"I'm a little nervous about what the next part of my life will bring," said Straus. "But it's time for a change."

Straus said he's proud of his years in office.

"You see the bad people actually going to prison and getting off our streets," said Straus. "That's the most satisfying parts of the job."

Straus also acknowledged that the job involves the difficult task of handling disturbing cases.

"Because of the sexual assaults and the homicides, there is always a human aspect of the story," he said. "If you're not careful, you can get sucked into that."

Straus credits a teamwork approach and the effort of the assistant prosecutors for stopping county crime and putting criminals in prison.

Because Straus has one year remaining in his term, he is recommending the Democratic Party pick Jane Hanlin to take the position.

"Jane Hanlin handles a lot of high profile cases like sexual assaults, homicides and high level drug dealers," he said. "Up to this point, she has never lost a jury trial. She is that good."

Straus is certain the office success will continue.

It's not clear whether he'll spend his retirement in the courtroom, the classroom or out in the country.

"I have four horses waiting for me when I get home tonight, and I'm sure I'll be spending time with them," Straus said. "As far as any career decisions go, I'm going to sit and think about that for a while."

The Democratic Party will meet March 8 to nominate a new prosecutor.