Voter Guides
Understanding the DA Office
Clear, practical guides to the role of a District Attorney and the public decisions that shape safety and fairness in Middlesex County.
Voter Guide
What Does a District Attorney Do? A Massachusetts Voter Guide
Learn what a District Attorney does in Massachusetts: reviews evidence, brings cases to court, supports victims, and leads a county prosecutor's office.
Read the guide
Voter Guide
District Attorney vs. Prosecutor: What’s the Difference?
A District Attorney is the elected chief prosecutor who leads the office, while prosecutors handle individual criminal cases.
Read the guide
Voter Guide
What Is an Assistant District Attorney? A Voter’s Guide
An Assistant District Attorney, or ADA, is a prosecutor who reviews cases, appears in court, and works with victims and witnesses.
Read the guide
Voter Guide
What Happens at an Arraignment? A Voter’s Guide
A clear Massachusetts guide to the first criminal court appearance, including charges, counsel, release decisions, and what comes next.
Read the guide
Voter Guide
What Happens at a Pretrial Hearing? A Massachusetts Guide
A pretrial hearing is a court date after arraignment where lawyers address evidence, legal issues, and next steps before trial.
Read the guide
Voter Guide
What Happens at a Plea Hearing?
A clear guide to what a judge reviews when a criminal case may be resolved by a guilty or no-contest plea, and what comes next.
Read the guide
Voter Guide
What Happens at a Grand Jury?
A plain-English Massachusetts guide to the grand-jury process, indictments, secrecy, and the roles of prosecutors, witnesses, and jurors.
Read the guide
Voter Guide
What Happens at a Sentencing Hearing in Massachusetts?
A sentencing hearing is when a judge decides the sentence after a plea or verdict. Learn who speaks, what the judge considers, and what happens next.
Read the guide
Voter Guide
What Happens After an Indictment in Massachusetts?
An indictment is a formal accusation, not a conviction. Learn what can happen next in a Massachusetts criminal case, from arraignment through pretrial hearings.
Read the guide
Voter Guide
Are District Attorneys Elected? A Massachusetts Guide
Yes. Massachusetts voters choose District Attorneys every four years. Learn what that election decides and why the office's leadership matters.
Read the guide
Voter Guide
What Is a Bail Hearing? A Massachusetts Guide
A bail hearing is where a judge decides whether someone is released while a criminal case is pending, and on what terms.
Read the guide
Voter Guide
What Happens at a Trial? A Massachusetts Guide
A clear guide to a criminal trial in Massachusetts, including jury selection, evidence, witnesses, closing arguments, verdicts, and what comes next.
Read the guide
Voter Guide
What Is a Probable Cause Hearing? A Massachusetts Guide
Learn what a probable cause hearing decides in Massachusetts, when it happens, who participates, and how it differs from a trial or grand jury.
Read the guide
Voter Guide
What Is a Show Cause Hearing? A Massachusetts Guide
A show-cause hearing lets a clerk-magistrate decide whether there is probable cause to issue a criminal complaint. Learn what happens and what it can mean.
Read the guide