Mission Statement
Our office’s mission is to provide equal justice while focusing on those crimes and individuals that threaten the safety of the people of Ulster County. Our number one priority is keeping our community safe. We take seriously our obligation to the community, to law enforcement, and to victims of crime.
We are guardians of the rights and liberties of everyone involved in the criminal justice system. We evaluate each case on its merits to ensure that justice is administered fully and without bias or favoritism. We embrace new ideas, best practices, and technologies to serve the community and advance justice. We are committed to building resilient partnerships with community organizations recognizing that a united and cohesive effort to prevent crime and heal harm allows us to achieve the highest level of public safety for our community.
Function/Description
The Ulster County District Attorney is the county’s chief law enforcement officer. The District Attorney has the sole responsibility for the prosecution of all crimes and offenses which occur within Ulster County. The District Attorney's Office partners with local, county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies with a common goal to promote public safety and protect the people and property in our community.
Both investigators and assistant DA’s participate in investigations of serious cases that occur throughout the county, i.e. drug trafficking and homicides. The Ulster County District Attorney’s office covers criminal prosecutions in the 22 town and village justice courts, Kingston City Court, and Ulster County Court. Said prosecutions involve charging decisions, case assessment, Grand Jury presentations, motion practice, hearings, trials, sentencing, and appeals. This requires communication with victims, witnesses, law enforcement, defense counsel, advocates for both the victim and defendant, forensic experts, and medical experts.
The District Attorney’s Office is responsible for the law enforcement side of The Ulster County Family and Child Advocacy Center, which is a partnership with The Ulster County Department of Social Services conducting both criminal and Child Protective Service investigations while streamlining, personalizing and coordinating services to child victims of physical or sexual abuse and/or domestic violence. The Ulster County District Attorney’s Office was selected as only the second county in the United States to create an Intimate Partner Violence Initiative devoted to offender accountability through community involvement. The program, which was introduced in the City of Kingston, has now expanded to the Town of Saugerties and will soon include the Town of New Paltz and is continually managed as new offenders need to be continually evaluated and repeat offenders reassessed depending on the degree of escalation in their behavior.
The District Attorney’s Office is also responsible for coordination with the Department of Social Services to orchestrate the investigation and prosecution of Welfare Fraud and Non-Payment of Child Support cases. The District Attorney’s Office heads the Ulster County Consumer Fraud Bureau fielding reports of local scams which require investigation and community notification if founded. The District Attorney’s Office participates in numerous task forces such as those combatting domestic violence, elder abuse, arson, and cruelty to animals, as well as, special projects and community outreach. The District Attorney’s office is also in the process of developing diversion and Restorative Justice programs.
Ulster County Courthouse | 275 Wall Street, Kingston, NY 12401
Phone: 845-340-3280 | Fax: 845-340-3185
ucda[at]co.ulster.ny[dot]us
