Public Defender Investigator

State of North Carolina•Waynesville, NC

About The Position

DO YOUR CAREER JUSTICE! Each and every day, North Carolina's courts help provide safety for our communities, prosperity for our economy, and protection for the rights, liberties, and freedoms that sit at the foundation of our state and federal constitutions. Consider an exciting and rewarding career with us and join the more than 7,000 elected officials and employees who make up our workforce and help us ensure that justice is administrated without favor, denial, or delay. Description of Work Knowledge Skills and Abilities/Management Preferences Duties include but are not limited to the following: Investigate serious misdemeanor and felony cases to collect information used to verify evidence or to substantiate innocence. Visit clients in jail to conduct initial interviews, and when indicated, consider the appropriateness of and expedition of bond reduction. Determine what facts, opinions, or background information witnesses have that is relevant to the case and prepare a written report, and/or evaluate information with the assigned attorney. Photograph, measure, and draw the crime scene to scale to determine its relationship to the physical evidence. Arrange defense expert witnesses, review expert’s credentials, evaluate their potential effectiveness with jury, and coordinate delivery of evidence to experts. Research criminal histories of defendants, witnesses, and time of trial and assist in witness preparation. Ensure appearance of witnesses at time of trial and assist in witness preparation. Assist counsel with facts of the case during trial. Conduct special investigations as directed. Will be required to travel over seven counties (Haywood, Jackson, Swain, Macon, Graham, Clay and Cherokee) as needed. Valid North Carolina driver’s license required. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities/ Competencies Knowledge of: criminal law and the local court system, evidence collection, investigation, and identification techniques and procedures: and information sources and the ability to extract information from those sources. Skill in: computers and word processing to prepare reports, motion, orders, subpoenas and other legal documents; and effectively communicate with people of diverse backgrounds both orally and in writing. Ability to: plan and organize and effective approach to the investigation of complex cases and to independently develop leads; schedule work to achieve results on time; prepare clients, their families, and witnesses for court; work irregular hours in conducting investigations; make pertinent observations and to analyze those observations with the charges in any given case; and inspire the confidence of the community in the public defender’s office.

Requirements

Valid North Carolina driver’s license required.
Knowledge of: criminal law and the local court system, evidence collection, investigation, and identification techniques and procedures: and information sources and the ability to extract information from those sources.
Skill in: computers and word processing to prepare reports, motion, orders, subpoenas and other legal documents; and effectively communicate with people of diverse backgrounds both orally and in writing.
Ability to: plan and organize and effective approach to the investigation of complex cases and to independently develop leads; schedule work to achieve results on time; prepare clients, their families, and witnesses for court; work irregular hours in conducting investigations; make pertinent observations and to analyze those observations with the charges in any given case; and inspire the confidence of the community in the public defender’s office.
Graduation from a four-year college or university, preferably in the field of law, criminal justice, psychology, or sociology, and one (1) year of experience in legal, judicial, law enforcement or investigative work.
An associate degree with three (3) years of experience in the above-mentioned fields may substitute for the four-year college degree requirement.
Other combinations of education and experience that provide the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.

Nice To Haves

Management prefers applicants with an investigator's license (NC Justice Academy Criminal Investigative Certificate or private protective services license).

Responsibilities

Investigate serious misdemeanor and felony cases to collect information used to verify evidence or to substantiate innocence.
Visit clients in jail to conduct initial interviews, and when indicated, consider the appropriateness of and expedition of bond reduction.
Determine what facts, opinions, or background information witnesses have that is relevant to the case and prepare a written report, and/or evaluate information with the assigned attorney.
Photograph, measure, and draw the crime scene to scale to determine its relationship to the physical evidence.
Arrange defense expert witnesses, review expert’s credentials, evaluate their potential effectiveness with jury, and coordinate delivery of evidence to experts.
Research criminal histories of defendants, witnesses, and time of trial and assist in witness preparation.
Ensure appearance of witnesses at time of trial and assist in witness preparation.
Assist counsel with facts of the case during trial.
Conduct special investigations as directed.
Will be required to travel over seven counties (Haywood, Jackson, Swain, Macon, Graham, Clay and Cherokee) as needed.