To find the prosecutor assigned to a case, pull the case number and defendant’s name, identify which office is prosecuting the charge (county District Attorney, State Attorney General, or U.S. Attorney), and look the case up on that court’s online docket. If the prosecutor’s name isn’t listed there, call the court clerk or the prosecutor’s office directly and ask who is assigned.
Get Your Case Details Together First
The more you bring to the search, the less time it takes. A case or docket number pulls up the exact file in any court system and is by far the most useful piece of information. Without one, you can still search, but expect more calls and dead ends.
Try to gather:
- The case or docket number, usually assigned when charges are filed and printed on any court or police paperwork you’ve received.
- The defendant’s full legal name. Court databases search by party name, and nicknames or partial spellings won’t return results.
- The court location — the county, city, or federal district where the case was filed.
- The approximate date of the incident or arrest, which helps when the defendant has a common name or multiple cases.
If you’re a victim or witness with nothing else to go on, the police report from the incident usually names the jurisdiction and sometimes the case number. Start there.
Figure Out Which Office Is Prosecuting
Calling the wrong office is the most common reason people stall out early. Criminal cases are split among local, state, and federal prosecutors, and each handles different types of offenses.
- The County District Attorney (called the State’s Attorney in some states) handles the large majority of criminal cases: assault, burglary, theft, drug offenses, DUI. Some larger cities also have a City Attorney who prosecutes misdemeanors within city limits.
- The State Attorney General typically handles statewide matters like consumer fraud, public corruption, organized crime, and cases that cross county lines. The AG sometimes takes over a case from a local prosecutor when there’s a conflict of interest.
- The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecutes federal crimes — offenses on federal property, drug trafficking across state lines, immigration violations, tax fraud, and federal firearms charges among them. There are 93 U.S. Attorney’s Offices, each covering a federal judicial district.1U.S. Department of Justice. Offices of the United States Attorneys
The nature of the charge usually tells you which system you’re in. Street-level crimes are almost always local. Cases built by federal agencies are typically federal. When in doubt, start with the District Attorney for the county where the arrest happened; if the case is being handled elsewhere, they’ll tell you.
Search the Court Docket Online
Once you know the right jurisdiction, an online records search is often the fastest way to get the prosecutor’s name without making a single call.
State and Local Courts
Most state court systems now offer free online portals where you can search by case number or defendant name. Many list the assigned prosecutor alongside the judge, upcoming hearings, and filed documents. Look for the court clerk’s website for the county where the case was filed.
Coverage varies. Some portals show every filing and attorney of record. Others only confirm that a case exists. If the docket doesn’t name the prosecutor, you’ll need to contact the clerk or the DA’s office directly.
Federal Cases and PACER
Federal case records live in PACER, the Public Access to Court Electronic Records system. You can search a single federal court by case number or party name, or use the PACER Case Locator to search a nationwide index across every federal court at once.2PACER. Find a Case The nationwide index is updated daily and will tell you which district a case is in even if you don’t know.
PACER charges $0.10 per page for search results and documents, capped at $3.00 per document. If your total charges stay at $30 or less in a quarter, the fees are waived, which is usually enough to look up a docket and find the assigned Assistant U.S. Attorney.3PACER. PACER Pricing: How Fees Work You need a free PACER account before you can search.
Call the Court Clerk or the Prosecutor’s Office
If the online record doesn’t show the prosecutor, a phone call will. You have two good routes.
Call the District Attorney’s office (or the U.S. Attorney’s office for federal cases) with your case number and the defendant’s name ready. Front-desk staff field these calls constantly and can usually look up the assigned attorney in seconds. In a large office you may be transferred to the division that handles that type of crime.
The court clerk is the other reliable route. Clerks maintain the official case file, including every attorney who has appeared, and can confirm the prosecutor of record even if the DA’s office is slow to respond. Find the clerk’s number on the court’s website for the county or district where the case is pending.
Keep the call simple. Give the case number or defendant’s name, say you’re looking for the assigned prosecutor, and briefly state your connection to the case. You don’t need to explain further.
Victims and Witnesses: Ask for the Victim-Witness Coordinator
If you’re a crime victim or witness, you have a faster path than cold-calling the prosecutor. Most DA’s offices employ victim-witness coordinators whose job is to serve as the link between victims and the prosecution team. They can tell you who the assigned prosecutor is, keep you updated on developments, explain court procedure, help you prepare a victim impact statement, and coordinate court appearances. They also handle practical logistics like interpreter services, counseling referrals, and victim compensation applications.
When you call, ask for the victim-witness unit or victim advocate. That’s often quicker than reaching the prosecutor directly, and the coordinator can set up a meeting or call with the attorney when it’s needed.
You also have legal footing here. Under federal law, crime victims have the right to confer with the government’s attorney in their case and to be reasonably heard at public proceedings involving release, plea deals, and sentencing.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 3771 – Crime Victims Rights That statute governs federal cases, but most states have their own victims’ rights provisions, and many have versions of Marsy’s Law in their state constitutions. If you’ve been trying to reach the assigned prosecutor without success, mentioning your rights as a crime victim when you call can move things along.
When the Case Isn’t in the Public Record
Some cases won’t show up in any public search, and the prosecutor’s name won’t appear until they do.
Sealed indictments are the most common reason. Before a defendant is arrested or formally charged, a grand jury indictment can be sealed to prevent the target from fleeing or destroying evidence. During that period, nothing appears on PACER or any public court docket.5PACER. Can I Find Sealed Documents on PACER? Once the defendant is arrested and the indictment is unsealed, the docket becomes public and the prosecutor’s name appears.
Juvenile cases work differently. Juvenile court records are generally confidential and access is typically restricted to parents, attorneys, law enforcement, and certain government agencies. If you’re an authorized party like the victim in a juvenile case, calling the juvenile division of the DA’s office directly is usually the only path. Be ready to explain your connection and possibly show identification.
A Note for Defendants
If you’ve been charged with a crime, the prosecutor’s name is on your charging documents, and your defense attorney will already know who it is. Do not contact the prosecutor’s office on your own. Anything you say can be used against you, and direct contact without your lawyer present can hurt your defense. Let your attorney handle all communication with the prosecution. If you don’t yet have one and can’t afford one, request a public defender at your first court appearance; once appointed, they’ll obtain all case information, including the prosecutor’s identity, on your behalf.