Prosecutors at different levels of government prosecute different types of crimes.
U.S. attorneys
At the federal level, prosecutors are known as U.S. attorneys. There is a U.S. attorney for each federal court district in the United States. The president appoints U.S. attorneys, who mainly serve as administrators. Assistant U.S. attorneys handle the bulk of the trial work. The U.S. attorney general, who is the chief law enforcement officer in the United States and the head of the Department of Justice, has supervisory responsibility over U.S. attorneys. The 94 U.S. attorneys and nearly 2,000 assistant federal prosecutors aggressively investigate violations of federal laws, such as white‐collar crime, drug trafficking, and public corruption.
District attorneys
On the state, county, and municipal levels of government, district attorneys (D.A.) are responsible for bringing offenders charged with crimes to justice and enforcing the criminal laws. 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. But only rarely does a state attorney general discipline a county or city D.A. for prosecutorial misconduct.
In rural areas, the highest law enforcement official is the county attorney. County attorneys working out of small offices prosecute criminal cases themselves. In urban areas, the highest law enforcement official is the city district attorney. The typical municipal D.A.'s office features a division of labor with special departments for felonies, misdemeanors, trials, and appeals.
Independent counsels
Independent counsels investigate high government officials, delving into accusations of everything from cocaine use by senior White House aides to perjury by the president. The purpose of an independent counsel is to guarantee public confidence in the impartiality of any criminal investigation into conduct of top officials in the executive branch of the federal government.
Some independent counsels have been harshly criticized for taking too long, spending too much, or criminalizing conduct other prosecutors would most often not bother with. Under the federal government's independent counsel law, the U.S. attorney general can appoint an independent counsel when the attorney general receives from a credible source specific allegations of wrongdoing by a high‐ranking government official. By 1999, the office of independent counsel had become so politicized and partisan that critics were calling for the repeal of the independent counsel law.
FAQs
Three types of prosecutors are typically found in state court systems: the state attorney general, the chief prosecutor, and local prosecutors. The state prosecutor is the primary representative of the state in the courtroom.
What is the highest level of prosecutor? ›
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 are prosecutors examples? ›
The title "prosecutor" is given to different types of lawyers in different legal systems. For example, in the United States, a district attorney (DA) prosecutes cases on behalf of the state government at the local level, while a United States Attorney (USA) prosecutes cases on behalf of the federal government.
What are the four distinct roles of prosecutors? ›
The prosecutor can play various roles, including trial counsel for the police, house counsel for the police, representative of the court, and elected official.
What are prosecutors also known as? ›
The District Attorney (DA), also known as a prosecutor, plays a critical role in our criminal justice system. They represent the government in criminal cases and are responsible for ensuring that justice is served by prosecuting individuals accused of committing crimes.
Is prosecutor harder than lawyer? ›
Typically, the prosecutor will ask easy soft ball questions like “what did you see?” or “what did you do?” This style of questioning is called direct examination. Direct examination is completely different that cross examination. A prosecutor's job is easier than a defense attorney generally.
Who is more powerful, a judge or a prosecutor? ›
Full text. 1Prosecutors are the most powerful officials in the American criminal justice system. They control the direction and outcome of all criminal cases, particularly through their charging and plea-bargaining decisions.
Why is the prosecutor the most powerful? ›
Prosecutors decide what, if anything, to charge—a decision that can be life-altering before and after a conviction. Whether a case goes to trial or ends in a plea deal, as the vast majority of criminal cases do, prosecutors play a major role in determining a sentence.
What is the life of a prosecutor? ›
Prosecutors spend most of their time in court receiving case assignments and handling bail hearings, pre-trial conferences, plea negotiations, and litigating in bench and jury trials. Prosecutors generally rely upon arresting officers to perform investigative services.
What are the different names given to public prosecutors? ›
Synonyms of prosecutor
- lawyer.
- attorney.
- district attorney.
- solicitor.
- counsellor.
- prosecuting attorney.
- counselor.
- advocate.
district attorney. nounas in public prosecutor. attorney general. DA. judge advocate.
What are federal prosecutors called? ›
United States Attorneys are also known as federal prosecutors. They represent the United States federal government in United States District Courts and in the United States Court of Appeals. U.S. Attorneys are members of the United States Department of Justice.
What is the opposite of a prosecutor? ›
The opposite of a prosecutor is a defense attorney. So on that TV crime drama, the prosecutor is the one trying to put the bad guy in jail, and the defense attorney is the one trying to prove that the guy really isn't a bad guy.
What is the highest rank in the national prosecution service? ›
The Prosecution Staff, headed by the Prosecutor General, which is administratively under the Office of the Secretary of Justice; The Regional Prosecution Offices, headed by Regional Prosecutors; The Offices of the Provincial Prosecutors; and. The Offices of the City Prosecutors.
What is the highest ranking attorney? ›
In the federal system, the U.S. Attorney General is the top federal prosecutor. The country is divided into districts, and each district has a lead federal prosecutor called the U.S. Attorney who reports to the Attorney General.
Is the prosecutor the most powerful? ›
If we can change culture in places where power is most concentrated, then prosecutor offices have the potential to serve as sites of lasting transformation. For someone arrested for a criminal offense, prosecutors are arguably the most powerful figures in the legal system.
What is the highest level of authority in criminal law? ›
Court of last resort (often called the Supreme Court) is the jurisdiction's highest court.
