The Justice Courts Bureau is responsible for prosecuting criminal matters in the city, town and villages courts in Erie County. Prosecutors assigned to the Justice Courts Bureau appear in the 38 local courts (other than Buffalo City Court) in Erie County.
This bureau, led by Chief Danielle D'Abate, handles the second highest volume of cases (approximately 14,000 cases annually) in the District Attorney's Office. All cases, whether felonies or misdemeanors, must be reviewed for legal and factual sufficiency. Assistant District Attorneys assigned to the Justice Courts Bureau must handle the post-arrest investigation, conduct legal research, respond to motions, obtain witness statements, locate discovery, secure evidence, conduct pre-trial hearings and continue to trial if the matter cannot be resolved by a plea agreement.