Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, Major Felony

Hamilton County, Indiana • Noblesville, IN

31d • Onsite

About The Position

Incumbent serves as Major Felony Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney, responsible for preparing and presenting cases for prosecuting criminals.

Requirements

• Doctorate Degree in Jurisprudence from accredited college or university, with admission to Indiana State Bar, and successful completion of annual continuing legal education, as required, and with five (5) years of experience as a lawyer preferably serving in the role of deputy prosecutor or an equivalent legal job, and with previous jury trial experience.
• Thorough knowledge and ability to make practical application of federal and Indiana case and statutory law, rules of evidence, and rules of criminal and civil procedure and post-conviction relief.
• Practical knowledge of standard procedures and practices of Department and Hamilton County Courts, with the ability to effectively prepare and argue cases before the court.
• Working knowledge of standard English grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and ability to prepare correspondence and detailed reports as required.
• Ability to assist in supervising and directing personnel, including planning and delegating work assignments, evaluating performance, providing training and corrective instruction, and maintaining discipline.
• Ability to conduct legal research, write legal motions and memoranda, and effectively prepare and present cases in legal proceedings.
• Ability to maintain difficult caseload.
• Ability to respond swiftly and rationally to emergent calls from law enforcement.
• Ability to competently serve the public with diplomacy and respect, including occasional encounters with irate/hostile persons.
• Ability to maintain caseload of multiple complex cases, where there is a heightened sense of scrutiny from the public and to work under pressure on complex legal matters.
• Ability to prepare and make public speaking presentations.
• Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing with co-workers, other County departments, law enforcement agencies, Division of Family and Children, criminal defense attorneys, victims, witnesses, school corporations, Indiana Attorney General's office, and the public, including being sensitive to professional ethics, gender, cultural diversities, and disabilities.
• Ability to properly operate various office equipment, including computer, printer, fax machine, calculator, pager, cellular phone, and telephone.
• Ability to provide public access to or maintain confidentiality of Department information and records according to state requirements.
• Ability to understand, memorize, retain, and carry out written or oral instructions and present findings in oral or written form.
• Ability to work alone and with others in a team environment with minimum supervision, maintain appropriate, respectful interrelationships with co-workers, work on several tasks at the same time, often under time pressure, and complete assignments effectively amidst frequent distractions and interruptions.
• Shall comply with all employer and Department personnel policies and work rules, including, but not limited to, attendance, safety, drug-free workplace, and personal conduct.
• Ability to understand and follow written and oral instructions and directions and appropriately respond to constructive criticism.
• Ability to regularly work evening and/or extended hours, occasionally work weekend hours, and occasionally travel out of town for seminars/conferences, sometimes overnight.
• Ability to serve on 24-hour call as assigned, and to respond to specific matters involving law and procedure.

Responsibilities

• Conducts Major Felony cases, defined as Level 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 felonies, domestic battery charges and murder.
• Represents the State of Indiana in all stages of criminal prosecution of major felony and domestic violence criminal cases in Hamilton County Courts.
• Assists in supervising and directing personnel, including planning and delegating work assignments, evaluating performance, providing training and corrective instruction, and maintaining discipline.
• Works closely with Hamilton County law enforcement agencies.
• Prepares for complex hearings and/or trials, including organizing and filing documents, conducting legal research, preparing opening statements, arguments, questions, and interviewing witnesses, victims, and law enforcement officers, preparing motions and responses to defense motions, developing strategy, and consulting with other department personnel as needed.
• Attends pretrial conferences and initial hearings, subpoenas witnesses, and participates in deposition of witnesses.
• Conducts pretrial discovery, including writing and responding to interrogatories, subpoena duces tecum, discovery requests, and responses.
• Attempts to negotiate plea agreements with defense attorneys.
• Serves as liaison between Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office and victims and the families of victims as needed.
• Provides consultation to law enforcement personnel regarding specific cases, including reviewing information, responding to inquiries, and conducting probable cause hearings to obtain search warrants as appropriate.
• Coordinates and communicates with various federal, state and local agencies in criminal prosecutions.
• Reviews complex digital/cellular forensics and financial records, including reviewing and consulting with the coroner’s office to fully understand the cause and manner of death when reviewing the pathologists’ autopsy reports, and reviewing toxicology, DNA, fingerprint, and other complex analysis completed by law enforcement.
• Responds to inquiries regarding status of cases and communicates in writing and/or by telephone with various individuals, such as witnesses, victims, other prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, law enforcement and school personnel, and the public.
• Represents State of Indiana in conducting wide variety of hearings and trials, including presenting opening and closing statements, directing examination of state's witnesses, organizing and presenting items of state's evidence, cross-examining opposing witnesses, presenting rebuttal witnesses, making and meeting evidentiary objections and legal arguments, and redirecting and adjusting strategy.
• Litigates evidentiary and non-evidentiary motions in complex, multifaceted cases, including determining appropriate recommendations for case resolution, and interviewing crime victims, witnesses, law enforcement personnel, and other persons involved in case investigations.
• Prepares orders as directed by Judge, including preparing grand jury indictments.
• Investigates and processes post-conviction relief petitions as assigned, including preparing responses and evidence, conducting hearings, and submitting findings of fact and conclusions of law to courts.
• Prepares and makes presentations or conduct seminars for community groups and/or law enforcement personnel as requested.
• Maintains current statistics regarding reports reviewed, cases filed, and cases declined for prosecution as assigned.
• Maintains accurate records of all developments in assigned cases and maintains calendar of court appearances.
• Assists Attorney General with appeals, and responds to and considers motions to correct errors, petitions for post-conviction relief, and hardship license requests as needed.
• Serves on 24-hour call as assigned, responding to inquiries from law enforcement and probation personnel regarding laws and procedures, and preparing search warrants and affidavits as needed.
• Maintains current knowledge of legislative changes by reviewing case and statutory laws.
• Maintains continuing legal education requirements and current knowledge of legal decisions, policies, and regulations, including attending professional conferences, training, seminars, and workshops.
• Performs any lawful additional duties assigned by the Prosecuting Attorney or their designee.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life (employee, spouse, children), Long and short-term Disability
• Hamilton County Employee Health Center & Pharmacy (Noblesville/Westfield): High quality primary medical care facility and wellness services
• Advocacy Program – One-on-one appointment with a Physician to evaluate chronic illness/injuries
• Nutrition Education and Wellness Center (diabetes, high cholesterol, weight loss and management, cancer and kids health)
• Pharmacy – Low-cost co-payments, encourage use of generic meds, Medication Management Program providing review of medication interactions/effectiveness
• Sick leave, bereavement, holidays (10-13 per year), compensatory time, paid time off (1 week at 6 months, 2 weeks at 1 year then an additional day each year until max of 22 days on year 15). Upon completion of 30 years of service time, employees earn 1 additional day per year up to 40 years of service time.
• Indiana Public Employee Retirement Fund Pension (annuity & pension), AUL Deferred Compensation Plan, McCready Retirement (Merit staff)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree