The Kings County District Attorney's Office, also known as the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office, is the district attorney's office for Kings County, coterminous with the Borough of Brooklyn, in New York City. The office is responsible for the prosecution of violations of the laws of New York. (Violations of federal law are prosecuted by the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.) The current district attorney is Eric Gonzalez.
History In a legislative act of February 12, 1796, New York State was divided into seven districts, each with its own Assistant Attorney General. Kings County was part of the First District, which also included Queens, 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 and 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, each county in the state became its own separate district.
Until 1822, district attorneys were appointed by the Council of Appointment, and held office "during the Council's pleasure", meaning that there was no defined term. Under the State Constitution of 1821, the district attorney was appointed to a three-year term by the Court of General Sessions, and under the State Constitution of 1846, the office became elective by popular ballot. The governor filled vacancies until a successor was elected, always to a full term, at the next annual election. An acting district attorney was appointed by the Court of General Sessions pending the Governor's action.
Since the Consolidation Charter of New York City in 1898, the terms of the district attorneys in New York City have coincided with the mayor's term, and are for four years. In case of a vacancy, the governor appoints an interim district attorney and can call a special election for the remainder of the term.
List of Kings County District Attorneys
Name Dates in Office Party Notes Nathaniel Lawrence February 16, 1796 – July 15, 1797 Dem.-Rep.diedWerner (1891), p. 553. vacant July 15, 1797 – January 16, 1798 Cadwallader D. Colden January 16, 1798 – August 19, 1801 Federalist Richard Riker August 19, 1801 – February 13, 1810 Dem.-Rep. Cadwallader D. Colden February 13, 1810 – February 19, 1811 Federalist Richard Riker February 19, 1811 – March 5, 1813 Dem.-Rep. Barent Gardenier March 5, 1813 – April 8, 1815 Federalist Thomas S. Lester April 8, 1815 – March 12, 1819 ? James B. Clarke March 2, 1819 – April 26, 1830 ?Werner (1891), p. 557. Nathan B. Morse April 26, 1830 – 1833 ? William Rockwell 1833 – June 3, 1839 ? Nathan B. Morse June 3, 1839 – June 1847 ? Harmanus B. Duryea June 1847 – December 31, 1853 ? Richard C. Underhill January 1, 1854 – December 31, 1856 Whig elected to a three-year term John G. Schumaker January 1, 1857 – December 31, 1859 Democratic elected to a three-year term John Winslow January 1, 1860 – December 31, 1862 Republican elected to a three-year term Samuel D. Morris January 1, 1863 – December 31, 1871 Republican elected to three three-year terms Winchester Britton January 1, 1872 – February 20, 1874 Democratic elected to a three-year term removed for official misconduct by Governor John A. Dix Thomas H. Rodman February 21, 1874 – May 9, 1874 (interim) Democratic appointed by Governor John A. Dix resigned due to illness John Winslow May 9, 1874 – December 31, 1874 (interim) Republican appointed by Governor John A. Dix Winchester Britton January 1, 1875 – December 31, 1877 Democratic elected to a three-year term lost re-election to Catlin Isaac S. Catlin January 1, 1878 – December 31, 1883 Republican elected to two three-year terms did not run for a third term James W. Ridgway January 1, 1884 – December 31, 1895 Democratic elected to four three-year terms did not run for a fifth term Foster L. Backus January 1, 1896 – December 31, 1897 Republican elected to a three-year term, which was shortened due to the consolidation of New York City Josiah Taylor Marean January 1, 1898 – January 2, 1899 Democratic elected to a four-year term resigned to become a Supreme Court Justice Hiram R. Steele January 2, 1899 – December 31, 1899 (interim) Republican appointed by Gov. Theodore Roosevelt ran for election but lost to Clarke John F. Clarke January 1, 1900 – December 31, 1911 Democratic elected to three four-year terms lost to Cropsey in election James C. Cropsey January 1, 1912 – April 1916 Fusion defeated Clarke in election elected to another four-year term resigned to accept a nomination by Governor Charles S. Whitman to become a Supreme Court judge Harry E. Lewis April 1916 – late 1916 (interim) late 1916 – December 31, 1921 Republican appointed by Governor Whitman to replace Cropsey for the remainder of the year elected to the remainder of Cropsey's term elected to a four-year term resigned after being elected Supreme Court JusticeHerbert N. Warbasse December 31, 1921 – January 2, 1922 (acting) ? filled in after Lewis resigned and before Ruston was sworn in John E. Ruston January 2, 1922 – December 31, 1922 (interim) Republican appointed by Gov. Nathan L. Miller lost to Dodd in electionCharles J. Dodd January 1, 1923 – December 30, 1929 Democratic defeated Ruston in the election for the remainder of Lewis' term re-elected to two four-year terms resigned to become a Supreme Court justiceGeorge E. Brower January 1, 1930 – December 31, 1930 (interim) Democratic appointed by Governor Franklin Roosevelt to serve the remainder of the yearWilliam F.X. Geoghan January 1, 1931 – December 31, 1939 Democratic elected to the remainder of Dodd's term elected to two four-year terms retiredWilliam O'Dwyer January 1, 1940 – June 1, 1942 Democratic elected to two four-year terms went on military leaveThomas Cradock Hughes June 1, 1942 – February 1, 1945 (acting) Democratic acting in place of William O'Dwyer during his military leave William O'Dwyer February 1, 1945 – August 2, 1945 Democratic returned from military service resigned to run for Mayor, and won George J. Beldock August 10, 1945 – December 27, 1945 (interim) Republican appointed by Governor Thomas E. Dewey for the remainder of the year defeated by McDonald in election Miles F. McDonald December 27, 1945 – December 29, 1953 Democratic elected to two four-year terms won the Democratic, Republican, and Liberal party primaries in 1953, but then resigned and withdrew from the election to accept a nomination to run for Supreme Court justice Edward S. Silver December 29, 1953 – September 19, 1964 Democratic,Liberal,Independent selected by the Brooklyn Democratic Party and Liberal Party executive committees to replace McDonald as the nominee on their slates in the primary election, then won the primary and general elections elected to two more four-year terms resigned to run for Surrogate Aaron E. Koota September 19, 1964 – December 31, 1964 (acting)January 1, 1965 – September 7, 1968 (elected) Democratic became acting district attorney upon Silver's resignation selected by the Kings County Democratic Party executive committee as the nominee for the election to replace Silver, and won elected to a four-year term resigned to accept a nomination to run for Supreme Court justice Elliot Golden late 1968 – December 31, 1968 (acting) Democratic became acting district attorney upon Koota's resignation Eugene Gold January 1, 1969 – December 31, 1981 Democratic,Liberal selected by the Kings County Democratic Committee as the nominee in the election to replace Koota, and won elected to three four-year terms retired Elizabeth Holtzman January 1, 1982 – December 31, 1989 Democratic,Liberal elected to two four-year terms did not run for re-election (ran for City Comptroller instead, and won) Charles J. Hynes January 1, 1990 – December 31, 2013 Democratic elected to six four-year terms lost Democratic primary and general elections to Thompson Kenneth P. Thompson January 1, 2014 – October 9, 2016 Democratic elected to a four-year term by winning both the Democratic primary and general elections over Hynes died in office Eric Gonzalez October 9, 2016 – January 21, 2018 (acting)January 21, 2018 – current (elected) Democratic designated by Thompson to be acting district attorney in his absence due to illness elected to a four-year term
References
External links The Brooklyn District Attorney's Office: Official website