Cuyahoga County

Divisions and Units


Administration

The Administration Division of the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office provides leadership and administrative guidance to the office to ensure the appropriate resources are applied to achieve the goals of the office. Employees within this division are responsible for strategic planning, fiscal management, operations, communications and public relations, human resources and information systems.

Administration Units

Communications
Finance & Operations
Human Resources
Information Systems and Business Intelligence


 

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The Civil Division

The Civil Division of the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office represents the County in legal matters and litigation where the County is a party. This division functions as the county's in-house law firm.

Civil Units

General Civil Unit
Tax Foreclosure Unit


 

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Criminal Division

The Criminal Division is the largest division in the Prosecutor's Office, with more than 100 attorneys and 130 total employees. Prosecutors in this division pursue cases against adult defendants who have committed felonies in the county. Attorneys in this division also write search warrants, present cases to the Grand Jury, work to expedite cases through the judicial system, manage appeals and specialize in regional and specific crimes. Advocates work with victims and witnesses to prepare them for court and help educate them of their rights.

Criminal Units

Appeals Unit
Crime Strategies Unit
Criminal Non-Support Unit
General Felony Unit
Grand Jury Unit
Major Drug Offender Unit
Major Trial Unit
Victim Witness Unit


 


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Family Law Division

The success of a community depends on the success of its families. To better serve Cuyahoga County's families, the Prosecutor's Office united the various units that address matters of family law into one cohesive division. The Family Law Division aims to provide holistic legal support to vulnerable children and families in Cuyahoga County through the establishment and enforcement of child support and the prevention of child abuse and neglect.

The Mission of the Family Law Division is to provide professional, efficient and comprehensive legal services that will support the missions of our clients, the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services and the CJFS-Office of Child Support Services.

Values and Guiding Principles

  1. We believe that families should be supported, strengthened and empowered.
  2. We believe that children must be protected within a safe, stable and nurturing family that can meet their basic needs.
  3. We value partnering with stakeholders, community groups and organizations that can provide support and resources to families and their children.
  4. We believe in utilizing coherent approaches to serving our clients by drawing on the skills and expertise of both our professional and support staff, and employing best practices in the field of child welfare and child support.
  5. We treat all parties involved in legal actions with dignity and respect.
  6. We uphold the due process and other civil rights of vulnerable families and their at risk children.
  7. We strive for excellence in our delivery of legal services.

Family Law Units

Child Support Unit
Children & Family Services Unit


 

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Juvenile Division

The Juvenile Division handles criminal issues involving juveniles in Cuyahoga County. From its creation in the early years of the 20th Century, Cuyahoga County’s Juvenile Court has aimed not just to punish youths who break the law, but to set them on a better path in life. That is a tradition the Prosecutor’s Office also embraces, and everyone in the Juvenile Justice Unit is encouraged to work with the court and its affiliated service providers to offer support and guidance to those young defendants who want to avoid a life of crime.

Juvenile  Units

Juvenile Justice Unit



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Special Investigations Division

The Special Investigations Division includes more than 40 employees and combines the expertise of prosecutors and investigators, often in cooperation with multi-agency task forces, to prepare and prosecute certain criminal cases.

Police and citizens regularly contact the County Prosecutor’s Office with requests for assistance and concerns about investigations pertaining to economic crime, organized crime and other matters handled by the Division. Police agencies also request reviews of internal affair matters that may be criminal in nature.

Often, an assistant prosecuting attorney works a special investigations case from the very beginning through its conclusion. He or she is assigned to shepherd the investigation through a final review, present the case to the Grand Jury, and vertically prosecute through trial. This continuity increases the likelihood of a successful outcome in the case. Police benefit from ongoing guidance as to the sufficiency of the evidence for charging, and prosecutors benefit by knowing the details of the case prior to the commencement of the prosecution.

When prosecutors work closely with both local police and federal agencies, they are easily able to share information and resources. This cooperation allows us to solve and prosecute crimes, preventing future crimes against our citizens.

Special Investigations Units

Internet Crimes Against Children Unit
Investigators Unit
Organized Crime Task Force
Sexual Assault Kit Task Force


 

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