Dallas County District Attorney

The Dallas County District Attorney is the elected, or appointed by the Texas Governor in the event of a vacancy, district attorney (DA) of Dallas County, Texas. Currently, this position is held by Susan Hawk, who was elected as a Republican in 2014 as the first female Dallas County district attorney.[1][2] The office prosecutes offenses under Texas state law classified as felonies, Class A and B misdemeanors, appeals of Class C misdemeanors (punishable by fine only), and Class C misdemeanors filed in the Justice of the Peace courts, generally by non municipal police agencies. (Federal law violations are prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas). The office is notable for arguing Roe v. Wade and prosecuting Jack Ruby. Also, it partnered with the Innocence Project of Texas to review cases that might have been wrongfully convicted, which has been successful. This partnership has received national attention and was forged by Craig Watkins, the first Democratic district attorney in Dallas County since Henry Wade.[3]

Susan Hawk resigned from the position on September 6, 2016.[4][5] If Hawk had stepped aside a week-and-a-half prior, citizens would be voting for the next district attorney of Dallas County in November 2016.[6][7][8] Instead, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, will choose a replacement, likely another Republican.[9][8]

List of DAs

See also

References

  1. Hollandsworth, Skip (30 September 2015). "The Trials of Susan Hawk". texasmonthly.com. Texas Monthly. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  2. Sarah Mervosh; Gromer Jeffers Jr. (27 March 2015). "Dallas County DA Susan Hawk: I sought drug treatment". dallasnews.com. Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  3. 1 2 Moreno, Sylvia (5 March 2007). "New Prosecutor Revisits Justice in Dallas". Washington Post. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  4. Tanya Eiserer; Marjorie Owens (6 September 2016). "Dallas DA Susan Hawk announces resignation". wfaa.com. WFAA. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  5. David Warren, Associated Press (6 September 2016). "Dallas County DA Hawk resigns after bouts of mental illness". wtop.com. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  6. David Warren, Associated Press (6 September 2016). "Dallas County DA Resigns After Bouts of Mental Illness". abcnews.go.com. Dallas. Retrieved 8 September 2016. The timing of the resignation is very unfortunate for Dallas County voters because it is coming just days after the ballot submission deadline. Whenever possible, the voters — not the politicians — should decide who represents them in elected office," he said in a statement. Said Harris, who served under a Democrat, the timing of Hawk's resignation was "disingenuous and a disservice to the people of Dallas County.
  7. Tony Cantu (7 September 2016). "Dallas County DA Resigns, Yielding Yet Another Plot Twist To Drama-Filled Office". patch.com. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  8. 1 2 Jennifer Emily (6 September 2016). "Dallas DA Susan Hawk resigns: 'My health needs my undivided attention'". dallasnews.com. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  9. Young, Stephen (6 September 2016). "Susan Hawk Quits as Dallas County DA. Abbott to Pick Replacement.". dallasobserver.com. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  10. Forsyth, Jennifer S.; Eaton, Leslie (16 November 2008). "The Exonerator". wsj.com. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  11. Schutze, Jim (2 February 2006). "Coloring Book". dallasobserver.com. Dallas Observer. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  12. "Pulse OF THE City – D Magazine". dmagazine.com. D Magazine. August 1997. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  13. Sally Giddens (March 1990). "JUDGING JOHN VANCE – D Magazine". dmagazine.com. D Magazine. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  14. Lisa Belkin (23 March 1989). "Prosecutors Are Faulted In Dallas Murder Case". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 September 2016.

External links

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