New York County District Attorney


The New York County District Attorney, also known as the Manhattan District Attorney, is the elected district attorney for New York County, New York. The office is responsible for the prosecution of violations of New York state laws. The current district attorney is Cyrus Vance Jr.
District attorneys are legally permitted to delegate the prosecution of petty crimes or offenses. Prosecutors do not normally handle New York City Criminal Court summons court cases, and the Manhattan DA has a memorandum of understanding with the NYPD allowing the NYPD's Legal Bureau to selectively prosecute them.

History

In the legislative act of February 12, 1796, New York State was divided into seven districts, each with an Assistant Attorney General, except New York County where Attorney General Josiah Ogden Hoffman prosecuted personally until 1801.
From 1801 to 1813, New York County was part of the First District, which included the counties of New York, Kings, Queens, Richmond, and Suffolk. At that time, Queens included current-day Nassau County and Westchester included the Bronx. In 1813, Westchester County was apportioned to a new district with Rockland and Putnam counties, and in 1815, New York County became the Twelfth District—the only one at the time that was a single county. In 1818, each county in the state became its own district.
From 1874 to 1895, New York County included the West Bronx, and from 1895 to 1913 it included all of what is now Bronx County, governing the same area as does the present Borough of the Bronx. On January 1, 1914, the Bronx became a separate county with its own district attorney.
Until 1822, the district attorney was appointed by the Council of Appointment, and held the office "during the Council's pleasure", meaning that there was no defined term of office. Under the provisions of the New York State Constitution of 1821, the D.A. was appointed to a three-year term by the County Court, and under the provisions of the Constitution of 1846, the office became elective by popular ballot. The term was three years, beginning on January 1 and ending on December 31. In case of a vacancy, an acting district attorney was appointed by the Court of General Sessions until the Governor of New York filled the vacancy with an interim appointment until an election was held for the remainder of the term.
The Consolidation Charter of 1896 extended the term by a year of the incumbent John R. Fellows, who had been elected in 1893 to a three-year term. Since the City election of 1897, the D.A.'s term has coincided with the mayor's term and has been four years long. In case of a vacancy, the governor can still make an interim appointment until a special election is held for the remainder of the term.

List of district attorneys

No.District AttorneyDates in officePartyNotes
1Richard RikerAugust 19, 1801 – February 13, 1810Dem.-Rep.
2Cadwallader D. ColdenFebruary 13, 1810 – February 19, 1811Federalist
3Richard RikerFebruary 19, 1811 – March 5, 1813Dem.-Rep.
4Barent GardenierMarch 5, 1813 – March 31, 1815Federalist
5John RodmanMarch 31, 1815 – January 28, 1817Dem.-Rep.
6Hugh MaxwellJanuary 28, 1817 – June 11, 1818Dem.-Rep.
7Pierre C. Van WyckJune 11, 1818 – February 13, 1821Dem.-Rep.
8Hugh MaxwellFebruary 13, 1821 – May 1829Dem.-Rep.
  • last to be appointed by the Council of Appointment
  • re-appointed by the Court of General Sessions to two three-year terms
9Ogden HoffmanMay 1829 – May 22, 1835Democratic
  • appointed to two three-year terms
    • 10Thomas PhoenixMay 22, 1835 – June 4, 1838?
  • appointed to a three-year term
    • 11James R. WhitingJune 4, 1838 – June 10, 1844Democratic
  • appointed to two three-year terms
    • 12Matthew C. PatersonJune 10, 1844 – January 26, 1846?
  • appointed to a three-year term
  • died in office
    • 13John McKeonFebruary 6, 1846 – December 31, 1850Democratic
  • last to be appointed by the Court of General Sessions and first to be elected by popular ballot
    • 14N. Bowditch BluntJanuary 1, 1851 – July 17, 1854Whig
  • elected to two three-year terms
  • died in office
    • -Lorenzo B. ShepardJuly 25, 1854 – December 31, 1854 Democratic
  • appointed by Governor Horatio Seymour
  • declined to be nominated to run for election
    • 15A. Oakey HallJanuary 1, 1855 – December 31, 1857Whig
  • elected to a three-year term
  • did not run for re-election
    • 16Peter B. SweenyJanuary 1, 1858 – October 3, 1858Democratic
  • elected to a three-year term
  • resigned because of ill health
    • -Joseph BluntOctober 5, 1858 – December 31, 1858 Republican
  • appointed by Governor John A. King
    • 17Nelson J. WaterburyJanuary 1, 1859 – December 31, 1861Democratic
  • elected to a three-year term
  • lost election to Hall
    • 18A. Oakey HallJanuary 1, 1862 – December 31, 1868Republican
    Democratic
  • second tenure, elected to three three-year terms
  • resigned to take office as Mayor of New York City
    • 19Samuel B. GarvinJanuary 5, 1869 – December 31, 1869
    January 1, 1870 – December 31, 1872    		Democratic
  • appointed by Governor John T. Hoffman
  • elected to a three-year term
  • did not run for re-election
    • 20Benjamin K. PhelpsJanuary 1, 1873 – December 30, 1880Republican
  • elected to three three-year terms
  • died in office
    • -Daniel G. RollinsJanuary 3, 1881 – January 10, 1881
    January 10, 1881 – December 31, 1881     		Republican
  • appointed acting D.A. by the Court of General Sessions, then appointed interim D.A. for the remainder of Phelps' term by Governor Alonzo B. Cornell
  • did not run for re-election
    • 21John McKeonJanuary 1, 1882 – November 22, 1883Democratic
  • second tenure, elected to a three-year term
  • died in office
    • -John VincentNovember 22, 1883 – November 30, 1883 Democratic
  • appointed by the Court of General Sessions to act until the governor's appointment of a successor
    • -Wheeler H. PeckhamNovember 30, 1883 – December 9, 1883 Democratic
  • appointed by Governor Grover Cleveland, then resigned due to ill health
    • -Peter B. OlneyDecember 10, 1883 – December 31, 1884 Democratic
  • appointed by Governor Cleveland
  • did not run for election
    • 22Randolph B. MartineJanuary 1, 1885 – December 31, 1887Democratic
  • elected to a three-year term
  • did not run for re-election, became a judge in the Court of General Sessions
    • 23John R. FellowsJanuary 1, 1888 – December 31, 1890Democratic
  • elected to a three-year term
  • did not run for re-election
    • 24De Lancey NicollJanuary 1, 1891 – December 31, 1893Democratic
  • elected to a three-year term
  • did not seek renomination
    • 25John R. FellowsJanuary 1, 1894 – December 7, 1896Democratic
  • second tenure, elected to a three-year term that was extended by one year so that the D.A., the Mayor, and other city officers would be elected in the same years
  • died in office shortly before the extra year began
    • -Vernon M. DavisDecember 7, 1896 – December 19, 1896 Democratic
  • appointed by the Court of General Sessions to act until the appointment of a successor by the Governor
    • -William M.K. OlcottDecember 19, 1896 – December 31, 1897 Republican
  • appointed by Governor Levi P. Morton
    • 26Asa Bird GardinerJanuary 1, 1898 – December 22, 1900Democratic
  • elected a four-year term
  • removed from office by Governor Theodore Roosevelt for corruption
    • -Eugene A. PhilbinDecember 22, 1900 – December 31, 1901 Democratic
  • appointed by Governor Roosevelt
    • -George W. SchurmanJanuary 1, 1902 Republican
  • appointed by Mayor Low until Jerome was sworn in
    • 27William T. JeromeJanuary 2, 1902 – December 31, 1909Fusion/Ind.
  • elected on a Fusion ticket nominated by Anti-Tammany Democrats, Republicans and Citizens Union
  • re-elected in 1905 as an Independent, was also nominated by the Republican Party too late to appear on the ballot
  • not re-nominated for re-election
    • 28Charles S. WhitmanJanuary 1, 1910 – December 31, 1914Republican
  • elected to two four-year terms
  • resigned to take office as Governor of New York
    • -Charles A. PerkinsJanuary 1, 1915 – December 31, 1915 Republican
  • appointed by Whitman, who was his predecessor D.A. and became governor
  • defeated by Swann in a special election
    • 29Edward SwannJanuary 1, 1916 – December 31, 1921Democratic
  • elected to the remainder of Whitman's second term
  • re-elected to a four-year term
  • did not seek re-nomination
    • 30Joab H. BantonJanuary 1, 1922 – December 31, 1929Democratic
  • elected to two four-year terms
  • did not see renomination
    • 31Thomas C. T. CrainJanuary 1, 1930 – December 31, 1933Democratic
  • elected to a four-year term
  • did not run for re-election
    • 32William C. DodgeJanuary 1, 1934 – December 31, 1937Democratic
  • elected to a four-year term
  • not nominated for re-election by Tammany Hall
    • 33Thomas E. DeweyJanuary 1, 1938 – December 31, 1941Republican,American Labor,
    City Fusion
    • elected to a four-year term
    • did not run for re-election
    34Frank S. HoganJanuary 1, 1942 – August 10, 1973Democratic
  • Initially elected on the Democratic, Republican, American Labor, Fusion, and United City tickets
  • elected to nine four-year terms
  • tendered his resignation on December 26, 1973 after being re-elected the prior month, and technically remained in office until Kuh was sworn in
    • -Alfred J. ScottiAugust 10, 1973 – February 13, 1974 ?
  • acting D.A. from the time Hogan was hospitalized until Kuh was sworn in
    • -Richard KuhFebruary 13, 1974 – December 31, 1974 Democratic
  • appointed by Governor Malcolm Wilson for the remainder of the year
  • defeated by Morgenthau in both the Democratic primary and a special general election running as a Republican for the remainder of Hogan's term
    • 35Robert M. MorgenthauJanuary 1, 1975 – December 31, 2009Democratic
  • defeated Kuh in both the Democratic primary and in a special election for the remainder of Hogan's ninth term
  • re-elected to eight four-year terms
    • 36Cyrus Vance Jr.January 1, 2010 – incumbentDemocratic
  • elected to three four-year terms

    • The New York County District Attorney in popular culture

    Films