Public Defender Investigator
About The Position
The Office of the Public Defender, District 22, serving Rockingham and Caswell counties, seeks a qualified investigator to investigate serious misdemeanor and felony cases involving indigent defendants assigned to the Public Defender’s Office. The investigator gathers and evaluates information to verify evidence or substantiate innocence and supports attorneys before and during trial. The role involves interviewing clients in jail, assessing whether to pursue bond reduction, investigating witnesses and crime scenes, arranging and coordinating defense experts, researching criminal histories, and helping ensure witnesses appear and are prepared for trial. The investigator may also conduct special investigations as directed and must be able to work irregular hours.
Requirements
- Graduation from a four-year college or university, preferably in law, criminal justice, psychology, or sociology, and one year of experience in legal, judicial, law enforcement, or investigative work.
- An associate degree and three years of experience in the listed fields may substitute for the four-year degree requirement; other combinations of education and experience providing the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.
- Valid North Carolina driver’s license.
- Knowledge of criminal law and the local court system; evidence collection, investigation, and identification techniques and procedures; and information sources and how to extract information from them.
- Computer and word-processing skills to prepare reports, motions, orders, subpoenas, and other legal documents.
- Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with people from diverse backgrounds.
- Ability to plan and organize investigations of complex cases and independently develop leads.
- Ability to schedule work to achieve results on time.
- Ability to prepare clients, their families, and witnesses for court.
- Ability to work irregular hours while conducting investigations.
- Ability to make pertinent observations and analyze them in relation to the charges in a case.
- Ability to inspire community confidence in the Public Defender’s Office.
Nice To Haves
- Degree preferably in law, criminal justice, psychology, or sociology.
Responsibilities
- Investigate serious misdemeanor and felony cases to collect information used to verify evidence or substantiate innocence.
- Visit clients in jail to conduct initial interviews and, when indicated, consider the appropriateness and expedition of bond reduction.
- Determine what relevant facts, opinions, or background information witnesses have; prepare written reports and/or evaluate information with the assigned attorney.
- Photograph, measure, and draw crime scenes to scale to determine their relationship to physical evidence.
- Arrange defense expert witnesses, review their credentials, evaluate their potential effectiveness with a jury, and coordinate delivery of evidence to experts.
- Research criminal histories of defendants, witnesses, and potential jurors.
- Ensure witnesses appear at trial and assist with witness preparation.
- Assist counsel with case facts during trial.
- Conduct special investigations as directed.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
