The
district attorney (
DA) represents the state government in the prosecution of criminal offenses, and is the chief law enforcement officer and legal officer of their jurisdiction. The district attorney supervises a staff of prosecutors, with titles including assistant, administrative, and executive district attorneys. Depending upon the system in place, district attorneys may be appointed by the chief executive of the jurisdiction or elected by the voters of the jurisdiction. The title “district attorney” is used by several major jurisdictions within the United States, including
California,
Massachusetts,
New York,
Nevada,
North Carolina,
Pennsylvania,
Oklahoma,
Oregon, and
Texas.