9-1-804. Duties and powers generally; employment of deputy and assistant district attorneys and other necessary personnel.

(a) In addition to other duties prescribed by law, each district attorney has exclusive jurisdiction to:

(i) Act as prosecutor for the state in all felony, misdemeanor and juvenile court proceedings arising in the counties in his district, and prosecute such cases in the district courts and courts of limited jurisdiction or in other counties upon a change of venue;

(ii) Defend against all petitions for writs of habeas corpus filed in his district by any person charged with or convicted of any public offense in his district. This duty does not extend to petitions filed by inmates of state penal institutions;

(iii) Render assistance as required by the attorney general in the preparation and argument of criminal appeals arising in his district and in the defense of petitions for habeas corpus filed by inmates in state institutions arising from alleged deprivation of rights at the time of or prior to conviction;

(iv) Appear before any judge in the preliminary examination of persons charged with any offense in his district;

(v) Appear at all inquests held by any coroner in his district;

(vi) Appear at all sessions of any grand jury convened in any county within his district.

(b) Each district attorney shall employ and assign to each county in the judicial district at least one (1) of the following to serve at his pleasure: a deputy district attorney, an assistant district attorney or a part-time assistant district attorney. The deputy, assistant or part-time assistant district attorney assigned to a county shall reside in the county and be a resident of Wyoming and his primary responsibility shall be to matters arising in the county.

(c) Subject to the rules of the Wyoming personnel division as to compensation, and as is authorized by the approved budget, each district attorney may employ administrative and clerical personnel necessary for the proper and efficient operation of his office. Such personnel shall serve at the pleasure of the district attorney.