The Indiana Constitution established the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney. Although commonly referred to as the county prosecuting attorney, the prosecuting attorney is a state official exercising authority through the judicial branch of the Indiana state government. The jurisdiction of the prosecuting attorney is known as a judicial circuit, and Elkhart County is Indiana’s 34th Judicial Circuit. The voters of the county elect the prosecuting attorney. In Elkhart County, the Circuit Court clerk maintains the county voter records, which go back to 1890. Initially, county prosecutors were elected every two years and served in a part-time capacity, while also engaging in private practice law.

In 1952, the term of the prosecuting attorney was increased from two to four years by constitutional amendment. The first four-year term for prosecuting attorney was served by Jerome K. Burke, Republican (1953-1957).

Elkhart County’s longest-serving prosecuting attorney was Michael A. Cosentino, Republican, who served 28 years (1975-2002). Cosentino’s predecessor, C. Whitney Slabaugh, a Republican, was the next longest-serving prosecutor, at 17 years (1958-1974).

Until January 1, 2003, the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney for Elkhart County was a part-time office, with lawyers serving as deputy prosecuting attorneys who operated from their private law practice facilities. During the 2002 campaign, then-candidate for prosecuting attorney Curtis T. Hill, Jr., devised a plan to centralize prosecution services. On January 1, 2003, the new centralized Office of the Prosecuting Attorney opened at 301 S. Main St., Suite 100, Elkhart, Indiana, consolidating all prosecuting attorney services under one roof for the first time.

• 2017- Present Vicki Elaine Becker – R
• 2003-2016 Curtis T. Hill, Jr. – R
• 1975-2002 Michael A. Cosentino – R
• 1958-1974 C. Whitney Slabaugh – R
• 1953-1957 Jerome K. Burke – R
• 1947-1952 Charles Hughes – R
• 1943-1946 D. Russell Bontrager – R
• 1939-1942 Paul L. Myers – R
• 1937-1938 Stanley Ramer – D
• 1935-1936 Glen R. Sawyer – R
• 1931-1934 James R. Nyce – D
• 1921-1930 Glen R. Sawyer – R
• 1917-1920 Herman Haskins – R
• 1913-1916 Oscar Jay – D
• 1911-1912 Edward A. Mulligan – D
• 1907-1910 Lloyd L. Burris – R
• 1905-1906 William H. Duff – R
• 1901-1904 William B. Hile – R
• 1897-1900 Charles G. Sims – R
• 1895-1896 Miles R. McClaskey – R
• 1892 Fall Election John Monschein – D & Miles R. McClaskey – R
• 1891-1892 John T. Sullivan – R