Who We Are . . .
85 Permanent Employees spread among
5 Divisions, consisting of:
4 Criminal Teams
31 Attorneys
4 Investigators
51 Support staff and clerks Prosecution occupies is a vital part of that system. The Oregon Constitution delegates the primary criminal law enforcement authority to the District
Attorney. Felony cases that occur in Marion County can only be prosecuted
by the District Attorney. In addition, most misdemeanor cases that occur in the county are prosecuted by the District Attorney. Oregon law mandates that the
District Attorney provide victims with their constitutional and statutory rights in each criminal case. The District Attorney's Office serves the people of the many municipalities located within the county as well as those citizens living
in unincorporated areas. The criminal division is comprised of four teams, each with its own specialty: the Domestic Violence Team, The Career Property Team, The Drug Team and the Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Team. Daily required functions continuously drive the prosecutors and staff during work hours and beyond. Two criminal docket courtrooms operate from 8:30am to 5:00 pm at the Marion County Court Annex and are each staffed by a deputy district attorney. Two grand jury panels function five days a week from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, on alternating days. Attorneys from the District Attorney's Office present cases tothe grand jury. Each deputy district attorney maintains a caseload often twice that of what is considered reasonable. They appear on hundreds of cases, including bench and jury trials, in Marion County Circuit each year. Additionally, they review in-custody cases and search warrants, assist law enforcement agencies,
have mandated on-call responsibilities, conduct trainings,attend numerous agency and community meetings, serve on committees and respond to the needs of victims
and the community. JUVENILE DIVISION:
The Juvenile Court system is modeled after the adult court system, but its purpose and implementation are quite different. Children who enter the juvenile system are at varying states of development and cognitive ability. The system
recognizes and caters to these differences. Juvenile offenders are afforded almost all the same rights as an adult offender. One exception is that there are no jury trials in juvenile court. All trials are decided by a judge. Additionally, the grand jury process is not used in juvenile cases. A major difference between adult and juvenile court is the focus and philosophy. The goal of the juvenile system is to encourage the child to take responsibility for his or her actions and thereafter get the help they need to overcome the problem. If the offender denies the allegations, the case proceeds much like it would in the adult system. SUPPORT ENFORCMENT:
The District Attorney's Support Enforcement Division establishes paternity and child support orders, modifies existing orders and collects child and spousal support
by enforcing court orders. Many remedies are used to collect support including income withholding orders, garnishments, tax refund intercepts, license suspensions, financial disclosure exams and contempt of court prosecutions. In a recent fiscal year, the division collected $17.4 million for families in Marion County and elsewhere in about 5,300 cases. Child support cases can last for 18-21
years and multiple modification requests result in waiting lists for such services. Medical insurance provisions are also enforced by requiring the enrollment of children in existing health insurance plans. VICTIM ASSISTANCE:
The mission of the Marion County Victim Assistance Division is to involve crime victims and the community in a healing process that lessens the devastating impact
of crime. We accomplish this by providing direct victim services, advocating for victim rights, offering volunteer opportunities, providing education, promoting public awareness, and promoting professional and agency communication. We provide comprehensive, direct services to victims including all under served
categories, with emphasis on sexual assault, elder abuse, child abuse, domestic violence, driving under the influence of intoxicants, victims of juvenile crime and surviving family members of homicide victims. We also provide services to victims of other crimes that are prosecuted by our office, such as identity theft, serious assaults and other property offenses. MEDICAL EXAMINER:
ORS Chapter 46 mandates that the District Attorney's Office oversee the county medical examiner and investigate all deaths that are unattended by a physician,unusual or traumatic. The primary function of the county medical examiner is the search for a truthful, logical and scientifically unbiased statement of the cause and manner of death of an individual.
