ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Ontario County District Attorney Jim Ritts has announced plans to retire after a career spanning 36 years in public service. While Ritts has not yet set an official date for his retirement, he confirmed in a message to staff that the decision has been made.

Ritts called the move “bittersweet,” reflecting on a career that began in public defense and later included time as a prosecutor in both Ohio and New York.

“I have been blessed to make a difference in the lives of so many people,” Ritts wrote, noting his work through the COVID-19 pandemic and amid sweeping changes to criminal justice law in New York.

During his tenure as DA, Ritts said he remained committed to victims and their families, even in difficult cases that didn’t always result in favorable verdicts.

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