Felony Trial Division

General Felony Division is responsible for the prosecution of indicted felonies in the Circuit Court. Types of cases handled include distribution, manufacture, and possession with the intent to distribute of controlled dangerous substances; burglaries; first degree assault; and illegal possession of guns.

The General Felony Division is comprised of a Team Chief whose primary responsibility is to assign cases to and manage a team of Assistant State’s Attorneys with varying levels of experience.

Assistant State's Attorneys in the General Felony Division prosecute cases vertically. This means that they are assigned cases immediately after arrest and are responsible for those cases to final disposition by trial or plea. This vertical prosecution system means that one prosecutor will usually stay with the case from start to finish, better serving the victims, witnesses and law enforcement officials involved in the prosecution of crime.

General Felony Division prosecutors will consistently seek sentences within the prescribed range of the Maryland Sentencing Guidelines. Because there are other people whom society would like to prevent from becoming violent criminals, the State Attorney’s Office also considers it a responsibility to the public to help prevent crime. That may manifest in plea offers transferring cases to two programs in the Circuit Court, Drug Court, and Mental Health Court.

At times prosecutors also work with police officers to further investigate cases. As each learns from the other it becomes mutually beneficial, and even more so for the public. Going to court may appear to be the bulk of the prosecutor’s job, but because each case is different, every ASA has the same ultimate objective: to protect the public’s safety.

Contact the Felony Trial Division