It is the duty of every district attorney and assistant district attorney, within the circuit, county, or other territory for which he or she is elected or appointed:

(1) To attend on the grand juries, advise them in relation to matters of law, and examine and swear witnesses before them.

Attorney's Note

Under the Alabama Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Violationup to 30 daysup to $200
For details, see Ala. Code § 13A-5-7
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Terms Used In Alabama Code 12-17-184

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • circuit: means judicial circuit. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
  • Habeas corpus: A writ that is usually used to bring a prisoner before the court to determine the legality of his imprisonment. It may also be used to bring a person in custody before the court to give testimony, or to be prosecuted.
  • Impeachment: (1) The process of calling something into question, as in "impeaching the testimony of a witness." (2) The constitutional process whereby the House of Representatives may "impeach" (accuse of misconduct) high officers of the federal government for trial in the Senate.
  • Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
  • juries: include courts or judges in all cases when a jury trial is waived, or when the court or judge is authorized to ascertain and determine the facts as well as the law. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • United States: includes the territories thereof and the District of Columbia. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • writing: includes typewriting and printing on paper. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
(2) To draw up all indictments and to prosecute all indictable offenses.
(3) To prosecute and defend any civil action in the circuit court in the prosecution or defense of which the state is interested.
(4) To inquire whether registers have performed the duty required of them by Section 12-17-117 and shall, in every case of failure, move against the register as provided by subsection (b) of Section 12-17-114.
(5) If a criminal prosecution is removed from a court of his or her circuit, county, or division of a county to a court of the United States, to appear in that court and represent the state; and, if it is impracticable, consistent with his or her other duties, to attend that court, he or she may designate and appoint an attorney practicing therein to appear for and represent the state.
(6) To attend each special session of the circuit court held for the trial of persons charged with criminal offenses; and on failure to do so, a conditional judgment may be rendered against him or her for fifty dollars ($50), to be made permanent on notice at the next session thereafter unless a good excuse is rendered.
(7) To perform other duties and exercise other powers as are or may be required by law.
(8) To give every county official an opinion in writing on all matters connected with their respective offices, except in civil actions against official bonds. But county commissions may retain or employ attorneys when it is deemed advisable or necessary, and the agreed compensation to them may be paid as are claims to grand and petit jurors.
(9) To, whenever requested to do so by the Governor of Alabama or by the Board of Pardons and Paroles, make a full and thorough investigation in each case arising in their circuit, county, or division of a county, and fully report their findings, with recommendations that pardon or parole be granted or refused, and they shall assign fully and in detail their reasons for the recommendations. They shall advise any parole officer who may have jurisdiction in their respective circuits, county, or division of a county and shall, when called upon by parole officer, make a full, thorough, and impartial investigation of each case being investigated and give all information possible with reference to such case and shall advise him or her upon his or her request with reference to the law and procedure on all matters pertaining to the office of the parole officer. They shall, whenever called upon by the Governor or the Board of Pardons and Paroles, go to Montgomery or to any other place where a case with which they are familiar is being investigated and appear specially before the Governor or before the Board of Pardons and Paroles. They shall cooperate fully with the Governor and with the Board of Pardons and Paroles with reference to any cases which have arisen in their respective circuits, counties, or division of a county and shall render all assistance possible in furnishing information needed by the Governor or the Board of Pardons and Paroles, furnishing any information and making any investigation which may be needed in the proper handling of such pardon or parole and the investigation thereof.
(10) To go to any place in the State of Alabama and prosecute any case or cases, or work with any grand jury, when called upon to do so by the Attorney General or the Governor of the State of Alabama, and to attend sessions of courts and transact all of the duties of the district attorney in the courts whenever called upon by the Attorney General or the Governor to do so.
(11) All district attorneys and all full-time assistant district attorneys shall devote their entire time to the discharge of the duties of their respective offices, and each and every one of the officers are prohibited from practicing law, directly or indirectly, in any court of this state or of the United States, or in any other manner or form whatsoever, except in the discharge of the official duties of their offices.
(12) To carefully read and check the record on appeal in all criminal cases appealed from the circuit court of their judicial circuit to the Court of Criminal Appeals or the Supreme Court of Alabama, and call to the attention of the trial judge any errors or discrepancies that may appear in the record.
(13) To, whenever requested by the Attorney General of the State of Alabama, file memorandum briefs in all criminal cases appealed from the circuit court of their judicial circuits to the Court of Criminal Appeals or the Supreme Court of Alabama.
(14) To attend all hearings in their judicial circuits on any application for probation and furnish the trial judge or the judge hearing the application with all information in their possession concerning the applicant for probation.
(15) To represent the board of registrars of the county or counties comprising their judicial circuits in all civil actions for damages that are filed against the boards of registrars arising out of the performance of their official duties, in either the circuit court of their judicial circuits or in the United States district courts.
(16) To attend all clemency hearings before the Governor of Alabama, in all cases arising in their judicial circuits, and furnish to the Governor, at those hearings, all pertinent information in their possession concerning the applicant or applicants for clemency.
(17) To attend all hearings in their respective judicial circuits for revocation of probation and furnish the trial judge, or the judge hearing the revocation, with all information in their possession concerning the case.
(18) To, at any time the grand jury is not in session, issue subpoenas to persons to come before them, and they shall have power to administer oaths to those persons and examine them as to any violation of the criminal laws of the state.
(19) To make application to the courts to place witnesses in criminal cases under bond for their appearance in court when they have information that the witnesses are about to leave the state.
(20) To, when requested to do so, represent the chief of police of any municipality in their respective judicial circuits in all habeas corpus proceedings filed in the circuit courts of their respective judicial circuits.
(21) To, when requested to do so by the Attorney General, assist the Attorney General in the prosecution of all impeachment proceedings which it is his or her duty to institute before the Supreme Court of Alabama involving any official or officials in their respective judicial circuits.
(22) To report to the State Board of Medical Examiners the name and address of any physician who is indicted or otherwise charged with any felony or any misdemeanor related to the practice of medicine, or any violation of Section 32-5A-191. The report required by this subdivision shall be made within 30 days of the filing of any indictment, information, or other charge in any district or circuit court of this state. In addition, a report shall be rendered to the State Board of Medical Examiners of the conviction of any physician for any felony or any misdemeanor related to the practice of medicine, or any violation of Section 32-5A-191. The report of conviction shall be submitted within 30 days after sentencing without regard to any appeal of the conviction. For the purposes of this subdivision a physician is an individual licensed to practice medicine by the Medical Licensure Commission of Alabama.
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