The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office (LADA) prosecutes felony and misdemeanor crimes that occur within the jurisdiction of Los Angeles County, California.
Some misdemeanor crimes are prosecuted by local city attorneys. City attorneys prosecute minor misdemeanors and infractions that are violations of the municipal code governing the incorporated cities (e.g. Los Angeles) within the county.
Organization[]
Ranks[]
- District Attorney: the elected District Attorney
- Chief Deputy District Attorney: the second-in-command of the DA's Office
- Assistant District Attorney: a senior executive supervising multiple Bureaus
- Director: leads a Bureau
- Head Deputy District Attorney: leads a Division
- Assistant Head Deputy District Attorney: the second-in-command of a Division
- Deputy-in-Charge: supervises and leads the work of a Section
- Deputy District Attorney: standard working level for prosecutors
Organizational structure[]
- NOTE: The following organizational structure describes the DA's Office as it was organized during Major Crimes, Season 6, and therefore it may not reflect the organization of the current DA's Office.
The Office is headed by the District Attorney with help from the Chief Deputy District Attorney.
- Line Operations, headed by an Assistant District Attorney, is responsible for supervising the geographical areas of LADA which prosecute felony and misdemeanor crimes that occur within their geographical areas and which do not fall under the jurisdiction of another specialized division.
- Central Operations is comprised of the following divisions: Administration, Charge Evaluation, Central Trials 11, Central Trials 13, Central Trials 15, and Mental Health.
- Branch & Area Operations Region I is comprised of the following divisions: Airport, Antelope Valley, Pasadena, San Fernando, Torrance, and Van Nuys.
- Branch & Area Operations Region II is comprised of the following divisions: Compton, Long Beach, Norwalk, and Pomona.
- Special Operations, headed by an Assistant District Attorney, is responsible for supervising the specialized prosecutional operations of the Office.
- Specialized Prosecutions is comprised of the following divisions: Juvenile, Target Crimes, Crimes Against Peace Officers, Family Violence, Hardcore Gang, Major Crimes, Major Narcotics, Murder Re-sentencing, and Sex Crimes.
- Fraud & Corruption Prosecutions is comprised of the following divisions: Auto Insurance Fraud, Consumer Protection, Environmental Crimes, Healthcare Fraud, Cyber Crime, Justice System Integrity, Organized Crime, Public Assistance Fraud, Public Integrity, and White Collar Crime.
- Prosecution Support Operations is comprised of the following divisions: Writs and Appeals, Parole, and Post-Conviction Litigation & Discovery.
- Administration, headed by an Assistant District Attorney, is responsible for supervising the administrative and support functions of the Office.
- Bureau of Victim Services is comprised of the following divisions: Direct Service Operations 1, Direct Service Operations 2, Direct Service Operations 3, Victim Services K-9, and Claims Verifications. All of the divisions are divided into multiple Regions and/or Units which are headed by Supervising Victim Services Representatives. As a whole, the Bureau of Victim Services is responsible for providing the LADA and the citizens of LA County victim services representatives who assist and guide crime victims through the criminal justice system.
- Administrative Services is comprised of the following divisions: Budget & Fiscal Services, Human Resources, Property Management & Support Services, and Systems.
- Employee Relations is responsible for representing the LADA on matters pertaining to employee relations, investigating and resolving grievance matters and submitting reports to the grievant and the involved union representative, and serving as official liaison between department management and employee organizations and their representatives or counsels.
- Training Division is comprised of the DUI Training and Prosecution Section, Forensic Science Section, and Recruitment Section.
LADA Major Crimes Division[]
The Major Crimes Division of the DA's Office is responsible for prosecuting violent crimes which occur within LA County, including (but not limited to): homicides, attempted homicides, voluntary and involuntary manslaughters, rapes, and kidnappings.
While never explicitly stated, it's presumed that all of the DDA's that appear on The Closer and Major Crimes are assigned to the Major Crimes Division of the LADA although they also are seen prosecuting cases which would normally fall under the jurisdiction of other divisions.
- Deputy District Attorney Martin Garnett (James Patrick Stuart): A DDA who often butts heads with Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson over his willingness to only try cases that he is sure that he can win. After defense attorney Phillip Stroh turned out to be the serial rapist they were looking for, Garnett was humiliated as he had been tricked into revealed that they had nothing on Stroh, allowing Stroh to walk free. (The Closer, Season 2 to Season 4)
- Deputy District Attorney Claire Baldwin (Amanda Mason Warren): A DDA who works with the LAPD's Major Crimes Division following the Turrell Baylor case and lawsuit. Often annoys the detectives by following them around and giving them orders, but it is revealed to be part of a deal made to keep Major Crimes following the lawsuit. (The Closer, Season 7)
- Deputy District Attorney Andrea Hobbs (Kathe Mazur): The DDA who works most frequently with the LAPD's Major Crimes Division, Hobbs is a team player. (The Closer: Season 5, Season 6, and Season 7; Major Crimes).
- Deputy District Attorney Emma Rios (Nadine Velazquez): A new, inexperienced DDA under Hobbs' supervision, she is charged with preparing the case against Phillip Stroh. Served as the DDA on several cases while preparing Rusty Beck for the trial, but apparently reassigned after the death of Wade Weller aside from the Stroh case. Returned briefly when Stroh offered a deal to orchestrate his escape. Murdered by Stroh in 2017 following his return to Los Angeles (Major Crimes, Season 2, Season 3, Season 6).
- Deputy District Attorney Ozzy Michaels: DDA that worked with the Major Crimes Division for a brief time after Captain Sharon Raydor takes over. (Major Crimes, Season 1)
- Deputy District Attorney Meeks: DDA that works with the Major Crimes Division a few times after Captain Sharon Raydor takes over. (Major Crimes, Season 1, Season 4)
- Deputy District Attorney Rachel Gray: An experienced DDA that worked with the LAPD in 2004. DDA in the murder trial surrounding Officer Malcolm Reese and one of the three victims in the "Reese Murders" that went unsolved for twelve years. (Major Crimes, Hindsight)
- Deputy District Attorney Barry Rosen: DDA in charge of prosecuting Dwight Darnell for murdering six mixed-race couples and two children and also of connecting Dwight to the Zyklon Brotherhood. Murdered by Dwight during a courtroom shooting orchestrated by Martin Borja to prevent Rosen from connecting Dwight to him (Major Crimes, “Dead Zone” to “White Lies, Part 1”).
District Attorney's Bureau of Investigation[]
Patch of the BOI (old version). In the current issue, the top of the patch reads "DISTRICT ATTORNEY" and in the center circle, the top text reads "BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION" (i.e. the two texts have switched places).
The LADA Bureau of Investigation (BOI) functions primarily to provide prosecution support to Deputy District Attorneys. For example, BOI Investigators locate and process witnesses and conduct supplemental pre-trial investigations to help strengthen the prosecution's case. The BOI also has substantially staffed units with original jurisdictional responsibilities such as investigating local government corruption, complex frauds, and organized crime syndicates. Its staff also assists other law enforcement agencies with vehicular and electronic surveillance, undercover operations, and photographic services.
Badge of the BOI
The Bureau has employed detectives to investigate and/or assist in the prosecution of criminal cases since at least 1891. Currently the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Bureau of Investigation has approximately 300 peace officers and it is the county’s fourth largest law enforcement agency.
Ranks of the BOI[]
| Chief |  |
| Deputy Chief |  |
| Captain |  |
| Lieutenant |  |
| Sergeant |  |
| Senior Investigator |  |
| Investigator |
Organization of the BOI[]
The Bureau of Investigation is directed by a Chief, who is appointed by the District Attorney. Aiding the Chief is a Deputy Chief, who is also appointed by the District Attorney. The Chief of BOI answers to to the District Attorney through the Chief Deputy District Attorney.
There are five divisions in the BOI, each commanded by a Captain, which are further divided into sections, each headed by a Lieutenant. The divisions of the BOI are:
- Administrative Division
- Criminal Division
- Fraud and Corruption Division
- Special Operations Division
- Specialized Fraud Division
BOI in the Major Crimes Universe[]
In the last episode of The Closer, "The Last Word", Brenda Leigh Johnson leaves the Los Angeles Police Department for a job as Chief of the Bureau of Investigation. She also took David Gabriel with her to act as a liaison officer to the LAPD.
In the "Hindsight" arc of Major Crimes, one of the murder victims in the "Reese Murders" is DA Investigator Eric Dunn who was acting as a bodyguard for DDA Rachel Gray during the murder trial of Daniel Price. Both were shot to death during the Price trial, ultimately determined to be killed by Eric's own wife Stephanie Dunn due to Eric and Rachel's affair.