COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Board of Supervisors

BOARD MEETING DATE:

August 14, 2007

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Supervisor Mark Church

SUBJECT:

District Attorney James P. Fox’s selection as the President of the National District Attorneys Association

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a resolution honoring and commending District Attorney James P. Fox on his selection as the President of the National District Attorneys Association

BACKGROUND:

James P. Fox was born and raised in Half Moon Bay and has lived his whole life in San Mateo County. He attended Serra High School in San Mateo and went to college and law school at the University of San Francisco. Jim first served the County as a Juvenile Group Supervisor in the San Mateo County Probation Department while he attended law school. Following his graduation from law school in 1969, Jim became a San Mateo County Deputy District Attorney.

From 1974 to 1983, while in private law practice, Jim was a member of the Private Defender Panel of the San Mateo County Bar Association, which is responsible for providing indigent defense services. During this time, Jim also served as the City Attorney of Half Moon Bay, CA.

Jim was elected District Attorney of San Mateo County in June 1982 and took office in January 1983. Jim has a unique and valuable perspective of our criminal justice system, as he has been both a defense attorney and a prosecutor. Jim has served as a member of the California Bar Association Conference of Delegates and the Commission on Judicial Nominee Evaluations and has been active in both the California District Attorneys Association (CDAA) and the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA). He is a past President of CDAA and has served as chairman of the Legislative Committee of that organization since 1990. He is also a past Vice President of NDAA and current co-chairman of the Legislative Committee of NDAA.

DISCUSSION:

Jim was unanimously chosen to become the NDAA President for the term of July 2007 to July 2008. NDAA’s mission is “to be the voice of America’s prosecutors and to support their efforts to protect the rights and safety of the people.” NDAA represents approximately 30,000 prosecutors nationally. District Attorneys play a vital role in our communities and are an extremely important component of the public safety system. Local prosecutors are responsible for trying more than 95% of all criminal cases in America.

As President of the NDAA, Jim has ongoing contact with the congressional and executive branches of the federal government, including testifying before Congress and meeting with the U.S. Attorney General. Additionally, Jim will represent NDAA at domestic and international conferences.

It is an honor to congratulate and commend Jim on his election to the presidency of the NDAA!

FISCAL IMPACT:

None