Deputy Public Defender I/II/III - Coachella Valley Only at County of Riverside in Coachella, California

Job Description:

ABOUT THE POSITION

The County of Riverside's Law Offices of the Public Defender is seeking to fill multiple vacancies in their Coachella Valley office at the Deputy Public Defender I, II, and III levels (level entry is based on years of experience). 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.

The Deputy Public Defender I position is the entry-level class in the Deputy Public Defender series and is subject to the rotation of assignments according to business needs. Incumbents are given supervision and guidance by higher-level attorneys on initial assignments through formal and informal work reviews.

The Deputy Public Defender II is the second-level class in the Deputy Public Defender series and is subject to the rotation of assignments according to business needs. Positions in this class are distinguished from positions in the lower class of Deputy Public Defender I by assignments that require more specific legal experience and are performed with less supervision and review.

The Deputy Public Defender III is the journey level in the Deputy Public Defender series and is subject to the rotation of assignments according to business needs. Positions in this class are distinguished from positions in the lower level Deputy Public Defender II classification by assignments that require demonstrated ability to effectively perform the complete range of legal work in the fields of civil and criminal defense.

Incumbents are employed in the Office of the Public Defender and are considered deputies to the Public Defender.

Meet the Team!

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.

Who May Apply?

This recruitment is open to all applicants.

Applicants who are current County of Riverside's Law Offices of the Public Defender employees/interns/volunteers may be considered before other applicants depending on the volume of applications received.

EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Deputy Public Defender I

• 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.

• Review progress and development of cases with supervisory deputies.

Deputy Public Defender II and Deputy Public Defender III

• Interviews applicants for public defense and determines eligibility; advises and counsels defendants on legal rights and procedures; appears with and for defendants at court hearings.

• Decides on and makes appropriate legal motions and pleas, and takes other legal action on behalf of clients; conducts the trial defense for clients; orders investigations and subpoenas.

• Negotiates with prosecuting authorities regarding the disposition or modification of charges in specific cases.

• When warranted, argues the merits of probation for defendants; prepares appeals, writs, and other legal documents on behalf of defendants; dictates correspondence and prepares reports.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

DEPUTY PUBLIC DEFENDER I

License/Certificate:Active membership in the State Bar of California.

DEPUTY PUBLIC DEFENDER II

Option I

Experience: One year of experience at the Deputy I level with the Public Defender's Office of Riverside County (Certification of qualifications by the Public Defender may be substituted for up to six months of the required experience).

Option II

Experience:One year of experience at the Deputy I level with another office of Riverside County or as an attorney at an equivalent level with another California county or city.

Option III

Experience:One year of experience in the practice of criminal and/or civil law; civil law experience must have included primary involvement in the following areas: Conservatorships, Probate, Guardianships or other closely related cases.

DEPUTY PUBLIC DEFENDER III

Option I

Experience: One year of experience at the Deputy II level with the Public Defender's Office of Riverside County, at the Deputy II level with another office of Riverside County, or as an attorney at an equivalent level with another California county or city.

Option II

Experience: Two years of experience in the practice of criminal and/or civil law; civil law experience must have included primary involvement in the following areas: Conservatorships, Probate, Guardianships or other closely related civil cases.

All Levels

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.

Other Requirements:
License/Certificate: Active membership in the State Bar of California.
License: Possession of a valid California Driver's License is required.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

For more information regarding the position, please contact the recruiter Mary Miller at 951-955-3454 or via email at mmiller@rivco.org .

________________________________________________________________________________________

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Veteran's Preference
The County has a Veterans Preference Policy applicable to new hires. To qualify, upload a copy of your (or your spouse's) Member-4 Form DD-214 indicating dates of service, and a copy of your spouse's letter of disability (if applicable) with your application. For privacy reasons, it is recommended that you remove your social security information from the document(s). A Human Resources Representative will review the materials and determine if you qualify for veterans' preference.The Veterans Preference Policy, C-3 is available here: https://rivcocob.org/board-policies

Reasonable Accommodations
The County of Riverside is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter for the position noted above. For additional information and/or to obtain the appropriate form for requesting a reasonable accommodation, please visit the Disability Access Office web page located at: https://rc-hr.com/disability

Proof of Education
If using education to qualify or when requested by the recruiter, upload a copy of any license(s), official/unofficial transcript(s), degrees, and/or related employment documents to your NeoGov account at the time of application and before the closing date. Official or unofficial transcripts will be accepted.

If your education was completed outside of the United States, you will need to provide a copy of your Foreign Education Equivalency evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services ( NACES ) or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. ( AICE ).

Equal Opportunity Employer
The County of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the County of Riverside to provide equal employment opportunities for all qualified persons. All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, or denial of medical and family care leave, or any other non-job-related factors.

Pre-Employment
All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of pre-employment requirements including a criminal background investigation, which involves fingerprinting. (A felony or misdemeanor conviction may disqualify the applicant from County employment). A pre-employment physical examination and background check may be required.

Probationary Period
As an Approved Local Merit System, all County of Riverside employees, except those serving "At Will," are subject to the probationary period provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding, County Resolution, or Salary Ordinance. Temporary and Per Diem employees serve at the pleasure of the agency/department head.

General Information
Current County of Riverside and/or current employees of the hiring department may receive priority consideration. Qualified candidates may be considered for future County vacancies.

Job postings may close without notice based on application volume. Submit your complete application by the recruitment close date; no late applications are accepted. Ensure all relevant experience/education is reflected on your application/resume, as a failure to demonstrate position requirements may disqualify applicants. A description of job duties directly copied from the job classification or job posting will not be considered.

Please read and follow any special application instructions on this posting. Click the 'Apply' link located on this page to submit your application. For additional instructions on the application process, examinations, Veteran's preference, pre-employment accommodation or other employment questions, please refer to our web site, www.rc-hr.com .

If you are experiencing technical problems, you may contact the governmentjobs.com applicant support desk Monday through Friday, 6 am to 5 pm Pacific Time at support@governmentjobs.com or toll-free 1-855-524-5627.

MEDICAL/DENTAL INSURANCE: A Flexible Benefit Credit is provided on a monthly basis as governed by the Management Resolution or applicable bargaining unit. Vision coverage is provided through Vision Service Plan (VSP) at no cost to employee or eligible dependents.

Note: Employees on assignment through the Temporary Assignment Program (TAP) receive different benefits. See the list here .
MISCELLANEOUS RETIREMENT: County of Riverside has three retirement Tiers through the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS).

• 
  Tier I (Classic Member - Formula 3% @ 60): Applicable to current and former County of Riverside local miscellaneous employees hired prior to 08/24/2012 and did not withdraw CalPERS contributions. The employee contribution is eight (8%) percent.


• 
  Tier II (Classic Member - Formula 2% @ 60): Applicable to local miscellaneous employees 1) hired after 08/23/2012 through 12/31/2012; 2) Previously employed with another CalPERS contracting public agency or a reciprocal retirement system, with a break in service of less than six months between the separation date with the previous employer and the appointment date with the County of Riverside. The employee contribution is seven (7%) percent.


• 
  Tier III (PEPRA New Member - Formula 2% @ 62): Applicable to CalPERS local miscellaneous new members hired on or after the implementation of the Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) which took effect January 1, 2013. As of July 1, 2020, the employee contribution is 7.25% and subject to change annually.
  

A new member is defined as any of the following:

A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who has no prior membership in any California Public Retirement System.

A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who was a member with another California Public Retirement System prior to that date, but who is not subject to reciprocity upon joining CalPERS.

A member who first established CalPERS membership prior to January 1, 2013, and who is rehired by a different CalPERS agency after a break in service of greater than six (6) months.

CalPERS refers to all members that do not fit within the definition of a new member as "classic members".

Contribution rates are subject to change based on the County of Riverside annual actuarial valuation.

Note:

This summary is for general information purposes only. Additional questions regarding retirement formulas can be sent to retirement@rivco.org or by calling the Benefits Information Line at (951) 955-4981,
Option 2.

If you have prior service credit with another CalPERS agency or within agencies, please contact CalPERS at (888) 225-7377 to determine which retirement tier would be applicable to you. CalPERS is governed by the Public Employees' Retirement Law. The Retirement Law is complex and subject to change. If there's any conflict between this summary and the law, the law will prevail over this summary.

ANNUAL LEAVE (Bi-Weekly Accrual):

0 < 36 months = 8.92 Hours
36 to <108>108 or more months = 12.00 Hours

Maximum Annual leave accumulation is 2,080 hours. Employee may receive pay in lieu of up to 40 hours per calendar year. Agency/Department Head may approve an additional 40 hours.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION: Voluntary employee contribution with a choice between two 457 deferred compensation plan options.

401(a) MONEY PURCHASE PLAN: County contribution of $50 per pay period towards choice between two 401(a) plan providers.

HOLIDAYS: Normally 12 paid holidays per year

BEREAVEMENT LEAVE: 5 days (3 days are County paid; 2 days can be taken through use of accrued leave balances)

BASIC LIFE INSURANCE: $50,000 of term life coverage. Premiums are paid by the County. Additional Supplemental Life plan is available for employee purchase.

LONG-TERM DISABILITY (LTD): Benefit pays 66.67% of earnings to a maximum of $10,000 per month; 30-day waiting period; pays to age 65. Benefit can be coordinated with other available leave balances to provide up to 100% of pay.

POST RETIREMENT MEDICAL CONTRIBUTION: A monthly contribution is made by the County towards retiree health insurance offered through the County as governed by the Management Resolution or applicable bargaining unit.

OTHER: There may be other benefit provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding, Management Resolution, or Salary Ordinance. Please contact the recruiter listed on the job posting directly for more information.

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