<P> In the United States, a district attorney (DA) is the chief prosecutor in a local government area, typically a county . The exact name of the office varies by state . </P> <P> Except in the smallest counties, a district attorney leads a staff of prosecutors, who are most commonly known as assistant district attorneys (ADAs). The majority of prosecutions will be delegated to ADAs, with the district attorney prosecuting the most important cases and having overall responsibility for their agency and its work . Depending upon the system in place, DAs may be appointed by the chief executive of the jurisdiction or elected by local voters . </P> <P> The prosecution is the legal party responsible for presenting the case against an individual who is suspected of breaking the law, initiating and directing further criminal investigations, guiding and recommending the sentencing of offenders, and are the only attorneys allowed to participate in grand jury proceedings . </P> <P> The United States Judiciary Act of 1789, Section 35, provided for the appointment of a person in each judicial district to prosecute federal crimes and to represent the United States in all civil actions to which it was a party . Initially, there were 13 districts to cover the 11 States that had by that time ratified the constitution . Each State was a district, except for Massachusetts and Virginia which formed two . Districts were added when additional States were admitted . The statute did not confer a title upon these local agents of federal authority, but subsequent statutes and court decisions referred to them most frequently as "district attorneys". In 1948, the Judicial Code adopted the term "United States attorneys". </P>

What is the difference between a district attorney and a prosecuting attorney