With less than a week until voters choose Dallas County’s next district attorney, dozens of prosecutors and staff have already left the office that Democrat Amber Givens hopes to lead.

Since Givens defeated two-term incumbent John Creuzot in the March Democratic primary, 77 employees have submitted their resignations, including 47 attorneys, according to records reviewed by The Dallas Morning News. More departures are expected before the next district attorney takes office in January.

The departing lawyers represent more than 15% of the office’s 273 budgeted attorney positions. At least 19 had served more than a decade, taking years of experience with them.

There are currently 49 vacant positions in the office, compared to 33 in October 2025 and 23 in October 2024.

The turnover raises questions about how the office will prosecute criminal cases, particularly with vacancies spread across divisions and several felony courts severely understaffed, according to a recent organizational chart.

The departures come amid a nationwide prosecutor shortage.

Givens said she has privately and publicly expressed appreciation for the “talented and dedicated team” at the DA’s office.

“Dedicated public servants who are committed to justice for the people of Dallas County can rest assured that there is a place on my team for them,” Givens said in a statement to The News. “If elected District Attorney, I will lead a thoughtful, collaborative transition grounded in respect for their work and continuity of service to our community. My commitment to putting people over politics will guide how I lead.”

Givens’ opponent, Dallas attorney Eric Reed, who entered the race in August as a write-in candidate, has made the departures a campaign issue.

“When attorneys tell us they would rather leave than work under my opponent, that is a failure of confidence with consequences for public safety,” Reed said.

Creuzot warned after his March 3 defeat that many employees could leave before his term ended. He declined to discuss the departures, citing his policy against commenting on personnel matters.

Givens, a former felony court judge, has promised changes if elected.

In March, she visited criminal court judges seeking assessments of prosecutors’ performance and asking them to identify those who consistently prepared for trial and handled cases effectively.

“I want to know because I know we have amazing talent here in Dallas,” she said in a Facebook video.

Reed said his campaign spoke with prosecutors who reported leaving because they did not want to work under Givens. The News contacted several departing attorneys, but none responded, leaving their reasons unconfirmed.

The departing employees include investigators and other staff members. Among the lawyers, some had worked less than a year while others served more than two decades.

The highest-ranking departure was Barbara Nicholas, who headed the office’s civil division and advised the Dallas County Commissioners Court.

Of 27 departing attorneys whose next jobs The News identified, 14 entered private practice, including one who opened a solo firm. Others joined prosecutors’ offices or government agencies.