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Brooklyn District Attorney - Wikipedia

  • ️Tue Nov 07 2017

In a legislative act of February 12, 1796, New York State was divided into seven districts, each with its own Assistant Attorney General. Kings County was part of the First District, which also included Queens, Richmond, Suffolk, and Westchester counties. (At that time, Queens County included much of present-day Nassau County, and Westchester County included present-day Bronx County.) In 1801, the office of Assistant Attorney General was renamed District Attorney and New York County was added to the First District. Westchester County was separated from the First District in 1813, and New York County was separated in 1815. In 1818, each county in the state became its own separate district.[1]

Until 1822, district attorneys were appointed by the Council of Appointment, and held office "during the Council's pleasure", meaning that there was no defined term. Under the State Constitution of 1821, the district attorney was appointed to a three-year term by the Court of General Sessions, and under the State Constitution of 1846, the office became elective by popular ballot. The governor filled vacancies until a successor was elected, always to a full term, at the next annual election. An acting district attorney was appointed by the Court of General Sessions pending the Governor's action.[1]

Since the Consolidation Charter of New York City in 1898, the terms of the district attorneys in New York City have coincided with the mayor's term, and are for four years. In case of a vacancy, the governor appoints an interim district attorney and can call a special election for the remainder of the term.

Name Dates in Office Party Notes Nathaniel Lawrence February 16, 1796 – July 15, 1797 Dem.-Rep.

died[2]

vacant July 15, 1797 – January 16, 1798 Cadwallader D. Colden January 16, 1798 – August 19, 1801 Federalist

[2]

Richard Riker August 19, 1801 – February 13, 1810 Dem.-Rep.

[2]

Cadwallader D. Colden February 13, 1810 – February 19, 1811 Federalist

[2]

Richard Riker February 19, 1811 – March 5, 1813 Dem.-Rep.

[2][3]

Barent Gardenier March 5, 1813 – April 8, 1815 Federalist

[2][3]

Thomas S. Lester April 8, 1815 – March 12, 1819 ?

[2][3]

James B. Clarke March 2, 1819 – April 26, 1830 ?

[3][4]

Nathan B. Morse April 26, 1830 – 1833 ?

[3][4]

William Rockwell 1833 – June 3, 1839 ?

[3][4]

Nathan B. Morse June 3, 1839 – June 1847 ?

[3][4]

Harmanus B. Duryea June 1847 – January 1, 1854 ?

[3][4]

Richard C. Underhill January 1, 1854 – January 1, 1857 Whig John G. Schumaker January 1, 1857 – January 1, 1860 Democratic John Winslow January 1, 1860 – January 1, 1863 Republican Samuel D. Morris January 1, 1863 – January 1, 1872 Republican Winchester Britton January 1, 1872 – February 20, 1874 Democratic Thomas H. Rodman February 21, 1874 – May 9, 1874 (interim) Democratic
  • appointed by Governor John A. Dix[3][4]
  • resigned due to illness[18]
John Winslow May 9, 1874 – January 1, 1875 (interim) Republican Winchester Britton January 1, 1875 – January 1, 1878 Democratic
  • elected to a three-year term[3][4]
  • lost re-election to Catlin
Isaac S. Catlin January 1, 1878 – January 1, 1884 Republican James W. Ridgway January 1, 1884 – January 1, 1896 Democratic Foster L. Backus January 1, 1896 – January 1, 1898 Republican
  • elected to a three-year term, which was shortened due to the consolidation of New York City[3][29][30][31]
Josiah Taylor Marean January 1, 1898 – January 2, 1899 Democratic
  • elected to a four-year term[3][32][33][34]
  • resigned to become a Supreme Court Justice
Hiram R. Steele January 2, 1899 – January 1, 1900 (interim) Republican John F. Clarke January 1, 1900 – January 1, 1912 Democratic James C. Cropsey January 1, 1912 – April 1916 Fusion
  • defeated Clarke in election[40]
  • elected to another four-year term[41]
  • resigned to accept a nomination by Governor Charles S. Whitman to become a Supreme Court judge[42]
Harry E. Lewis April 1916 – late 1916 (interim)
late 1916 – December 31, 1921 Republican
  • appointed by Governor Whitman to replace Cropsey for the remainder of the year[43]
  • elected to the remainder of Cropsey's term[44]
  • elected to a four-year term[45]
  • resigned after being elected Supreme Court Justice[46]
Herbert N. Warbasse December 31, 1921 – January 2, 1922 (acting) ?
  • filled in after Lewis resigned and before Ruston was sworn in[46]
John E. Ruston January 2, 1922 – January 1, 1923 (interim) Republican Charles J. Dodd January 1, 1923 – December 30, 1929 Democratic
  • defeated Ruston in the election for the remainder of Lewis' term[48]
  • re-elected to two four-year terms[49][50][51]
  • resigned to become a Supreme Court justice[52]
George E. Brower January 1, 1930 – December 31, 1930 (interim) Democratic William F.X. Geoghan January 1, 1931 – January 1, 1940 Democratic
  • elected to the remainder of Dodd's term[55]
  • elected to two four-year terms[56][57]
  • retired
William O'Dwyer January 1, 1940 – June 1, 1942 Democratic Thomas Cradock Hughes June 1, 1942 – February 1, 1945 (acting) Democratic
  • acting in place of William O'Dwyer during his military leave[62][63]
William O'Dwyer February 1, 1945 – August 2, 1945 Democratic
  • returned from military service[64]
  • resigned to run for Mayor, and won[65]
George J. Beldock August 10, 1945 – December 27, 1945 (interim) Republican Miles F. McDonald December 27, 1945 – December 29, 1953 Democratic
  • elected to two four-year terms[65][69][70]
  • won the Democratic, Republican, and Liberal party primaries in 1953, but then resigned and withdrew from the election to accept a nomination to run for Supreme Court justice[71][72]
Edward S. Silver December 29, 1953 – September 19, 1964 Democratic,
Liberal,
Independent
  • selected by the Brooklyn Democratic Party and Liberal Party executive committees to replace McDonald as the nominee on their slates in the primary election, then won the primary and general elections[72][73][74][75]
  • elected to two more four-year terms[76][77]
  • resigned to run for Surrogate[78][79]
Aaron E. Koota September 19, 1964 – December 31, 1964 (acting)
January 1, 1965 – September 7, 1968 (elected) Democratic
  • became acting district attorney upon Silver's resignation[80]
  • selected by the Kings County Democratic Party executive committee as the nominee for the election to replace Silver, and won[79][81]
  • elected to a four-year term[82]
  • resigned to accept a nomination to run for Supreme Court justice[83]
Elliot Golden late 1968 – December 31, 1968 (acting) Democratic
  • became acting district attorney upon Koota's resignation[84]
Eugene Gold January 1, 1969 – December 31, 1981 Democratic,
Liberal
  • selected by the Kings County Democratic Committee as the nominee in the election to replace Koota, and won[85][86][87]
  • elected to three four-year terms[88][89][90]
  • retired[91]
Elizabeth Holtzman December 31, 1981 – January 1, 1990 Democratic,
Liberal
  • elected to two four-year terms[91][92][93]
  • did not run for re-election (ran for City Comptroller instead, and won)[94]
Charles J. Hynes January 1, 1990 – January 1, 2014 Democratic
  • elected to six four-year terms[95][96]
  • lost Democratic primary and general elections to Thompson[97]
Kenneth P. Thompson January 1, 2014 – October 9, 2016 Democratic
  • elected to a four-year term by winning both the Democratic primary and general elections over Hynes[97]
  • died in office[98]
Eric Gonzalez October 9, 2016 – January 21, 2018 (acting)
January 21, 2018 – current (elected) Democratic
  • designated by Thompson to be acting district attorney in his absence due to illness[99][100]
  • elected to a four-year term[101][102]