Oregon Prosecutors and District Attorneys and one in the same. Prosecutors are typically District Attorneys (DAs) or Deputy District Attorneys (DDAs). The terms are essentially interchangeable. There are also City Attorneys and Assistant City Attorneys who prosecute mostly low-level traffic offenses and occasionally DUI charges, but they are a small group compared to the hundreds of District Attorneys and Deputy District Attorneys throughout the state. The Oregon District Attorneys Association (ODAA) is the professional organization to which most Oregon prosecutors and District Attorneys are members.
Most District Attorneys in Oregon do not have an active caseload. They might occasionally handle a high-profile or serious case for political reasons, but the job of District Attorney is more bureaucratic and political than anything else. Most offices have DDAs who are dedicated trial attorneys with far more courtroom experience than the actual DAs. An exception can be found in the more rural offices– many of which only have one or two deputies, and some of which are staffed only with the DA and administrative support staff.
The Oregon Department of Justice (sometimes referred to as the “DOJ” or “Attorney General’s Office”) consists of the Attorney General (currently Ellen F. Rosenblum) and a number of Deputy Attorney Generals. The title “Department of Justice” is somewhat of a misnomer because the office is concerned less with “justice” and more with politics. The department spends most of it’s resources lobbying for ideological public policies that support increased government regulation and greater law enforcement power, defending government agencies that have engaged in unlawful or harmful conduct against citizens or businesses, and representing the government in appeals. The DOJ does handle child support calculations, modifications, and enforcement. The Oregon Department of Justice Trial Division also occasionally provides assistance to smaller counties in their prosecution of more serious cases, or in cases where there is a potential conflict of interest.
If you are ever contacted by anyone identifying themselves as a prosecutor, District Attorney, Deputy District Attorney, City Attorney, and Assistant City Attorney, Attorney General, Deputy Attorney General, or an investigator or employee working on behalf of any similar individual, agency, or office, you should decline to speak with them until you’ve had a chance to speak with your own attorney.