Something I've always wondered...

[treky]

...what's the difference between a sherrif and a marshall?

[jie3]

These might help:

Q: What is the difference between a marshal and a sheriff?

http://www.nyc.gov/html/doi/html/mar...evictions.html

A: New York City Marshals are public officials, appointed by the Mayor, but they are not paid employees of the City of New York. They earn income by performing certain tasks in Civil Court cases, including the enforcement of judgments. City marshals charge fees for their services and receive a percentage of the money they collect. In August 1997, the New York State Legislature authorized marshals to also collect money judgments of the New York State Supreme Court and the Family Court.

The City Sheriff is the enforcement officer of the New York State Supreme Court and is authorized to collect judgments of the Supreme, Family, and Civil Courts. The Sheriff and his or her deputies are paid employees of the City of New York. Both city marshals and the City Sheriff are required by law to charge the same fees for their services, although their procedures for collection of fees may differ.

What is the difference between a Marshal and a Sheriff?

http://www.thelastbestwest.com/old_west_badges.htm

A sheriff is responsible for a town, and it's immediate area, a Marshal was responsible for a county or larger. Sheriff's are elected by the town or county, and Marshal's are appointed by the Judicial system. So who out ranks who? A U.S. Marshal has more sweeping powers than a Sheriff, but jurisdiction always enters into it. That's why Sheriff Johnie Behan thought he had the jurisdiction to arrest Wyatt Earp, after Earp and his boys had exacted some revenge for the murder of his brother Morgan and the crippling of Virgil by bushwackers. Behan was a known sympathizer of the "Cowboys" led by Ike Clanton, and this is how an exchange with Earp went, as reported by an eye witness.