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County
and District Attorney
by
Monty Rainey, Junto Society
The
county and/or district attorney may be elected or appointed. The
county attorney advises other county officers on all legal
matters and is required to represent the state in certain types
of juvenile and mental health proceedings. The same applies to
the district attorney, only at the district level.
Effective
enforcement of the law requires the sure-handed expertise of a
knowledgeable prosecutor.
The
main duties of the county and/or district attorney are to
represent the state in criminal cases. The county and/or district
attorney works with law enforcement officers in the investigation
and preparation of cases to be heard before the criminal courts.
The overwhelming importance of the office of public prosecutors
arises from the fact that upon the prosecuting attorney rests the
power of determining whether prosecution in any given case shall
be inaugurated or, if inaugurated, pushed to a successful
conclusion.
Other
duties include prosecution of juvenile offenders, representation
of victims of violence in protective orders and representing the
State in removing children from abusive households.
In
counties with a small population, these two positions may be
combined into one
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