Departments
The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office is the largest prosecuting agency in Northern California.
The Office represents the law enforcement needs of Santa Clara County, which has a population exceeding 1,700,000 residents in fifteen cities, including San Jose and unincorporated areas. The District Attorney's Office handles over 40,000 cases a year. The Office has a staff of over 600 people, including attorneys, investigators, forensic analysts, paralegals, clerical workers and volunteers. The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Crime Laboratory analyzes thousands of evidence items each year.
The Central Misdemeanor Unit is comprised of attorneys who prosecute non-felony cases in the San Jose facility of the Superior Court.
The motions team provides legal advice and guidance to both office trial attorneys and public safety officers. On an as needed basis, the team provides formal training sessions for both trial lawyers and public safety officers.
The Palo Alto Branch Office prosecutes most crimes that occur in Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford and Sunnyvale.
The preliminary hearing team handles the majority of the felony cases during the first stages of the criminal court process. These prosecutors attend court proceedings every day and handle bail motions, suppression motions, early admissions of guilt and preliminary hearings.
The Public and Law Enforcement Integrity Unit (PLEI) handles the investigation of cases involving public officials and members of law enforcement who may have committed crimes in the course and scope of their official capacities and duties.
The Public Information Services provides information to victims of crimes; Answers questions about the criminal justice system; Responds to questions, concerns and complaints from members of the public concerning the District Attorney's Office; Assists in directing inquires to other agencies and departments as appropriate; Provides information to law enforcement agencies as needed.
The mission of the District Attorney's Real Estate Fraud Unit is to deter, investigate, and prosecute real estate fraud crimes.
The Records Unit provides specific information to defendants, attorneys of record, witnesses, victims, and guardians of victims.
The Sexual Assault Unit handles Statutory Rape Vertical Prosecution Grant and Child Abuse Vertical Prosecution Grant both funded by the State of California, felony violations of the sex registration laws, and prosecutions of sexual assaults on adult and child victims.
The Physical Abuse, Endangerment and Neglect of Children and Elders Unit (PACE) of the Family Violence Division handles all criminal cases involving physical abuse, endangerment and neglect of Children, Elders, and Dependent Adults.