In 2000, intake attorneys reviewed over 32,000 cases submitted by law enforcement. The attorneys’ duties include determining if the report is complete, if the evidence can be used at trial, and if the results of the investigation justify filing criminal charges against the suspect. If the police report does not provide enough information to file criminal charges, the attorney may require additional investigation. The attorney will refuse cases that do not involve criminal conduct or that for some reason cannot be prosecuted.

The intake attorneys are located in the downtown Criminal District Attorney’s Office.

In addition to reviewing cases, the Intake Section attorneys represent the State of Texas in extradition proceedings. These proceedings occur when persons wanted in other states for criminal charges have been arrested and are in custody in Tarrant County. 

Justice Court Prosecution

The Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office has a unit to prosecute Class C misdemeanor cases in the justice courts. These cases include such offenses as traffic tickets and public intoxication that generally are punishable by a fine only. The three attorneys assigned to this unit try both jury and non-jury cases before the eight justices of the peace in Tarrant County. 

The Intake Section houses the Deferred Prosecution Program, which is designed to give special attention to first-time offenders between the ages of seventeen and twenty-one who are involved in nonviolent crimes. The program gives these youthful offenders an opportunity to repay their debt to society without a final conviction and helps them direct their lives in more positive directions. The Deferred Prosecution Program has a ninety-five percent success rate, with less than one percent of offenders who successfully completed the program in the past four years re-offending.