New York County District Attorney
Encyclopedia
The New York County District Attorney is the elected district attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...

 for New York County (Manhattan), New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

. The office is responsible for the prosecution of violations of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 state law
State law
In the United States, state law is the law of each separate U.S. state, as passed by the state legislature and adjudicated by state courts. It exists in parallel, and sometimes in conflict with, United States federal law. These disputes are often resolved by the federal courts.-See also:*List of U.S...

s. (Federal law
Federal law
Federal law is the body of law created by the federal government of a country. A federal government is formed when a group of political units, such as states or provinces join together in a federation, surrendering their individual sovereignty and many powers to the central government while...

 violations are prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York is the chief federal law enforcement officer in eight New York counties: New York , Bronx, Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange, Dutchess, and Sullivan. Preet Bharara, who was appointed by Barack Obama in 2009 is the U.S. Attorney for the...

). The current District Attorney is Cyrus Vance, Jr.
Cyrus Vance, Jr.
Cyrus Roberts Vance, Jr. is an American trial lawyer. He is the incumbent New York County District Attorney , and was previously a principal at the law firm of Morvillo, Abramowitz, Grand, Isaon, Anello & Bohrer, P.C...


History

In the legislative act of February 5, 1796, New York State was divided into seven districts which had each an Assistant Attorney General, except New York County where Attorney General
New York State Attorney General
The New York State Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of New York. The office has been in existence in some form since 1626, under the Dutch colonial government of New York.The current Attorney General is Eric Schneiderman...

 Josiah Ogden Hoffman prosecuted personally until 1801.

From 1801 to 1813, New York County was part of the First District which included the then existing counties of New York, Suffolk, Queens, Kings, Richmond and Westchester (now comprising the area of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...

, The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...

, Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...

, Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....

, Nassau
Nassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...

, Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...

, Westchester
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...

 and Suffolk
Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...

). In 1813, Westchester Co. was redistricted to a new district with Rockland
Rockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...

 and Putnam
Putnam County, New York
Putnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the lower Hudson River Valley. Putnam county formed in 1812, when it detached from Dutchess County. , the population was 99,710. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The county seat is the hamlet of Carmel...

 counties. In 1815, New York County was excluded from the First District and became the Twelfth District, at the time the only one consisting of a single county. In 1818, all 13 districts were broken up, and every county in the State of New York became a separate district.

From 1874 to 1895, the County of New York included the West Bronx
West Bronx
The West Bronx is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The neighborhood lies west of the Bronx River and roughly corresponds to the western half of the borough....

, and from 1895 to 1913 all of what is today the County of Bronx, governing the same area as does the present Borough
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...

 of the Bronx. Since January 1, 1914, the boundaries of New York County have been identical to those of the Borough of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...

.

Until 1822, the district attorney was appointed by the Council of Appointment
Council of Appointment
The Council of Appointment was a body of the Government of New York that existed from 1777 to 1822.-History:...

, and held the office "during the Council's pleasure", meaning that there was no defined term of office.

Under the provisions of the State Constitution of 1821, the D.A. was appointed to a three-year term by the Court of General Sessions.

Under the provisions of the State 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, the Governor of New York
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...

 filled the vacancy temporarily until a successor was elected, always to a full term, at the next annual election. An Acting D.A. was appointed by the Court of General Sessions pending the Governor's action.

The Consolidation Charter of 1896 extended the term of the incumbent John R. Fellows
John R. Fellows
John R. Fellows was an American lawyer and politician from Arkansas and New York.-Life:...

—who had been elected in 1893 to a three-year term (1894–96)—by a year, and since the City election of 1897, the D.A.'s term coincides with the Mayor's term, being four years long. In case of a vacancy, a special election is held for the remainder of the term, if any.

List of District Attorneys

District Attorney Took office Left office Party Notes
Richard Riker
Richard Riker
Richard Riker was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:He was the son of Congressman Samuel Riker and Anna Riker...

August 19, 1801 February 13, 1810 Dem.-Rep.
Cadwallader D. Colden
Cadwallader D. Colden
Cadwallader David Colden was an American politician.-Life:...

February 13, 1810 February 19, 1811 Federalist
Richard Riker
Richard Riker
Richard Riker was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:He was the son of Congressman Samuel Riker and Anna Riker...

February 19, 1811 March 5, 1813 Dem.-Rep.
Barent Gardenier
Barent Gardenier
Barent Gardenier was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was a United States Representative from 1807 to 1811.-Life:...

March 5, 1813 March 31, 1815 Federalist
John Rodman
John Rodman
John Rodman was an American lawyer and politician from New York and Florida.-Life:...

March 31, 1815 January 28, 1817 Dem.-Rep.
Hugh Maxwell
Hugh Maxwell
Hugh Maxwell was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:He graduated from Columbia College in 1808. Then he studied law and was admitted to the bar....

January 28, 1817 June 11, 1818 Dem.-Rep.
Pierre C. Van Wyck
Pierre C. Van Wyck
Pierre Van Cortlandt Van Wyck was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:He was the son of Abraham Van Wyck and Catherine Van Wyck...

June 11, 1818 February 13, 1821
Hugh Maxwell
Hugh Maxwell
Hugh Maxwell was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:He graduated from Columbia College in 1808. Then he studied law and was admitted to the bar....

February 13, 1821 May 1829 Dem.-Rep. in 1821 the last D.A. appointed by the Council of Appointment
Council of Appointment
The Council of Appointment was a body of the Government of New York that existed from 1777 to 1822.-History:...

; re-appointed by the Court of General Sessions in 1823 and 1826 (two terms)
Ogden Hoffman May 1829 May 22, 1835 Democratic two terms
Thomas Phoenix
Thomas Phoenix
-Name:The family name Phoenix, sometimes spelled Phœnix, derives from the homophonous English family name Fenwicks which is pronounced like FENN-ix...

May 22, 1835 June 4, 1838
James R. Whiting
James R. Whiting
James Raynor Whiting was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:He was New York County District Attorney from 1838 to 1844. In 1842 as District Attorney, he prosecuted John C...

June 4, 1838 June 10, 1844 Democratic two terms
Matthew C. Paterson
Matthew C. Paterson
Matthew Charles Paterson was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:He graduated A.M. from Columbia College in 1819.In 1840, he delivered before the Columbia Peithologian Society....

June 10, 1844 January 26, 1846 died in office
John McKeon
John McKeon
John McKeon was an American lawyer and politician from New York.- Life :He was the son of Capt...

February 6, 1846 December 31, 1850 Democratic in 1846 the last D.A. appointed by the Court of General Sessions; in 1847 the first D.A. elected by popular ballot; elected at the judicial State election of May 1847
New York special judicial election, 1847
At a special judicial election on June 7, 1847, four judges of the New York Court of Appeals, the Clerk of the Court of Appeals, 32 justices of the new New York Supreme Court district benches, county judges, surrogates, districty attorneys and all other judicial officers in the state of New York...

 to a term of three years and a half
N. Bowditch Blunt
N. Bowditch Blunt
Nathaniel Bowditch Blunt was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:...

January 1, 1851 July 17, 1854 Whig died in office during his second term
Lorenzo B. Shepard
Lorenzo B. Shepard
Lorenzo Brigham Shepard was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:Lorenzo B. Shepard was the son of David Brewster Shepard , a New York City lawyer....

July 25, 1854 December 31, 1854 Democratic appointed by Gov. Horatio Seymour
Horatio Seymour
Horatio Seymour was an American politician. He was the 18th Governor of New York from 1853 to 1854 and from 1863 to 1864. He was the Democratic Party nominee for president of the United States in the presidential election of 1868, but lost the election to Republican and former Union General of...

 to fill vacancy
A. Oakey Hall January 1, 1855 December 31, 1857 Whig
Peter B. Sweeny
Peter B. Sweeny
Peter Barr Sweeny was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:He was the son of James Sweeny, who kept a hotel in Hoboken, New Jersey, and Mary Sweeny....

January 1, 1858 October 5, 1858 Democratic resigned because of ill health
Joseph Blunt
Joseph Blunt
Joseph Blunt was an American lawyer, author, editor and politician from New York.-Life:...

October 1858 December 31, 1858 Republican appointed by Gov. John A. King to fill vacancy
Nelson J. Waterbury
Nelson J. Waterbury
Nelson Jarvis Waterbury was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Biography:...

January 1, 1859 December 31, 1861 Democratic
A. Oakey Hall January 1, 1862 December 31, 1868 Republican second tenure; resigned during his fourth term to take office as Mayor of New York City
Mayor of New York City
The Mayor of the City of New York is head of the executive branch of New York City's government. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and state laws within New York City.The budget overseen by the...

Samuel B. Garvin
Samuel B. Garvin
Samuel Bostwick Garvin was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:...

January 1869 December 31, 1872 Democratic appointed by Gov. John T. Hoffman
John T. Hoffman
John Thompson Hoffman was the 23rd Governor of New York . He was also Recorder of New York City and Mayor of New York City...

 to fill vacancy; then elected to a full term
Benjamin K. Phelps
Benjamin K. Phelps
Benjamin Kinsman Phelps was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:...

January 1, 1873 December 30, 1880 Republican died in office during his third term
Daniel G. Rollins
Daniel G. Rollins
Daniel Gustavus Rollins was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:...

January 3, 1881 December 31, 1881 Republican as Assistant D.A. appointed temporarily by the Court of General Sessions; on January 10, appointed by Gov. Alonzo B. Cornell
Alonzo B. Cornell
Alonzo Barton Cornell was a New York politician and businessman who served as 27th Governor of New York from 1880 to 1882.-Early years:...

 to fill vacancy
John McKeon
John McKeon
John McKeon was an American lawyer and politician from New York.- Life :He was the son of Capt...

January 1, 1882 November 22, 1883 Democratic second tenure; died in office
John Vincent November 22, 1883 November 30, 1883 Democratic as one of four Assistant D.A.s, was appointed by the Court of General Sessions to act until the appointment of a successor
Wheeler H. Peckham November 30, 1883 December 9, 1883 Democratic appointed by Gov. Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...

 to fill vacancy; then resigned due to ill health
Peter B. Olney
Peter B. Olney
Peter Butler Olney was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:...

December 10, 1883 December 31, 1884 Democratic appointed by Gov. Cleveland to fill vacancy
Randolph B. Martine
Randolph B. Martine
Randolph Brant Martine was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:He was the son of Theodore Martine, a grocer and realtor, descended from French Huguenot immigrants...

January 1, 1885 December 31, 1887 Democratic
John R. Fellows
John R. Fellows
John R. Fellows was an American lawyer and politician from Arkansas and New York.-Life:...

January 1, 1888 December 31, 1890 Democratic
De Lancey Nicoll
De Lancey Nicoll
De Lancey Nicoll was a New York County District Attorney.-Life:...

January 1, 1891 December 31, 1893 Democratic
John R. Fellows
John R. Fellows
John R. Fellows was an American lawyer and politician from Arkansas and New York.-Life:...

January 1, 1894 December 7, 1896 Democratic second term; elected to a three-year term (1894–96), had his term extended by a year so that the D.A. and the Mayor and other City officers would be elected together in odd-numbered years, but died in office shortly before his extra year began
Vernon M. Davis
Vernon M. Davis
Vernon Mansfield Davis was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:He was the son of Robert Vernon Davis and Mary Davis ....

December 7, 1896 December 19, 1896 Democratic as the senior Assistant D.A., was appointed by the Court of General Sessions to act until the appointment of a successor by the Governor
William M.K. Olcott
William M.K. Olcott
William Morrow Knox Olcott was an American lawyer and politician from New York City.-Biography:He was born on August 27, 1862 New York City to John N. Olcott and Euphemia Helen Knox, and J. Van Vechten Olcott was his brother. He graduated from City College in 1881, and from Columbia Law School in...

December 19, 1896 December 31, 1897 Republican appointed by Governor Levi P. Morton
Levi P. Morton
Levi Parsons Morton was a Representative from New York and the 22nd Vice President of the United States . He also later served as the 31st Governor of New York.-Biography:...

 to fill vacancy
Asa Bird Gardiner
Asa Bird Gardiner
Asa Bird Gardiner was a controversial American soldier, attorney, and prosecutor. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the American Civil War in 1872, it was rescinded when the supporting documentation was not found...

January 1, 1898 December 22, 1900 Democratic first D.A. elected to a four-year term under the Consolidation Charter, then removed from office by Gov. Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...

 due to corruption charges
Eugene A. Philbin
Eugene A. Philbin
Eugene Ambrose Philbin was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was New York County District Attorney from 1900 to 1901.-Life:...

December 22, 1900 December 31, 1901 Democratic appointed by Gov. Roosevelt to fill vacancy
William T. Jerome
William Travers Jerome
William Travers Jerome was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Biography:He was the son of Lawrence Jerome and Kate Jerome. He attended Amherst College but left in 1881 without graduation...

January 1, 1902 December 31, 1909 Fusion/Ind. two terms; elected in 1901 on a Fusion ticket nominated by Anti-Tammany Democrats, Republicans and the Citizens Union
Citizens Union
Citizens Union is one of the United States' first good government groups. Founded in 1897 as a political party, the group was reconstituted in 1908 as a non-partisan member organization with the broad mission of serving "as a watchdog for the public interest and an advocate for the common...

; re-elected in 1905 as an Independent, nominated by the Republican Party too late to appear as such on the ballot
Charles S. Whitman
Charles S. Whitman
Charles Seymour Whitman served as the 41st Governor of New York from January 1915 to December 1918. He was also a delegate to Republican National Convention from New York in 1916.-Biography:...

January 1, 1910 December 31, 1914 Republican resigned to take office as Governor of New York
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...

 during his second term
Charles A. Perkins
Charles A. Perkins
Charles Albert Perkins was an American lawyer and reformer who was New York County District Attorney in 1915. While with the District Attorney's office, Perkins prosecuted many of the city's gang leaders, labor racketeers and other underworld figures during the early 20th century...

January 1915 December 31, 1915 Republican appointed by Gov. Whitman to fill vacancy; defeated by Swann in special election
Edward Swann
Edward Swann
Edward Swann was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:...

January 1, 1916 December 31, 1921 Democratic won special election for the remainder of Whitman's second term; then re-elected to a full term
Joab H. Banton
Joab H. Banton
Joab Hamilton Banton was New York County District Attorney from 1922 to 1929.-Life:...

January 1, 1922 December 31, 1929 Democratic two terms
Thomas C. T. Crain
Thomas C. T. Crain
Thomas Crowell Taylor Crain was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was New York County District Attorney from 1930 to 1933.-Biography:...

January 1, 1930 December 31, 1933 Democratic
William C. Dodge
William C. Dodge
William Copeland Dodge was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Early life:He was born on September 6, 1880 Manchester, New Hampshire to Arthur Pillsbury Dodge and Elizabeth Ann Day . The family moved to Chicago in 1891, and then to New York City in 1897...

January 1, 1934 December 31, 1937 Democratic
Thomas E. Dewey January 1, 1938 December 31, 1941 Republican
Frank S. Hogan January 1, 1942 February 5, 1974 Democratic tendered his resignation on December 26, 1973, but remained in office until the appointment of a successor on February 5, 1974, shortly after beginning his ninth term
Richard Kuh
Richard Kuh
Richard Henry Kuh was a partner at the law firm of Warshaw Burstein Cohen Schlesinger & Kuh, LLP. He was New York County District Attorney in 1974.- Education :...

February 5, 1974 December 31, 1974 Democratic appointed by Gov. Malcolm Wilson
Malcolm Wilson (New York)
Charles Malcolm Wilson was the 50th Governor of New York from December 18, 1973, to December 31, 1974. He was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1939 to 1958. He also served in the Navy during World War II...

 to fill vacancy; defeated by Morgenthau in Democratic primary for special election
Robert M. Morgenthau
Robert M. Morgenthau
Robert Morris Morgenthau is an American lawyer. From 1975 until his retirement in 2009, he was the District Attorney for New York County, the borough of Manhattan.-Early life:...

January 1, 1975 December 31, 2009 Democratic won special election for the remainder of Hogan's ninth term; then re-elected eight times; longest serving DA for New York County
Cyrus Vance, Jr.
Cyrus Vance, Jr.
Cyrus Roberts Vance, Jr. is an American trial lawyer. He is the incumbent New York County District Attorney , and was previously a principal at the law firm of Morvillo, Abramowitz, Grand, Isaon, Anello & Bohrer, P.C...

January 1, 2010 Incumbent Democratic
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