Proposed legislation backed by the American Civil Liberties Union would require district attorneys in Oregon to have formal written policies to guide their work.

But some prosecutors and defense attorneys are worried about adding another layer of complexity to an already complex justice system and the effect that taking a cookie-cutter approach would have on individual cases.

This month, Oregon ACLU released a study concluding Oregon’s district attorneys could improve transparency and fairness if more of them adopted formal written policies relating to areas like charging decisions, plea bargains, diversion programs and employee training.