Deputy Public Defender I

County of Riverside•Throughout Riverside County, CA

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The County of Riverside's Law Offices of the Public Defender is seeking to fill vacancies in their Riverside, Murrieta, Banning, and Indio offices at the Deputy Public Defender I level. The incumbents will perform professional legal work in the misdemeanor unit and do other work as required. Experience working in a law office is preferred. Candidates who are post-bar and awaiting their results are encouraged to apply. Incumbents are employed in the Office of the Public Defender and are considered deputies to the Public Defender. It is the mission of the Law Offices of the Public Defender to provide the highest quality legal representation to any person unable to afford it for criminal, juvenile, or certain civil proceedings. The Public Defender strives to preserve human dignity in all cases where citizens' liberties are at stake. The Public Defender is dedicated to the principle that no citizen shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without competent, professional, and vigorous representation so that due process is implemented fairly, equitably, and without prejudice. The Public Defender is headquartered in Riverside, with additional offices providing support to residents in Banning, Blythe, Murrieta, and Indio.

Requirements

Active membership in the State Bar of California.
Post-bar applicants must provide the date the bar was administered to be considered.
Knowledge of legal principles and their application; rules of evidence and the conduct of court proceedings; the laws of California.
Ability to analyze legal problems and apply legal principles and practices; present arguments and statements of fact and law clearly and logically in written and oral form; perform legal research; work cooperatively with others.
Possession of a valid California Driver's License is required.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in a law office is preferred.
Candidates who are post-bar and awaiting their results are encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

Interviews applicants for public defense and determines financial eligibility; advises and counsels defendants on legal rights and procedures.
Investigates, researches, and prepares cases for the defense; presents and defends cases in the Justice, Municipal, and Superior Courts.
Analyzes legal issues for pending cases; prepares trial briefs and checks questions of law; argues points of law and makes final arguments of summations.
Negotiates with the prosecuting authorities regarding the disposition or modification of charges in specific cases; does legal research in the specific area of criminal law; prepares correspondence and reports.
Reviews progress and development of cases with supervisory deputies.