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The Bronx County District Attorney is the elected district attorney for Bronx County, which is coterminous with the Borough of the Bronx, in New York City. The office is responsible for the prosecution of violations of New York state laws. (Federal law in the Bronx is prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York). The current Bronx County District Attorney is Darcel Clark.

History

In a legislative act of February 12, 1796, New York State was divided into seven districts, each with an Assistant Attorney General, except for New York County, where Attorney General Josiah Ogden Hoffman prosecuted personally until 1801.[3]

The First District included Kings, Queens, Richmond, Suffolk, and Westchester counties. At that time, Westchester also included present-day Bronx County, and Queens County included much of present-day Nassau County. The Assistant Attorney General was renamed District Attorney and New York County was added to the First District on April 4, 1801. Westchester was separated from the First District and became part of the Eleventh District with Rockland and Putnam counties on April 12, 1813, and New York County became the Twelfth District on March 24, 1815. By 1818, New York State had 13 districts, which were divided so that each of the 50 county then in existence became its own district on April 21, 1818.[4][5][6][7]

Until 1822, the district attorney was appointed by the Council of Appointment, and held the office “during the Council’s pleasure”, meaning that there was no defined term of office. Under the provisions of the New York State Constitution of 1821, district attorneys were appointed to three-year terms by their County Court, and under the provisions of the Constitution of 1846, the office became elective by popular ballot for a three-year term beginning January 1 and ending December 31.[3] Vacancies were filled by the Governor of New York until a successor was elected to a full term at the next annual election, and acting district attorneys were appointed by Courts of General Sessions pending the governor’s action.

In 1874, New York City annexed the West Bronx into New York County. New York County was further expanded in 1895 to include all of today’s New York and Bronx Counties.[8] The Consolidation Charter of 1896 extended the term of incumbent district attorney John R. Fellows, who had been elected in 1893 to a three-year term from January 1, 1894 to December 31, 1896, by an extra year. Since the city elections of 1897, the New York and Bronx County District Attorneys’ terms have coincided with the Mayor’s terms and have been four years, except for 1901 to 1905, when two mayors served two-year terms. In case of a vacancy, a special election is held for the remainder of the term.

For the list of district attorneys for the area covering Bronx County prior to its creation from New York County, see Werner (p. 553, 554, and 563) for 1801 to 1874, both Werner (p. 563) and New York County District Attorney from 1874 to 1895, and New York County District Attorney for 1895 to 1913. When Bronx County was created on January 1, 1914, Francis W. Martin, who won the election in November 1913 in anticipation of its formation, became district attorney.[9] His initial salary was $10,000.[10]

List of Bronx County District Attorneys

District Attorney Dates in office Party Notes
Francis W. Martin[11] January 1, 1914 – December 31, 1920 Democratic
Edward J. Glennon January 1, 1921 – December 31, 1921 (interim)
January 1, 1922 – December 31, 1923 (elected) 		Democratic
  • appointed by Governor Al Smith[15]
  • elected to a four-year term[16]
  • resigned to become a New York State Supreme Court justice[17]
John E. McGeehan January 1, 1924 – December 31, 1925 (interim)
January 1, 1926 – December 24, 1929 (elected) 		Democratic
  • appointed by Governor Al Smith[17]
  • elected to the remainder of Glennon’s term[18]
  • elected to a four-year term[19][20]
  • resigned to become a New York State Supreme Court justice[21][22]
Charles B. McLaughlin December 24, 1929[22] – March 17, 1933 Democratic
  • elected to a four-year term[21][23]
  • resigned to become a New York State Supreme Court justice[24][25]
Samuel J. Foley March 22, 1933 – December 31, 1933 (interim)
January 1, 1934 – December 29, 1949 (elected) 		Democratic
  • appointed by Governor Herbert Lehman[26][27]
  • ran on the Democratic and Recovery Party lines in his first election,[28] but had been a Democrat
  • elected to four four-year terms[29][30][31][32]
  • ran for a Bronx County Court judgeship in November 1949, and won[33]
George B. DeLuca January 1, 1950 – December 31, 1954 Democratic
  • elected to two four-year terms[34][35]
  • resigned upon taking office as Lieutenant Governor of New York[36]
Daniel V. Sullivan[37] January 1, 1955 – December 31, 1955 (interim)
January 1, 1956 – December 31, 1959 (elected) 		Democratic
  • appointed by Governor Averell Harriman when DeLuca became his Lieutenant Governor[36][38]
  • elected to a four-year term[39]
  • retired, did not seek renomination[40]
Isidore Dollinger January 1, 1960 – September 18, 1968 Democratic
  • elected to three four-year terms[40][41][42]
  • resigned to accept a nomination to run for a New York State Supreme Court judge position[43]
Burton B. Roberts September 18, 1968 – November 7, 1968 (acting)
November 7, 1968 – December 31, 1968 (interim)
January 1, 1969 – September 16, 1972 (elected)
September 16, 1972 – December 31, 1972 (interim) 		Democratic, Republican, Liberal
  • became acting district attorney upon Dollinger’s resignation[43]
  • appointed by Governor Nelson Rockefeller[44]
  • nominated by three Bronx County parties’ committees for his initial election,[43] but had been a Democrat[44]
  • elected to the remainder of Dollinger’s term[45]
  • elected to a four-year term[46]
  • resigned to accept a nomination to run for a New York State Supreme Court judge position but was re-appointed by Rockefeller for continuity of investigations until he was succeeded[47][48]
Mario Merola[49] January 1, 1973 – October 27, 1987 Democratic, Republican, Liberal, Conservative
  • nominated by four Bronx County parties’ committees for his initial election to the remainder of Roberts’ term,[47][50] but had been a Democrat[48]
  • elected to the remainder of Roberts’ term[50]
  • elected to four four-year terms[51][52][53] including one after he died shortly before election day[54]
  • died in office[49]

Paul T. Gentile

October 27, 1987 – December 10, 1987 (acting)
December 10, 1987 – December 31, 1988 (interim) 		Democratic
  • became acting district attorney after Merola’s unexpected death[49]
  • appointed by Governor Mario Cuomo to a one-year term[55]
  • withdrew from the primary election race[56]
Robert T. Johnson January 1, 1989 – December 31, 2015 Democratic, Liberal, Conservative
  • won his initial election for the remainder of Merola’s term running on three party lines and unopposed, but had been a Democrat[57][58]
  • elected to six four-year terms
  • elected a justice of the New York Supreme Court[59]
Darcel D. Clark January 1, 2016 – current Democratic
  • nominated by the Bronx Democratic County Committee to replace Johnson on the primary ballot[60] and elected to a four-year term[61]
  • re-elected to two four-year terms[62][63]

References

  1. ^ “Membership”. daasny.com. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
  2. ^ “NYC Green Book – Green Book Online – District Attorney – Bronx County”. NYC Green Book. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Chester, Alden; Weeks, Lyman Horace; Dougherty, John Hampden (1911). Legal and Judicial History of New York. National Americana Society. p. 136. new York county district attorney 1818.
  4. ^ Werner, Edgar A. (1891). Civil List and Constitutional History of the Colony and State of New York. Albany, N.Y.: Weed, Parsons, and Company. pp. 553–563. Retrieved October 22, 2016.
  5. ^ Chester, Alden (1911). Legal and Judicial History of New York, Volume 3. New York, N.Y.: National Americana Society. p. 85. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  6. ^ The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pp. 366ff and 379; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858).
  7. ^ Civil List and Forms of Government of the Colony and State of New York: Containing Notes on the Various Governmental Organizations; List of the Principal Colonial, State and County Officers, and the Congressional Delegations and Presidential Electors, with the Votes of the Electoral Colleges and the Whole, Arranged in Constitutional Periods. Albany, N.Y.: Weed, Parsons and Company. 1867. pp. 202–203, 361, and 532. Retrieved December 14, 2016.
  8. ^ Geoffrey Hermalyn and Lloyd Ultan, “Bronx” in The Encyclopedia of New York City (1st edition), edited by Kenneth T. Jackson, New York Historical Society and Yale University Press, New Haven, Connecticut, 1995, ISBN 0-300-05536-6, page 140.
  9. ^ “Bronx Officials Appoint — Nearly Every Place Getter on City or State Payroll Now”. The New York Times. December 31, 1913. p. 2. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  10. ^ “District Attorney, Bronx County”. The City Record. XLII (IX). New York, N.Y.: 257 (supplement) September 10, 1914. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
  11. ^ “F.W. Martin, Jurist, Dies at 68 — Presiding Justice of Appellate Division Since 1935, Member of State Court 26 Years — Named to Unit by Smith — District Attorney in the Bronx from 1913 to 1920, Making High Record of Convictions”. The New York Times. June 2, 1947. p. 25. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  12. ^ “Not One Seat In Board Of Estimate Saved to Tammany — Fusion Alderman Also — McAneny and Prendergast In Safely with Other Fusion Borough Heads — Close in New York County — With Just a Possibility at Midnight That Murphy May Save It — Neck and Neck in Bronx — Matthewson, (Rep.,) May Have Beaten Tammany and Third Ticket Up There — Queens Easy for Connolly — Brooklyn Gave Fusion 54,808 Plurality — Republicans Carry County — Prendergast’s Vote Cut”. The New York Times. November 5, 1913. p. 1. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  13. ^ “Bronx County Officers — Democrats Elect County Judge, Surrogate, and District Attorney”. The New York Times. November 5, 1913. p. 2. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  14. ^ “Officials Elected”. The New York Times. November 7, 1917. p. 1. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  15. ^ a b “Names Talley Judge Of General Sessions — Governor Smith Also Appoints Edward J. Glennon Bronx District Attorney — G.W. Martin County Judge — All the Appointees Allied With Tammany Hall — Talley’s Selection Not Expected”. The New York Times. December 29, 1920. p. 16. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  16. ^ “The City Vote — Hylan’s Plurality 417,986 — Craig’s 249,252 — Banton’s 83,680”. The New York Times. November 10, 1921. p. 4. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  17. ^ a b “Smith Names Crain for the Supreme Court; Olvany Succeeds Him in General Sessions”. The New York Times. January 2, 1924. p. 1. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  18. ^ “Davis, Smith, Dawes and Roosevelt Open Intensive Drive Here — Tammany Zealously Aids Fight as Democrats Predict Victory in State and Nation — Davis Makes 3 Speeches — 5,000 Turn Out at Staten Island, Where He Demands Honest Government — Big Crowd Greets Teddy — He Also Forecasts His Election Over Governor — Dawes Heard in Brooklyn”. The New York TimesM. October 26, 1924. p. 1. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  19. ^ “Mayoralty Sweep — Tammany Controls Board of Estimate and Aldermen — Entire City Ticket Wins — Wigwam Elects Five Boro Heads and Judicial Candidates — Olvany’s First Triumph — Result Clinches His Leadership and Is a Tribute Also to Gov. Smith — Voting Machines Are Used — Test of Them in Fifteenth District Yields Quick Count — Leads to Some Complaints”. The New York Times. November 4, 1925. p. 1. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  20. ^ “Supreme Court Justices, District Attorneys, City Court Justice, Kings Surrogate”. The New York Times. November 4, 1925. p. 3. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  21. ^ a b “Big Vote Piled Up — Berry and McKee Are Victors by Large Pluralities — Sweep in Four Boroughs — Tammany Elects County Officers Throughout City, Except in Queens — Beaten There by Harvey — Democratic Judges All Winners — Dodd Has an Easy Lead Over Callaghan — All Amendments Carried — Feature of the Election Is the Big Vote Polled by Thomas and Socialists”. The New York Times. November 6, 1929. p. 1. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  22. ^ a b “McGeehan Is Sworn In — Retiring Bronx Prosecutor Takes Oath as Supreme Court Justice”. The New York Times. December 25, 1929. p. 20. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  23. ^ “Farley Made Sheriff Before His 122 Aides — McLaughlin Goes in as Bronx Prosecutor, Pledging War on Crime — No Changes by Moran”. The New York Times. January 2, 1930. p. 11. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  24. ^ “McLaughlin Takes Bench Today”. The New York Times. March 16, 1933. p. 17. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  25. ^ “McLaughlin Takes Oath — Joins Bronx Supreme Court as Hundreds Crowd Court Room”. The New York Times. March 17, 1933. p. 17. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  26. ^ “S.J. Foley Named Bronx Prosecutor — Assistant District Attorney Selected to Fill Post Left by McLaughlin — Pledges War On Rackets — Official Who Helped End Building Troubles in 1929 Promises New Fight on Crime”. The New York Times. March 22, 1933. p. 15. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  27. ^ “Foley Inducted in Bronx”. The New York Times. March 23, 1933. p. 17. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  28. ^ “List of Candidates Who Will Be on Ballots in Municipal Election Nov. 7”. The New York Times. November 5, 1933. p. 2N. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
  29. ^ “Officials Elected”. The New York Times. November 8, 1933. p. 1. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  30. ^ “Complete Tables of Vote for City-Wide Officials and Borough and County Posts”. The New York Times. November 4, 1937. p. 14. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  31. ^ Hagerty, James A. (November 6, 1941). “Old Party Lines Fading as Result of City Election — Moves to Depose Sullivan as Tammany Head and Split in Democratic Ranks Seen — Republican Gains Likely — Dewey’s Chances for Election as Governor Rises — Labor Polled 434,297 Votes”. The New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  32. ^ Hagerty, James A. (November 7, 1945). “Record Plurality — Margin Totals 685,175 — McGoldrick Out but Runs Ahead of Ticket — Blow to Dewey Seen — Beldock Defeated by Big Margin — Lynch Loses to Hall in Richmond”. The New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  33. ^ “Rogers In City Job With Mayor’s Help — Former Tammany Leader and Ex-Borough President Gets $10,000-a-Year Post”. The New York Times. December 31, 1949. p. 1. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
  34. ^ Stuart, John (November 9, 1949). “Democrats Sweep Judicial Offices — Froessel Holds Strong Lead Over Bromley — Party Takes County Prosecutors’ Posts”. The New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  35. ^ “Democrats Chosen for Supreme Court — McGivern and Markowitz Are Victors in First District and McDonald Leads in Second”. The New York Times. November 4, 1953. p. 22. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  36. ^ a b “Sullivan Bronx Prosecutor”. The New York Times. January 1, 1955. p. 6. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  37. ^ “Daniel Sullivan, Prosecutor, Dies — Ex-Bronx District Attorney and City Court Justice, 79”. The New York Times. January 9, 1966. p. 56. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  38. ^ Amper, Richard (January 2, 1955). “2 Hitches Mark Swearing-In Rite — Javits Raises His Left Hand and Abrams, Rent Official, Misses Main Ceremony”. The New York Times. p. 58. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  39. ^ Egan, Leo (November 9, 1955). “Democrats in City Sweep; Highways and Dam Beaten; Jersey G.O.P. Margin is Cut — O’Connor Winner — Takes Queens Contest — Republicans Retain Suburban Power”. The New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  40. ^ a b Hailey, Foster (November 4, 1959). “Dollinger Victor in Bronx Contest — Democrat Gets Big Vote for Prosecutor — Braisted Wins in Richmond”. The New York Times. p. 19. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  41. ^ Hunt, Richard P. (November 6, 1963). “Vote Light Here — Cariello, O’Connor and Dollinger Elected — Amendments Pass”. The New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  42. ^ Ronan, Thomas P. (November 8, 1967). “Re-Election Won by 3 Prosecutors — Dollinger, Mackell, Braisted Score Easy Victories”. The New York Times. p. 31. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  43. ^ a b c Ronan, Thomas P. (September 19, 1968). “Roberts Nominated for Bronx District Attorney — Three Parties Endorse Him to Succeed Dollinger — His Chief Resigns to Run for State Supreme Court”. The New York Times. p. 35. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  44. ^ a b “Bronx Prosecutor Appointed”. The New York Times. Associated Press. November 8, 1968. p. 52. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  45. ^ King, Seth S. (November 6, 1968). “Democrats Win Special Elections For Council, District Attorney”. The New York Times. p. 29. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  46. ^ “Midonick Is Elected Surrogate In Manhattan, Beating Aarons”. The New York Times. November 3, 1971. p. 1. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  47. ^ a b Van Gelder, Lawrence (September 28, 1972). “Merola Is Designated to Seek Post as Bronx District Attorney”. The New York Times. p. 51. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  48. ^ a b Andelman, David A. (January 2, 1973). “New Prosecutor in Bronx to Seek A ‘Cooperative Effort’ With Nadjari”. The New York Times. p. 31. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  49. ^ a b c Barron, James (October 28, 1987). “Mario Merola, 65, Prosecutor in the Bronx for 15 Years, Dies”. The New York Times. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  50. ^ a b Shipler, David K. (November 8, 1972). “Democrats Lead in Races For 28 Judgeships Here”. The New York Times. p. 32. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  51. ^ “Results of Voting in the City and Suburbs”. The New York Times. November 6, 1975. p. 33. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  52. ^ Lynn, Frank (November 5, 1979). “Transit Bond Key Issue in New York — Jersey to Pick New Assembly”. The New York Times. p. A1. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  53. ^ “Vote Totals For the Elections in the New York and Jersey”. The New York Times. November 10, 1983. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  54. ^ Lynn, Frank (November 4, 1987). “Democrats Capture Top Posts In Suffolk, Erie and Monroe — Sweep All 44 Races in New York City, But Lose in Nassau”. The New York Times. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  55. ^ Howe Verhovek, Sam (December 11, 1987). “Man in the News — New District Attorney for the Bronx: Paul Thomas Gentile”. The New York Times. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  56. ^ Lynn, Frank (June 24, 1988). “Interim District Attorney Drops Out of Bronx Race”. The New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  57. ^ Howe Verhovek, Sam (September 16, 1988). “Ex-Judge Wins in the Bronx in Vote for District Attorney”. The New York Times. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  58. ^ “Metropolitan Area Contests”. The New York Times. November 7, 1988. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  59. ^ Mueller, Benjamin (September 19, 2015). “Robert Johnson, Bronx District Attorney, Says He Wants to Become a State Judge”. The New York Times. p. A15. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  60. ^ Pastor, Kate (October 1, 2015). “Bronx District Attorney Candidate Defends Her Nomination by Democratic Leaders”. The New York Times. p. A24. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
  61. ^ Burns, Alexander (November 4, 2015). “Michael McMahon, Ex-Congressman, Is Elected Staten Island District Attorney”. The New York Times. p. A26. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  62. ^ Murphy, Jarrett (November 6, 2019). “The 2019 Election Results: What They Mean, and What Comes Next”. City Limits. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  63. ^ “Statement and Return Report for Certification General Election 2023 – 11/07/2023 Bronx County – All Parties and Independent Bodies – District Attorney – Bronx” (PDF). Board of Elections in the City of New York. December 4, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2025.