Executive Assistant District Attorney

An Executive Assistant District Attorney (EADA), sometimes called the Chief Assistant District Attorney (CADA), or the First Assistant District Attorney is a title given to senior management in a prosecutor's office. The people who hold these titles are generally considered the second-in-command for the office, and usually report directly to the head prosecutor. The exact roles and job assignments for each title vary with each individual office, but generally include management of the daily activities and supervision of specialized divisions within the office.

In some offices the positions is similar to that of the Executive Officer (XO) on a naval vessel, with the elected District Attorney as the Commanding Officer (CO). He or she reports directly to the District Attorney and acts as the District Attorney in his or her absence. Often, the EADA may oversee or prosecute some of the larger crimes within the jurisdiction.

In some offices the Executive Assistant District Attorney has the responsibility of hiring lawyers and other staff members in the District Attorney's office. Often, the EADA is in charge of giving press releases and overseeing the work of the office staff.

In jurisdictions where the elected prosecutor is the Commonwealth's Attorney a similar position is assigned the title of First Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney.