Khan, of Doylestown Township, is a first generation American who vows to build a DA's office for the 21st Century
Surrounded by family and friends, Joe Khan was sworn in as Bucks County District Attorney Monday morning in a ceremony in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room of the Bucks County Administration Building.
The oath of office was administered by Justice Kevin M. Dougherty of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania during the county’s biennial Inaugural Program.
“I first took the oath of office 25 years ago as a new prosecutor and a proud first generation American who was eager to give back to this country that welcomed my dad from Pakistan,” said Khan. “I begin this new chapter as District Attorney as a proud father who wakes up every morning trying to build a better world for my kids – and that’s what I’ll do for every person in Bucks County.”
Khan was elected District Attorney on Nov. 4, 2025, with 54% of the vote, winning more votes than any candidate for this office in the history of Bucks County. His tenure as District Attorney will build on a more than 16-year career as a prosecutor in the region, according to a news release.
Khan began his career as an Assistant District Attorney in Philadelphia, receiving national recognition for his commitment to prosecuting sexual assault, the release said. He then served for a decade as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where he received the FBI Director’s Award for prosecuting violent crime across southeastern Pennsylvania and leading the historic City Hall corruption probes in Allentown and Reading.
Khan next became a civil litigator, prosecuting claims against opioid companies and other corporations that harmed the public, according to the release. In 2020, Khan was appointed by a bipartisan board of Bucks County Commissioners to lead the Law Department as Bucks County’s first full-time Solicitor.
During his tenure, he was honored as the Government Attorney of the Year by the Pennsylvania Bar Association and received the Outstanding Solicitor Award from the County Commissioners Association of PA for “redefining the role of County Solicitor,” the release said.
In addition to overseeing all litigation for the County, Khan built partnerships with district attorneys, solicitors, and others to protect voting rights, consumers, and the environment through cutting edge litigation, including the first county lawsuit against social media companies for fueling a youth mental health crisis, according to the release.
He and his team also successfully drafted innovative laws to fight corruption, fraud, and human trafficking, all of which were enacted on a bipartisan basis. Most recently, Khan was a partner at Curtin and Heefner, where he co-chaired the appellate section and fought for environmental and voting rights.
“I am privileged to now lead the hard-working employees in this office in protecting the people of Bucks County,” said Khan. “Together, we will expand this office’s mission to tackle the 21st century challenges facing crime victims, consumers, working families, and the environment.”
According to the release, Khan is a graduate of the University of Chicago Law School and Swarthmore College. He is a first generation American and is the first Asian-American ever elected District Attorney (or to any row office) in Pennsylvania.
He lives in Doylestown Township with his sons Sam and Nathan, who are students in the Central Bucks School District (and lifelong Eagles fans like their dad).
