Prior to 1850, the investigation and prosecution of crime in Pennsylvania was the province of the state Attorney General and his deputies.
In May of 1850. the Pennsylvania legislature, seeing the need for a prosecutor elected by the people of each county, passed a law providing for the election of county District Attorneys.
This law, known as “An Act Providing for the Election of District Attorneys”, required that each county “elect one person, learned in the law…who shall be called the District Attorney of said county; and the Officer so elected shall sign all bills of indictment, and conduct in court all criminal or other persecutions in the name of the Commonwealth…”
Since that time, the voters of Monroe County have elected 25 such “men learned in the law” as their District Attorney.
The current District Attorney, E. David Christine, Jr., is in his fifth term serving the people of Monroe County as District Attorney.
Former Monroe County District Attorneys
Names highlighted in red have a linked biography and / or photograph.
| Name | Years Served |
| Mark P. Pazuhanich | 1996 to 2000 |
| James P. Gregor | 1992 to 1996 |
| E. David Christine, Jr. | 1987 to 1991 |
| James F. Marsh | 1971 to 1987 |
| Phillip H. Williams | 1968 to 1971 |
| James R. Marsh | 1960 to 1967 |
| Detleff A. Hansen | 1956 to 1959 |
| Elmer D. Christine | 1952 to 1955 |
| Detleff A. Hansen | 1948 to 1951 |
| Fred W. Davis | 1940 to 1948 |
| James T. Kitson | 1936 to 1940 |
| George G. Shafer | 1932 to 1935 |
| Ira A. Labar | 1928 to 1932 |
| Donald J. Marvin | 1924 to 1928 |
| Chester Rhodes | 1920 to 1924 |
| Ira A. Labar | 1912 to 1920 |
| Claude Shull | 1908 to 1912 |
| Cicero Gearhart | 1905 to 1908 |
| John B. Williams | 1893 to 1905 |
| L.E. Holbrook | 1890 to 1893 |
| Rogers L. Burnett | 1884 to 1890 |
| Henry Katz | 1881 to 1884 |
| David S. Lee | 1872 to 1880 |
| Stephen Holmes | 1863 to 1872 |
| William Haviland | 1856 to 1863 |
| Abraham Barry | 1853 to 1856 |