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District Attorney of Queens County
Incumbent Melinda Katz since January 1, 2020
Type	District attorney
Member of	District Attorneys Association of the State of New York
Term length	Four years
Formation	February 12, 1796
First holder	Nathaniel Lawrence
Website	www.queensda.org

The District Attorney of Queens County is the elected district attorney for Queens County in New York State, coterminous with the New York City borough of Queens. The office is responsible for the prosecution of violations of New York state laws. (Federal law violations in Queens are prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York). The current Queens County District Attorney is Melinda Katz, who assumed the duties of the office on January 1, 2020. There was an inauguration on January 6, 2020 at her alma mater, St. Johns University.

History

In a legislative act of February 12, 1796, New York State was divided into seven districts, each with its own Assistant Attorney General. Queens County was part of the First District, which also included Kings, Richmond, Suffolk, and Westchester counties. (At that time, Queens County included much of present-day Nassau County, and Westchester County included present-day Bronx County.) In 1801, the office of Assistant Attorney General was renamed District Attorney. At the same time, New York County was added to the First District. Westchester County was separated from the First District in 1813, and New York County was separated in 1815. In 1818, all 13 districts were broken up, and each county in the State of New York became a separate district.

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 State Constitution of 1821, the D.A. was appointed to a three-year term by the County Court. 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 filled the vacancy temporarily until a successor was elected, always to a full term, at the next annual election.

One year after the 1898 Consolidation of New York City, Nassau County was separated from Queens County. In case of a vacancy, a DA is appointed by the Governor to fill the office temporarily. A new DA is then elected at the next annual election in November, always to a full term. From 1847 to 1942, the term length was three years. In November 1942, a DA was elected to a one-year term. From the election of November 1943, the DA has been elected to a four-year term.

List of district attorneys

References

1. "Membership". daasny.com. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
2. Werner, Edgar A. (1891). Civil List and Constitutional History of the Colony and State of New York. Albany, N.Y.: Weed, Parsons, and Company. pp. 553–563. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
3. ^ Chester, Alden (1911). Legal and Judicial History of New York, Volume 3. New York, N.Y.: National Americana Society. p. 85. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
4. The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pp. 366ff and 379; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858).
5. Courts and Lawyers of New York: A History, 1609-1925 by Alden Chester & Edwin Melvin Williams (The American Historical Society, 1935, vol. 1, p. 964).
6. Rules on Queens Election, New York Times, October 15, 1942 (subscription required).
7. ^ Werner (1891), p. 553.
8. ^ Werner (1891), p. 560.
9. "New-York — Queens County Official Canvass". New York Times. November 11, 1874. p. 5. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
10. "The State Election — Official County Returns — The Vote for State Officers and Assembly Men". New York Times. November 14, 1877. p. 5. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
11. "The Queens County Returns". New York Times. November 4, 1880. p. 8. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
12. "Mr. Downing Removed — Gov. Cleveland Finds the Charges Against Him Sustained". New York Times. October 27, 1883. p. 1. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
13. "Downing Determined to Run — He Sats That His Removal is Part of a Political Scheme". New York Times. October 28, 1883. p. 2. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
14. "Queens County Elections — The Majority of Mr. Otis — Gleason's Defeat in Long Island City". New York Times. November 8, 1883. p. 2. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
15. ^ "The Old Sureties Good - A Belief That Defaulter M'Gowan's Bondsmen for 1885 Are Liable". New York Times. May 3, 1887. p. 8. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
16. "The Election in Long Island". New York Times. November 3, 1886. p. 2. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
17. "Left a Big Shortage — District Attorney M'Gowan Departs Hastily for Canada". New York Times. May 2, 1887. p. 1. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
18. "Charged With Party Disloyalty". New York Times. May 9, 1897. p. 8. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
19. The Brooklyn Citizen Almanac. Brooklyn, N.Y.: The Brooklyn Citizen. 1893. p. 238. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
20. "City and Suburban News — Long Island". New York Times. June 14, 1887. p. 3. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
21. "Col. Fleming Appointed". New York Times. August 11, 1887. p. 2. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
22. "The Queens County Vote". New York Times. November 16, 1887. p. 8. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
23. "New Queens County Officials". New York Times. January 3, 1891. p. 8. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
24. ^ "Suspiciously Slow Returns — Election Inspectors in Long Island City May Be Investigated". New York Times. November 11, 1893. p. 9. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
25. The Brooklyn Citizen Almanac. Brooklyn, N.Y.: The Brooklyn Citizen. 1894. p. 325. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
26. "Flowers for Judge Moore". New York Times. January 3, 1897. p. 4. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
27. "Roosevelt Selects Steele". New York Times. December 15, 1898. p. 4. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
28. "Gen. Roe Sees Roosevelt — Plan for National Guard Reorganization Discussed — Twenty Candidates for Aldridge's Place". New York Times. December 20, 1898. p. 2. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
29. "Two New District Attorneys — H.R. Steele Appointed in Kings and G.W. Davison in Queens". New York Times. January 3, 1899. p. 2. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
30. "Democrats Win in Queens". New York Times. November 8, 1899. p. 3. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
31. "Coler's Heavy Vote in New York City — His Plurality Amounts to About 120,000 — Judges Democratic — Republicans Lose Two Congressmen in New York County — Democrats Elect County Tickets in the Greater City". New York Times. November 5, 1902. p. 3. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
32. "Vote Canvass Begins in Two City Boroughs — Hearst Lawyers Say They Have Found Discrepancies — Strike a Snag in Manhattan — Court Orders Are Obtained to Compel Production of Tally Sheets — Cassidy Busy in Queens". New York Times. November 15, 1905. p. 20. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
33. ^ "Bryan Cut in Kings; Hughes Knifed Here — Some of the Trading Made Clear by an Analysis of the City Vote — Tammany's Strength Seen — And Its Decline Made Plain — Some Indication That a Republican Might Win the Mayoralty". New York Times. November 5, 1908. p. 3. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
34. "Queens Election Contest Dismissed". New York Times. December 4, 1908. p. 8. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
35. "Tammany Carries the County; Loses the Board of Aldermen — Harburger's Plurality for Sheriff a Bare 3,081 Votes — Murphy Judges Elected — But Fusion Beats Willet Ticket Across the River and Elects Cropsey in Kings — Bronx Gone Republican — Fusion Even Carries Queens, Though Cassidy Saves His District Attorney — Richmond All Democratic — It Was the Only Borough That Stood by the Party Against Strenuous Attacks — Sorry Night For Murphy — But He Says It's a Victory for the People Against Yellow Journalism — Cohalan's Plurality Only 691". New York Times. November 8, 1911. p. 1. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
36. "A Tammany Sweep — Hylan Can Get Every Vote in the Board of Estimate — Carries Every Borough — His Vote Is 293,382, Mitchel's 148,060, and Hillquit's 138,793 — Lewis, Attorney General — Beaten in This City, but Had a Big Plurality Up-State — Hylan Promises Loyalty". New York Times. November 7, 1917. p. 1. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
37. "'Murphy Must Go,' Michel Declares — Mayor Suggests the Only Way to Force the Boss Is to "Starve Him Out" — Chieftain Not Worried — "Feeling Very Fit," but Going Away for a Rest — Chairman Osborn Analyzes Result". New York Times. November 5, 1914. p. 6. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
38. ^ "City Vote on State Senate — Minor City Offices — Wallace (Rep.) Elected District Attorney of Queens — Two Republican Aldermen". New York Times. November 4, 1920. p. 4. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
39. "Two to One on Justices — Hearst's Choices Ran Lowest and Tammany Leaders Rejoice — Brooklyn All Democratic — Pluralities for County Ticket Run From 50,000 to 90,000 Votes — Fairchild to Congress — Heavy Westchester Vote Carries Him In Over Koch, but Prall and J.J. O'Connor Win". New York Times. November 7, 1923. p. 1. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
40. "Officials Elected". New York Times. November 7, 1923. p. 1. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
41. "Smith Sweeps City; Plurality is 483,39 — Plurality Exceeds That of His Victory Over Miller — Bigger Than Hylan's in 1921 — Wagner's Vote a Triumph — His Plurality Is Estimated at 377,000 — Wets Win Here by About 840,000". New York Times. November 3, 1926. p. 1. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
42. ^ "Harvey Lead 28,325 — President of Queens Escapes Sweep by Democrats — Cox Congratulates Him — Total Vote Is 144,852 for Republican, Against 116,527 for Rival — Bigger Than Last Year — Candidate Scores on Issue of 'Connollyism and Sewer Graft' for the Third Time — Sees 'Vote of Confidence' — Hallinan Elected Prosecutor by 37,426 — Newcombe Wins by 68,213 for Surrogate". New York Times. November 6, 1929. p. 1. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
43. ^ "Officials Elected". New York Times. November 6, 1929. p. 2. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
44. "Bench Deal Protest Unheeded at Polls —12 New Judicial Nominees Win Huge Majority Over 'No Deal' Slate — McCooey Jr. Trails — Court Test is Promised — Action by Bar on Steinbrink Also Will Be Asked, Defeated Leader Asserts". New York Times. November 4, 1931. p. 1. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
45. "Court Forfeits Bail of Tardy Gambler — Raymond, Witness in Rothstein Murder, Loses $7,500 and Is Jailed Pending Forgery Trial". New York Times. January 1932. p. 8. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
46. "Haskell is Named to Transit Board — J.J. Fitzgerald Is Appointed to Succeed Conway as Brooklyn County Court Judge — Kadien to Queens Bench — C.S. Golden, a Descendant of a Colonial Governor, Is Nominated Queens, District Attorney". New York Times. February 16, 1932. p. 2. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
47. "List of Candidates for Local Voters — Special Mayoralty Election to Fill Out Walker's Term Is Chief City Campaign — Five Parties Vie in State — Vichert Heads Law Preservation Ticket for Drys — Socialists Fight for Many Posts". New York Times. November 6, 1932. p. 23. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
48. "Colden, Brancato Named as Judges — Lehman Fills Bench Vacancies in Queens and Kings — No Action on Supreme Court". New York Times. January 8, 1935. p. 7. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
49. "Prosecutors Back Lehman on Liquor — Cooperation in Enforcement of State Control Laws Pledged by Geoghan and Walsh — Many Cases in Brooklyn — Average Is About 25 a Week in Drive to Rout Bootleggers, District Attorney Says". New York Times. January 13, 1935. p. 29. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
50. "Pecora Reported Lehman Choice For Justice of Supreme Court — Governor Expected to Name Member of SEC This Week to 1st District Bench — Brancato Slated for McLaughlin's Place in Kings and Colden to Be Queens County Judge". New York Times. January 6, 1935. p. 1. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
51. "Democrats Sweep City — Gain 13 Seats on Board of Aldermen and Win County Offices — M'Goldrick is Swamped — Rival Piles Up a Lead of 148,752 in Contest for Kings District Attorney — Hooley is Elected Judge — Scores an Easy Victory Over Johnson — Judge Colden Also Snows Rival Under". New York Times. November 6, 1935. p. 1. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
52. "Queens District Attorney". New York Times. November 10, 1938. p. 24. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
53. "Vote for Justices is Generally Light — Church, Botein and Schmuck Are Re-elected to Supreme Court in 1st District". New York Times. November 4, 1942. p. 6. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
54. Hagerty, James A. (November 3, 1943). "Hanley is Elected — Big Up-State Lead Tops Haskell in the Race for Lieutenant Governor — Wins Two Boroughs — Democrat Carries City by 320,000 — Justice Rivers a Victor". New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
55. Hagerty, James A. (November 5, 1947). "Minor Parties Lose — Law Condemned by Foes as Aid to Communists in Council is Killed — Rabin Defeats Lumbard — Democratic-Liberal Choice for the Bench Wins — Rains Retard Balloting". New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
56. "Light Vote is Seen in City and State — Polls Open 6 A.M. to 7 P.M. — Police Here Are Alerted for Duty — Bars to Be Shut". New York Times. November 5, 1951. p. 21. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
57. ^ Conklin, William R. (November 7, 1951). "Methfessel Loses; Queens Picks Lundy — Simonson Wins in Richmond Landslide — Quinn Defeats Herz by 311 Votes". New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
58. ^ Egan, Leo (September 14, 1955). "O'Connor Defeats Quinn — Loser May Ask Recount". New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
59. Egan, Leo (November 9, 1955). "Democrats in City Sweep; Highways and Dam Beaten; Jersey G.O.P. Margin is Cut — O'Connor Winner — Takes Queens Contest — Republicans Retain Suburban Powe". New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
60. Knowles, Clayton (November 4, 1959). "School Bond Amendment Loses; City Rejects It By Large Margin; Clancy Beats Barnes in Queens — Democrats Score Sweep in Queens — O'Connor Is Easy Winner as Prosecutor — Court Slate Is Carried to Victory". New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
61. Hunt, Richard P. (November 6, 1963). "Off-Track Betting Endorsed, 3-1; Aldrich, O'Dwyer Win For Council; Jersey Voters Defeat Bond Issue — Vote Light Here — Cariello, O'Connor and Dollinger Elected — Amendments Pass". New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
62. "Lindsay Beats Beame in Close Race; O'Connor and Procaccino Both Win; State Senate is G.O.P.; Hughes Victor — Seesaw Contest — Vote Is Tightest Here in Quarter Century — 13% for Buckley". New York Times. November 3, 1965. p. 1. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
63. Madden, Richard L. (December 22, 1965). "Hentel Appointed to O'Connor Post — Named by Rockefeller to Be Queens District Attorney — Term to Run One Year". New York Times. p. 33. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
64. ^ Knowles, Clayton (November 9, 1966). "Mackell Victor in Queens Race — Hentel Loses by 50,000 in District Attorney Contest". New York Times. p. 24. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
65. Ronan, Thomas P. (November 8, 1967). "Re-Election Won by 3 Prosecutors — Dollinger, Mackell, Braisted Score Easy Victories". New York Times. p. 31. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
66. Ronan, Thomas P. (November 3, 1971). "Midonick Is Elected Surrogate In Manhattan, Beating Aarons". New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
67. ^ Burnham, David (April 24, 1973). "Mackell Resigns In Face of Move to Force Him Out". New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
68. Burnham, David (May 10, 1973). "Governor Appoints Armstrong as New Queens D.A." New York Times. p. 41. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
69. "City's Five Borough Presidents, All Democrats, Are Easily Returned to Their Offices — Hogan Wins 9th Term; Gold and Ferraro Ahead". New York Times. November 7, 1973. p. 59. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
70. "Makeup of Legislature and Breakdown of Vote in City; Courts and Local Races". New York Times. November 4, 1976. p. 33. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
71. "Carey Appoints Santucci as Queens District Attorney". New York Times. December 31, 1976. p. B9. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
72. Schumach, Murray (November 9, 1977). "Santucci Easily Defeats Nadjari For District Attorney of Queens". New York Times. p. 31. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
73. "Totals for Vote in Elections in City, Suburbs and Nearby States". New York Times. November 5, 1981. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
74. "The '85 Elections — Election Results in Voting Tuesday in City and on Long Island — Vote Totals for the Elections Held in New York and New Jersey". New York Times. November 7, 1985. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
75. "Vote Totals for the Elections Held on Tuesday in New York and New Jersey". New York Times. November 9, 1989. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
76. Fried, Joseph P. (May 2, 1991). "Santucci Is Retiring as the Queens District Attorney". New York Times. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
77. Fried, Joseph P. (May 31, 1991). "Judge Is Picked to Succeed Santucci as Queens Prosecutor". New York Times. p. B4. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
78. Fried, Joseph P. (August 29, 1991). "Challenger Fails To Get on Ballot In Queens Race". New York Times. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
79. Fisher, Ian. "Election 1995: The Overview — Molinari Loses Race for District Attorney on Staten Island". New York Times. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
80. Herszenhorn, David M. (November 3, 1999). "The 1999 Elections: District Attorneys — 3 Democratic Incumbents Handily Rebuff Challengers". New York Times. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
81. Hicks, Jonathan P. (November 7, 2007). "Staten Island District Attorney Is Re-elected in One of City's Few Contested Races". New York Times. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
82. Burns, Alexander (November 4, 2015). "Michael McMahon, Ex-Congressman, Is Elected Staten Island District Attorney". New York Times. p. A26. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
83. ^ Fried, Joseph P. (May 5, 2019). "Richard A. Brown, Queens District Attorney, Dies at 86". New York Times. p. A25. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
84. Parry, Bill (March 7, 2019). "Meet John Ryan, the acting Queens District Attorney taking the reins from Richard A. Brown". QNS. Schneps Communications. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
85. Denney, Andrew (March 8, 2019). "John Ryan, Who Will Serve as Acting DA in Queens, Pledges to 'Keep Doing Justice' – Ryan, although he has worked as chief assistant for 22 years, said he has no intention to run for the top spot himself, nor has he had any serious desire to do so through his tenure". law.com. New York Law Journal. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
86. Wang, Vivian (November 6, 2019). "N.Y. Election Results: Voters Approve All 5 Ballot Measures". New York Times. p. A23. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
87. Handschuh, David (January 10, 2020). "Melinda Katz Sworn In as Queens County District Attorney". law.com. New York Law Journal. Retrieved January 18, 2020.

External links

• official website

v t e Current prosecutors in New York City
State and local (district attorneys)	The Bronx (Bronx County) Darcel Clark Brooklyn (Kings County) Eric Gonzalez Manhattan (New York County) Alvin Bragg Queens (Queens County) Melinda Katz Staten Island (Richmond County) Michael McMahon Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan
Federal (United States attorneys)	U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Edward Kim (acting) U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace
See also: Public defender • The Legal Aid Society • The Bronx Defenders

• Queens County (New York) District Attorneys
• County district attorneys in New York City
• District attorney's offices