In the United States, the State's Attorney (also called State Attorney, District Attorney, Commonwealth's Attorney, County Attorney, County Prosecutor, Prosecuting Attorney (Prosecutor) or Solicitor (South Carolina only)) is an appointed or elected official who is often the chief law enforcement officer of his or her respective county circuit or district. His or her principal duties are usually mandated by law and include signing information (which are documents charging people with criminal offenses), convening the grand jury (which produces documents called indictments that charge people with criminal offenses), and then prosecuting those "indicted" or "informed" people for the offenses they have been alleged to have committed in the name of the city, county or state in a court of law. State's Attorneys have jurisdiction to prosecute criminal offenses (violations of state law or county or city ordinances) which occur within a geographical area.
