Deputy Public Defender IV

Overview

Position Information

Advance your legal career and bring your passion for public service to the Public Defender's Office! Starting salary negotiable up to $111.11/hour. This extra-help (temporary) Deputy Public Defender position can be filled at the I, II, III, or IV level, depending on the candidate's qualifications. As attorneys gain experience and meet or exceed performance standards, they are eligible for promotion to subsequent levels in the series, up to level IV.

If you are interested in being considered at the various levels of this opportunity, you must apply to the separate, concurrent recruitments being conducted for those levels.

Deputy Public Defender IV is the highest working level in the Public Defender class series, and as such is expected to defend the full range of misdemeanor cases, felony cases, or specialized legal assignments. The Deputy Public Defender IV works under minimal direction and is expected to use independent judgment in carrying out assignments.

The Public Defender's Office

The Public Defender and their Office have the mandated responsibility of defending any person who is not financially able to employ counsel and who is charged with the commission of any contempt or offense triable in the superior or municipal courts. Additionally, the Public Defender represents qualified individuals in probate and welfare proceedings, and may represent any person who is not financially able to employ counsel in proceedings relating to the nature or conditions of detention prior to adjudication.

When You Join The Office As An Extra-help Deputy Public Defender IV, You Will Perform Legal Work Involving The Investigation, Preparation, And Presentation Of Criminal And Civil Cases Before The Courts. Using Your Independent Judgment And Initiative, You Will Work Directly With Clients And

• Investigate, research, prepare, and defend criminal and/or civil cases
• Interpret and apply laws, court decisions, and other legal authorities for use in the preparation of cases, opinions, and briefs
• Prepare pleadings and other legal documents in connection with trials, hearings, and other legal proceedings
• Conduct general legal research
• Interview and advise witnesses regarding criminal complaints

• Four or more years of legal experience practicing criminal law as a licensed attorney, including two years of experience comparable to the level of Deputy Public Defender III or any combination of comparable training and experience
• Experience with conservatorship law, in addition to criminal law
• Experience handling writs and appeals
• Impeccable research and writing abilities
• Experience with post-conviction relief
• Demonstrable excellence in public speaking
• Experience in and/or with a Public Defender's Office
• Completion of any California Public Defender’s Association training seminars

The County of Sonoma

Sonoma County offers a rare and compelling array of scenic, recreational, and geographic characteristics – including over 200 award-winning wineries, inspiring coastline and beaches, the Russian River, and majestic redwoods. The County encompasses over one million acres of land and water; rich with agriculture, parks, campsites, lakes, and open space. Sonoma County is also home to a wide variety of restaurants, art and music festivals, farmers' markets, and concert venues.

Local schools continually rank high on California's Academic Performance Index, and the Santa Rosa Junior College and Sonoma State University offer higher education opportunities. Sonoma County is an increasingly diverse region and is home to approximately 500,000 residents. The Latino population has grown by almost 230% within the last 25 years and is approximately 27% of the population.

Please visit  and (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). for additional information about Sonoma County - the place to live, work, and build your career legacy.

Extra-help employees relieve or augment permanent staff. Temporary, extra-help employees are not in the classified civil service and do not have property rights to permanently allocated positions. In addition, they do not receive most employee benefits such as…