Newly Created 511th District Court Team

Comal County•New Braunfels, TX

About The Position

The Comal County Criminal District Attorney’s Office is hiring attorneys for the newly created 511th District Court Prosecution Team: a Felony Court Chief and a Felony II Attorney. The team will also be supported by a Victim Assistance Coordinator, Felony Clerk, and Paralegal as those personnel are hired. These positions support the prosecution of felony cases in a rapidly growing community and offer an opportunity to help build the operations of a new district court. The Felony Court Chief provides leadership, supervision, and daily oversight of prosecutors, investigators, and support staff assigned to the court. The chief serves as lead trial attorney on complex, high-priority, or high-profile felony cases; oversees caseload distribution and case progress; reviews charging decisions, plea recommendations, trial strategies, and dispositions; ensures legal and ethical compliance; mentors prosecutors; maintains working relationships with court and community partners; oversees grand jury presentations; and assists with onboarding. The Felony II Attorney works with the Court Chief and receives mentorship and guidance. The attorney manages a substantial felony caseload, reviews cases and makes charging recommendations, prepares indictments, conducts legal research, handles assigned cases as primary counsel and may second-chair complex cases. Duties include preparing and arguing motions and hearings, negotiating pleas, preparing cases for trial, representing the State in jury selection, trials, revocation hearings, and sentencing, communicating with victims and witnesses, participating in case staffing, and meeting legal, ethical, and office requirements. Both positions are directly supervised by the Chief Felony Prosecutor. Courtroom experience is preferred, and courtroom litigation is guaranteed in these positions. The work is described as sedentary, with occasional exposure to fumes or airborne particles and usually moderate noise. Salaries are $124,504–$145,000 for the Felony Court Chief and $110,808–$120,000 for the Felony II Attorney, varying by experience. Benefits include employee-paid medical coverage, retirement, supplemental employee coverage, paid State Bar dues and continuing legal education, and paid vacation and sick leave.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED equivalent.
Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university and a J.D. law degree.
For the Felony Court Chief: three years of experience as an attorney practicing criminal law.
For the Felony Court Chief: significant felony jury trial experience.
Thorough working knowledge of law enforcement and court procedures and practices.
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret complex documents and respond effectively to sensitive inquiries or complaints.
Ability to write speeches and articles using original or innovative techniques or style, and deliver effective, persuasive presentations on complex or controversial topics.
Ability to calculate figures and amounts including percentages, proportions, and other basic calculations, and apply basic algebra and geometry.
Ability to solve practical problems, manage concrete variables in situations with limited standardization, and interpret written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule-form instructions.

Nice To Haves

Courtroom experience is preferred for both positions.

Responsibilities

For the Felony Court Chief, lead, supervise, and provide daily oversight of prosecutors, investigators, and support staff assigned to the 511th District Court.
Serve as lead trial attorney on complex, high-priority, or high-profile felony prosecutions.
Manage felony caseload distribution and monitor workload and case progress from intake through disposition.
Review and approve team members’ charging decisions, plea recommendations, trial strategies, and case dispositions.
Ensure compliance with legal and ethical obligations, discovery requirements, evidence handling, and office policies.
Conduct case staffing, advise on legal issues, and mentor prosecutors in trial techniques, case evaluation, and courtroom preparedness.
Maintain working relationships with the court, clerk’s office, law enforcement agencies, defense bar, and community stakeholders.
Oversee grand jury presentations and timely, accurate preparation of indictments for cases within the court’s jurisdiction.
Assist in onboarding prosecutors and staff assigned to the court.
For the Felony II Attorney, manage a substantial felony caseload and prosecute cases ethically and timely from intake through disposition.
Review case files for legal sufficiency, make charging recommendations, prepare indictments, and conduct legal research.
Serve as primary attorney on assigned cases and second chair on complex or high-priority cases as directed by the Court Chief.
Prepare and argue pretrial motions, suppression issues, evidentiary matters, and other hearings.
Conduct plea negotiations in accordance with office policies, victim input, and supervisory guidance.
Prepare cases for trial through evidence review, witness preparation, motion drafting, and trial-strategy development.
Represent the State in jury selection, bench and jury trials, revocation hearings, and sentencing proceedings.
Communicate with victims, law enforcement officers, investigators, and civilian witnesses to prepare cases.
Participate in case staffing meetings to discuss case strategy, legal issues, and progress.
Comply with Brady obligations, discovery requirements, the Code of Criminal Procedure, office procedures, and ethical rules.