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Criminal Law & Justice vocabulary · Defence & Prosecution

DA

Meaning in criminal law & justice, with examples

/ˌdiː ˈeɪ/abbreviationCommon term

In criminal law & justice, DA means: District attorney: in the US, the chief public prosecutor of a county or district, who decides which criminal cases to bring to court.

In Turkish: bölge savcısı, savcı

How it is used

Very common in American news and legal dramas: 'the DA's office', 'the DA decided not to file charges'. Lawyers who work under the DA are 'assistant district attorneys' (ADAs). In many states the DA is elected, and some states use other titles, such as 'state's attorney' or 'county prosecutor'.

Example sentences

  1. The DA says there is enough evidence to go to trial.

  2. She worked in the DA's office for six years before becoming a defense lawyer.

Common collocations

  • the DA's office
  • assistant DA
  • district attorney
  • elected DA
  • prosecutorA lawyer who works for the state and brings criminal cases to court, trying to prove that the defendant is guilty.
  • public defenderIn the US, a lawyer paid by the government to defend people who are charged with a crime and cannot afford to hire their own lawyer.
  • prosecutionThe process of bringing a criminal case against someone in court; 'the prosecution' also means the lawyers who present the case against the defendant.
  • chargeTo formally accuse someone of a particular crime so that the case can go to court; as a noun, a charge is the formal accusation itself.

More terms: Defence & Prosecution

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.