Fran Chardo's Work Experience

  • Dauphin County District Attorney (2018-present)

    • Fran is the chief law enforcement officer for Dauphin County, overseeing an office with 31 prosecutors and 14 detectives, that conducts over 6000 felony and misdemeanor prosecutions at the Court of Common Pleas level each year. He continues to personally handle cases.

  • First Assistant District Attorney (2003-2017)

    •  Fran’s principal area of responsibility was the prosecution of murders and other violent felonies and conducting grand jury investigations. He supervised deputy district attorneys, reviewing proposed plea agreements and evaluating the performance of the attorneys. His appellate practice included writing briefs and oral argument before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the Pennsylvania Superior Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and filing briefs in the Supreme Court of the United States. He assisted the District Attorney in forming office policy.

  • Chief Deputy District Attorney, Dauphin County (2000-2003)

  • Senior Deputy District Attorney, Dauphin Count (1996-2000)

  • Deputy District Attorney, Dauphin County (1994-1996)
  • York County Special Assistant District Attorney (2002)
    • Fran served as special prosecutor in connection with the trial resulting from the 1969 race riot murder of Lillie Belle Allen
  • Special Assistant District Attorney, Montgomery County (2003)
    • Fran was appointed as special prosecutor in a major drug investigation
  • Adjunct Professor, Widener University Commonwealth School of Law (2005; 2013-present)
    • Fran has taught criminal law and advanced criminal procedure at the law school. He currently teaches a class entitled, Criminal Procedure: Adjudication.
  • Instructor, Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson School of Law (2004-present)
    • Fran serves as an an instructor in trial advocacy at the law school
  • Faculty Member, National College of District Attorneys, Columbia, South Carolina (2004-2011)
    • Fran served as trial advocacy instructor for prosecutors from throughout the country
  • Instructor, Public Safety Institute, Harrisburg Area Community College (1995-2004)
    • Fran instructed police academy cadets on criminal law and procedure

BAR ADMISSIONS:

  • Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (1993)
  • United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania (1995)
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (1996)
  • Supreme Court of the United States (1997)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

  • Board Certified in Criminal Trial Advocacy, National Board of Trial Advocacy
  • Past President, Honorable William W. Lipsitt Chapter of the American Inns of Court
  • Member, National District Attorneys Association
  • Vice-President, Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association
  • Member, Education and Training Committee of the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Institute
  • Chair, Best Practices Committee, Dauphin County District Attorneys Association
  • Chair, Court Relations Committeee, Dauphin County Bar Association
  • Former Chair, Law Day Committee, Dauphin County Bar Association (2003-2018)