The Office of Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early, Jr. prosecutes felonies and misdemeanors that occur in the 60 communities of the Middle District. The Middle District consists of Worcester County except the town of Athol, but including the town of Bellingham, which is in Norfolk County.
The Middle District includes 10 district courts (Clinton, Dudley, East Brookfield, Fitchburg, Gardner, Leominster, Milford, Westborough, Winchendon, Worcester), four juvenile courts (Fitchburg, Dudley, Milford, Worcester) and one superior court (Worcester).
The district courts have jurisdiction on misdemeanors, cases in which the maximum penalty is 2.5 years in the House of Correction. Felony cases are heard in Worcester Superior Court and guilty defendants can be sentenced to state prison.
Assistant District Attorneys represent the Commonwealth and are assigned to prosecute cases in each of the courts. There are several units within the District Attorney’s Office with experienced and specially trained ADAs assigned to each.
These include:
- Appeals
- Arson
- Child Abuse and Sexual Assault
- Civil Forfeiture
- Domestic Violence
- Financial Crimes
- Fugitive/Rendition
- Gang Unit
- Juvenile Court
- Motor Vehicle Homicide
- Sexually Dangerous Persons
- Litigation Integrity Division