Attorney II (Criminal Assignment) - County Attorney
About The Position
Reporting directly to a Lead Attorney or Director, this role is responsible for adult misdemeanor prosecutions from intake through the appeal process. The Attorney II represents the State on behalf of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking in applications for protective orders. Key duties include screening new cases, making charging and filing decisions, and representing the State of Texas in all court proceedings. This includes arraignment dockets, announcement dockets, bench trials, jury trials, pretrial hearings, probation revocation hearings and appeals, plea negotiations, evidence review, trial preparation, and witness interviews.
Requirements
- Doctor of Jurisprudence from an accredited law school
- One (1) year of criminal law experience, including the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure and the Texas Rules of Evidence
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Acrobat, LexisNexis, and Westlaw
- State Bar of Texas
- Valid driver’s license
- Texas Crime Information Center (TCIC) certification (Required within six (6) months of employment)
- Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) certification (Required within six (6) months of employment)
Nice To Haves
- Two (2) years of experience as a criminal attorney, preferably with a Criminal District or County Attorney's Office as a prosecutor
- Working knowledge of Odyssey and Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS)
Responsibilities
- Prepares and conducts contested court hearings to include reviewing evidence, interviewing witnesses, preparing trial motions, responding to defense motions, preparing trial exhibits, and conducting the hearing (i.e., jury selection, opening statements, witness examination and closing arguments)
- Performs legal research by reading statutes and codes, analytical books, online case research, and specialized practice guides
- Interviews and communicates with victims and witnesses and answers questions regarding the criminal justice system
- Drafts legal documents such as motions, pleadings, orders, plea paperwork, legal memos, search warrants, and administrative documents
- Communicates with county personnel, elected officials, judges, defense attorneys, victims and witnesses of crime, law enforcement agencies, and the general public
- Attends all meetings and trainings, as required
- Performs special duties as assigned
- Ensures responsibilities for announcement and plea dockets to include handling cases in the court room that have been set on the court's docket, discusses cases with defense attorneys and Adult Probation Officers, files court documents and responds to the Judge's questions and requests
- Performs case intake, screens, and follows-up on investigations to include reviewing police reports and evidence submitted by law enforcement agencies
- Drafts investigative requests for additional evidence, makes charging decisions, and files charging instruments
- Conducts plea negotiations and correspondence with defense attorneys to include reviewing evidence, reading criminal histories and police reports, submitting plea offers, negotiating specific terms and conditions, and responding to discovery requests
- Performs hearings during open court for motions to revoke probation, motions to amend bond conditions, and motions to increase bond
- Performs pretrials, announcement dockets, and first appearance dockets
- Represents the State in Justice Peace Courts which includes travelling to Justice Peace Court on a weekly basis to process all criminal cases set for a pre-trial or trial hearing, negotiating with defense attorneys and pro-se defendants, and conducting bench and jury trials
Benefits
- Tobacco free workplace
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
