District attorney urges commissioners to fund higher salaries to stem prosecutor turnover
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Summary
The county district attorney’s office told the commissioners court it is deeply understaffed and urged salary increases to recruit and retain prosecutors and support staff. The office proposed new pay bands for attorneys, additional legal‑support hires and a chief investigator role.
The district attorney’s office told the Nueces County Commissioners Court that it remains substantially understaffed, with several senior prosecutors departing for higher pay elsewhere, and asked the court to approve pay increases to make county prosecutor salaries competitive.
Office leaders said the office currently operates well below its authorized complement of attorneys and that the shortage imposes a backlog on felony and juvenile dockets, increases pressure on existing prosecutors and contributes to jail population pressures. Leon Caferrata, misdemeanor chief, outlined a proposed restructured attorney pay scale with simplified grades (misdemeanor, felony, mid‑level, senior, and two complex‑crime slots). The office requested an average increase that would add roughly $610,000 in base salary costs (estimate provided without benefits) to lift starting prosecutor pay and create a clearer progression at higher levels.
The DA team also proposed administrative and investigator staffing changes: seven support positions (six attorney assistants/paralegals to handle discovery and case processing plus one chief investigator), and reclassifications to reflect current duties and market levels. The staff request totals roughly $400,000 (before benefits), the office said.
Leaders described the statewide shortage of prosecutors and recent state funding changes that help some rural counties; they said Nueces County still lacks access to those supplemental funds and needs local action to remain competitive. The DA asked the court to consider pay increases comparable to the state’s newly revised district judge benchmarks and to treat the office as critical core public‑safety personnel.
Why it matters: Prosecutor staffing affects case processing speed, jail populations and public safety outcomes. The DA’s proposal would increase the county’s recurring payroll costs but the office argued higher pay would reduce outsourcing, backlogs and long‑term pressure on the criminal justice system.
Discussion vs. outcome: the court requested more detailed figures and noted the DA’s requests would be considered as part of the overall budget process; no action or appropriation was taken at the workshop.
