Division of Criminal Law

The mission of the Division of Criminal Law is to uphold the Attorney General’s constitutional responsibility to represent the People of California in criminal cases. Our Division is organized into the following four sections:

Appeals, Writs and Trials handles post-conviction proceedings, including prosecuting felony criminal appeals in state court and representing the state in habeas corpus cases brought in federal court. Deputies also handle criminal investigations, conduct evidentiary hearings, and prosecute felonies in cases in which the local district attorney has been recused. Deputies appear regularly in the California Court of Appeal, California Supreme Court, United States District Court, and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Correctional Writs & Appeals represents the state in civil rights actions involving state prisoners. This section also represents the Department of Corrections, Board of Prison Terms, Youth Authority and the Department of Mental Health and their employees in cases regarding policies, practices or conditions of confinement of inmates.

Cybercrime Section investigates and prosecutes multi-jurisdictional cases involving identity theft, cyber-crime, and criminal activity involving the use of electronic devices or networks. The Section also participates in regional high-tech task forces and provides training and support to local agencies on technology-related crime issues.

Special Prosecutions Section investigates and prosecutes complex criminal cases occurring in California, primarily related to financial, securities, mortgage, and environmental fraud; public corruption, including violations of California’s Political Reform Act; “underground economy” offenses, including tax and revenue fraud and counterfeiting; and human trafficking. Vertical teams of prosecutors, investigators, auditors, and paralegals often work with federal and local authorities on cases involving multi-jurisdictional criminal activity.