
Felony Cases in State Courts, 2001
State |
Number of Chief Prosecutors |
Title |
Areas of Jurisdiction |
Elected |
Appointed |
Alabamaa |
41 |
District Attorney |
Judicial circuit |
X |
|
Alaska |
1 |
Attorney General |
Entire state |
X | |
Arizona |
15 |
County Attorney |
County |
X |
|
Arkansas |
28 |
Prosecuting Attorney |
Judicial circuit |
X |
|
California |
58 |
District Attorney |
County, City/County government of San Francisco |
X |
|
Colorado |
22 |
District Attorney |
Judicial circuit |
X |
|
Connecticut |
13 |
State's Attorney |
Judicial district which is city and town based |
X | |
Delaware |
1 |
Attorney General |
Attorney General has primary duties for entire State |
X |
|
District of Columbia |
1 |
U.S. Attorney |
U.S. Attorney has jurisdiction over adult felony and misdemeanor cases |
X | |
Florida |
20 |
State Attorney |
Judicial circuit |
X |
|
Georgia |
48 |
District Attorney |
Judicial circuit |
X |
|
Hawaii |
4 |
Prosecuting Attorney |
County |
X |
|
Idaho |
44 |
Prosecuting Attorney |
County |
X |
|
Illinois |
102 |
State's Attorney |
County |
X |
|
Indiana |
90 |
Prosecuting Attorney |
Judicial circuit |
X |
|
Iowa |
99 |
County Attorney |
County |
X |
|
Kansas |
105 |
County Attorney Called District Attorney in 5 counties |
County |
X |
|
Kentucky |
56 |
Commonwealth's Attorney |
Judicial circuit |
X |
|
Louisiana |
41 |
District Attorney |
Judicial circuit, Orleans |
X |
|
Maine |
8 |
District Attorney |
Geographical district |
X |
|
Maryland |
24 |
State's Attorney |
County, Baltimore City |
X |
|
Massachusetts |
11 |
District Attorney |
Geographical district |
X |
|
Michigan |
83 |
Prosecuting Attorney |
County |
X |
|
Minnesota |
87 |
County Attorney |
County |
X |
|
Mississippi |
22 |
District Attorney |
Judicial circuit |
X |
|
Missouri |
115 |
Prosecuting Attorney Called Circuit Attorney in city of St. Louis |
County |
X |
|
Montana |
55 |
County Attorney |
County |
X |
|
Nebraska |
93 |
County Attorney |
County |
X |
|
Nevada |
17 |
District Attorney |
County, Carson City |
X |
|
New Hampshire |
10 |
County Attorney |
County |
X |
|
New Jersey |
21 |
County Prosecutor |
County |
X | |
New Mexico |
14 |
District Attorney |
Judicial district |
X |
|
New York |
62 |
District Attorney |
County (5 boroughs of New York City) |
X |
|
North Carolina |
39 |
District Attorney |
Prosecutorial district |
X |
|
North Dakota |
53 |
State's Attorney |
County |
X |
|
Ohio |
88 |
Prosecuting Attorney |
County |
X |
|
Oklahoma |
27 |
District Attorney |
Judicial district |
X |
|
Oregon |
36 |
District Attorney |
County |
X |
|
Pennsylvania |
67 |
District Attorney |
County, City/County government |
X |
|
Rhode Island |
1 |
Attorney General |
Attorney General has primary duties for entire state |
X |
|
South Carolina |
16 |
Solicitors |
Judicial district |
X |
|
South Dakota |
66 |
State's Attorney |
County |
X |
|
Tennessee |
31 |
District Attorneys General |
Judicial district |
X |
|
Texasb |
155 |
District Attorney, Criminal District Attorney, and County and District Attorney |
County, judicial district |
X |
|
Utah |
29 |
County Attorney Called District Attorney in Salt Lake County |
County |
X |
|
Vermont |
14 |
State's Attorney |
County |
X |
|
Virginia |
120 |
Commonwealth's Attorney |
County, 26 independent cities |
X |
|
Washington |
39 |
Prosecuting Attorney |
County |
X |
|
West Virginia |
55 |
Prosecuting Attorney |
County |
X |
|
Wisconsin |
71 |
District Attorney |
County (2 counties that share a district attorney) |
X |
|
Wyoming |
23 |
District Attorney County and Prosecuting Attorney |
Judicial district, County where district attorney has office has not been created |
X |
|
Total |
2,341 |
46 |
4 |
a The 10th Judicial Circuit is divided into 2 prosecutorial districts, each with a district attorney.
b Four counties (Kerr, Pecos, Reagan, and Tom Green) have 2 district attorneys with concurrent jurisdiction.
Sources: U.S. Department of Justice, Prosecutors in State Courts, 2001
GC:ro