The Richmond County District Attorney is the elected district attorney for Richmond County, coterminous with the Borough of Staten Island, in New York City. The office is responsible for the prosecution of violations of New York state laws, as violations of federal law in Richmond County are prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. The current District Attorney is Michael McMahon.
History In a legislative act of February 12, 1796, New York State was divided into seven districts, each with its own Assistant Attorney General. Richmond County was part of the First District, which also included Kings, Queens, Suffolk, and Westchester counties. At that time, Queens County included much of present-day Nassau County, and Westchester County included present-day Bronx County. The Assistant Attorney General was renamed District Attorney on April 4, 1801, and New York County was added to the First District. Westchester was separated from the First District in 1813, and New York County was separated in 1815. The 13 districts that existed were divided so that each county became its own district by a law passed on April 21, 1818.The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pp. 366ff and 379; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858).
Until 1822, the district attorney was appointed by the Council of Appointment, and held the office "during the Council's pleasure", meaning that there was no defined term of office. Under the provisions of the New York State Constitution of 1821, the D.A. was appointed to a three-year term by the County Court, and under the provisions of the Constitution of 1846, the office became elective by popular ballot.
In case of a vacancy, the Governor of New York appoints an interim district attorney who serves until a successor is elected at the next annual election.Courts and Lawyers of New York: A History, 1609 -1925 by Alden Chester & Edwin Melvin Williams (The American Historical Society, 1935, vol. 1, p. 964). The term was increased to four years for the Richmond County District Attorney in 1937.
List of District Attorneys
District Attorney 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 – June 11, 1818 ? George Metcalfe June 11, 1818 ?Chester (1911), p. 103.Werner (1891), p. 560. Henry B. Metcalfe 1826 ?Morris (1900), p. 331. Thomas S. Kingsland 1833 ? George Catlin 1839 ? Roderick N. Morrison 1840 ? Lot C. Clark 1841 – 1849 ? appointedWerner (1891), p. 560. elected to a three-year termWerner (1891), p. 560. resignedWerner (1891), p. 560. George Catlin November 28, 1849 ?Werner (1891), p. 560. George White January 1, 1851 – December 31, 1853 ? elected to a three-year term Alfred De Groot January 1, 1854 – December 31, 1859 ? elected to two three-year term Abraham W. Winant January 1, 1860 – December 31, 1865 ? elected to two three-year terms John H. Hedley January 1, 1866 – December 31, 1871 ? elected to two three-year terms Sidney Fuller Rawson January 1, 1872 – December 31, 1874 Democratic elected to a three-year term did not run for re-election John Croak January 1, 1875 – December 31, 1880 Democratic elected to two three-year termsMorris (1900), p. 335. George Gallagher January 1, 1881 – December 31, 1889 Democratic elected to three three-year terms lost the nomination to Fitzgerald at the county Democratic convention Thomas W. Fitzgerald January 1, 1890 – December 31, 1895 Democratic elected to two three-year terms George M. Pinney Jr. January 1, 1896 – December 31, 1898 Republican elected to a three-year term Edward Sidney Rawson January 1, 1899 – December 31, 1904 Democratic elected to two three-year termMorris (1900), p. 339. John J. Kenney January 1, 1905 – December 31, 1907 Democratic elected to a three-year term Samuel H. Evins January 1, 1908 – December 31, 1910 Democratic elected to a three-year term Albert C. Fach January 1, 1911 – December 31, 1919 Democratic elected to three three-year terms did not run for re-election Joseph H. Maloy January 1, 1920 – January 1, 1924 Democratic elected to two three-year terms resigned to become a judge on the Court of Special Sessions ? January 1, 1924 – February 9, 1924 (acting) Albert C. Fach February 9, 1924 – December 31, 1925 (interim)January 1, 1926 – December 31, 1931 Democratic appointed by Governor Al Smith for the remainder of the year elected to the remainder of Maloy’s term elected to two three-year terms Thomas J. Walsh January 1, 1932 – December 30, 1936 Democratic elected to two three-year terms resigned to accept the seat as a municipal court judge to which he had been elected in November ? December 31, 1936 – January 6, 1937 (acting) Frank H. Innes January 7, 1937 – December 31, 1937 (interim)January 1, 1938 – December 31, 1941 Democratic appointed by Governor Herbert H. Lehman for the remainder of Walsh’s term elected to a four-year term Farrell M. Kane January 1, 1942 – August 4, 1947 Democratic elected to a four-year term, then to a four-year term resigned to accept a nomination to in the primary election for City Court Judge Herman Methfessel August 4, 1947 – August 13, 1947 (acting) Democratic became acting district attorney upon Kane’s resignation Robert E. Johnson August 13, 1947 – December 31, 1947 (interim) Republican appointed by Governor Dewey to serve the remainder of the year lost election to Methfessel Herman Methfessel January 1, 1948 – December 31, 1951 Democratic elected to a four-year term lost election to Simonson Sidney O. Simonson January 1, 1952 – December 31, 1955 Republican-Liberal elected to a four-year term over Methfessel lost election to Braisted John M. Braisted Jr. January 1, 1956 – December 31, 1975 Democratic-Liberal elected to five four-year terms retired, did not run for re-election Thomas R. Sullivan January 1, 1976 – November 1982 Democratic-Conservative elected to two three-year term resigned to run for a seat as a New York Supreme Court justice William L. Murphy November 1982 – March 1983 (acting)March 1983 – December 31, 1983 (interim)January 1, 1984 – December 31, 2003 Democratic-Conservative became acting district attorney upon Sullivan’s resignation appointed by Governor Mario M. Cuomo for the remainder of Sullivan’s term elected to five four-year terms retired, did not run for re-election Daniel M. Donovan, Jr. January 1, 2004 – May 12, 2015 Republican elected to three four-year terms resigned after winning a special election for an open congressional seat Daniel L. Master, Jr. May 12, 2015 – December 31, 2015 (acting) Republican became acting district attorney after Donovan’s resignation Michael McMahon January 1, 2016 – current Democratic elected to three four-year terms
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