States, cities & tribes
district attorney
The elected local prosecutor who decides which state criminal charges to bring, and on what terms cases resolve. One of the most consequential local offices.
In full
Titles vary: district attorney, state's attorney, commonwealth's attorney, county attorney. The office exercises charging discretion, negotiates the plea agreements that resolve nearly all cases, and sets policy on which offenses to pursue. These races are typically low-information and low-turnout despite the discretion involved.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.