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DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY I, II, III

 

COMPENSATION
Deputy District Attorney I – $7,096.27 up to $8,578.27 monthly
Deputy District Attorney II – $8,299.20 up to $9,249.07 monthly
Deputy District Attorney III – $9,496.93 up to $13,152.53 monthly
 Salary may be negotiable within the range listed above, based on position requirements and successful candidate’s qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization.

 

THIS RECRUITMENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
This recruitment is being held to establish an Eligible List to fill current and future Regular, Limited-Term and Extra-Help Deputy District Attorney I, II, and III vacancies.
DEADLINE TO APPLY
Online applications will be accepted beginning Tuesday, April 4, 2023 and will remain open on a continuous basis until 11:59 pm (PST) on the day the needs of the department are met. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply immediately for priority consideration.

 

FIRST APPLICATION REVIEW DEADLINE: April 24, 2023, 11:59 pm (PST)

 

THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY
The County of Orange, District Attorney, represents the People of the State of California in criminal and civil proceedings, serves the court and criminal justice system, and the Orange County Grand Jury. The mission of the Office of the Orange County District Attorney is to enhance public safety and welfare and to protect and respect crime victims and to create security in the community through the vigorous enforcement of criminal and civil laws in a just, honest, efficient and ethical manner. The Office consists of three major divisions: Legal, Investigative Bureau, and Administration.

 

THE OPPORTUNITY
The District Attorney’s Office has opportunities for Deputy District Attorney I, II, and IIIs who will be a positive influence in making Orange County a safe place to live by supporting the District Attorney’s mission. Public safety and the administration of justice are universal concerns. We value qualified candidates with diverse strengths, backgrounds and life experiences that can support a positive and inclusive environment dedicated to serving the People of the State of California.
Successful candidates will be assigned to any of our various locations or units within the Legal Division and will have the opportunity to perform the following work, among other tasks:

 

  • Initiate criminal proceedings, author and litigate motions, conduct pre-trial hearings, perform trials, and execute other professional legal work connected with the enforcement of criminal law;
  • Research, interpret and apply statutes, ordinances, court decisions and other legal authorities in the preparation of cases, memoranda and points and authorities;
  • Negotiate and confer with judges and defense attorneys regarding the appropriate disposition of cases;
  • Interview and examine witnesses and enforce the rights of victims consistent with the just pursuit of criminal prosecutions in the interest of the People.

 

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
In addition to the minimum qualifications for the Deputy District Attorney I, II, and III, the ideal candidate will have experience in the practice of civil, governmental or criminal law with experience in litigation and trial work. Additionally, the ideal candidate will possess the following:
  • Thorough knowledge of legal principles and their application; rules of evidence and the conduct of court proceedings; and California laws;
  • Experience analyzing legal problems and applying legal principles and practices; presenting statement of facts and legal argument;
  • Be an effective advocate who is eager to justly litigate before judges and juries regularly;
  • Be a team player who is able to work cooperatively in a fast-paced environment with a demanding caseload;
  • Be able to effectively work with law enforcement and the general public.
*NOTE: Candidate must be a fully licensed, active member in good standing with the California State Bar at the time of appointment. Candidates who have taken the February 2023 California Bar Exam are eligible to apply but must fully be licensed active members of the California State Bar and in good standing at the time of appointment to be eligible for hire.


MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Attorney I
License: Active membership in the State Bar of California
Experience: None required.

Attorney II
License: Active membership in the State Bar of California

Experience: Twelve (12) months of experience as an attorney in the practice of civil, governmental, criminal or child support establishment and enforcement law.


Attorney III
License: Active membership in the State Bar of California

Experience: Two (2) years of experience as an attorney in the practice of civil, governmental, criminal or child support establishment and enforcement law.


PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS and ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS:

The County of Orange is committed to providing a means for applicants who may have a disability to identify areas in which they may request a reasonable accommodation. The following is a description of the physical and mental abilities which are customarily required to perform the essential job functions of this position. Applicants are encouraged to contact the recruiter listed in the announcement for any questions or to request an accommodation during the testing/selection process.


Physical Characteristics: 

Vision sufficient to read standard text and read a computer monitor; speak and hear well enough to communicate clearly and understandably in person, over the telephone, and in court; independent body mobility sufficient to stand, sit, walk, stoop and bend to access a standard office environment as well as courtroom equipment; manual dexterity to use hands, arms and shoulders repetitively to operate a keyboard and to write; body strength sufficient to lift and carry files; and ability to drive the distance between work locations.


Environmental Conditions: 

Emotional stamina to maintain working relationships while under the pressure of deadlines. Will be required to interact with varying levels of organizational hierarchy, varying educational levels and persons of diverse backgrounds including in custody defendants, victims, witnesses, persons having interest in criminal cases; interact with the public in emotional and occasionally hostile situations; work in an office environment; work with changing deadlines and competing priorities.

RETIREMENT RECIPROCITY:
Current employed members of accepted reciprocal systems who were in those retirement systems prior to January 1, 2013 and who have not retired from those systems, may be eligible for previous OCERS formula of 2.7% at age 55.

  • For more information, please call (714) 558-6200 or visit www.ocers.org


RECRUITMENT PROCESS:
District Attorney Human Resources screens all application materials for minimum qualifications. After screening, candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be referred to the next step in the recruitment process. All candidates will be notified via e-mail of their status in the process.

The recruitment process will consist of the following assessments, which will require a few months to complete.

Application Screening (Refer/Non-Refer)

Applications and supplemental responses will be screened for qualifications that are highly desirable and most needed to successfully perform the duties of this job. Only those applications exhibiting qualifications as listed in the job bulletin will be referred to the next step.


Performance Examination | Structured Oral Interview (SOI) | (Weighted 100%)  

Candidates will be evaluated based on a practical (hands-on) job exercise designed to elicit the candidate’s qualifications for the job. A panel of subject matter experts (SME’s) will evaluate the performance exercise based on content, oral communication and delivery. Upon completion of the performance exercise, candidates will then be interviewed by the SME panel. Each candidate’s rating will be based on the performance exercise and responses to a series of questions. Only the most successful candidates will be placed on to the eligible list.
Based on the Department’s needs, the recruitment process listed above may be modified. All candidates will be notified of any changes in the recruitment process.


Eligible List

Once the assessment has been completed, District Attorney Human Resources will establish an eligible list of candidates. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to a selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies.


Applicants are required to submit a resume.

Letters of Recommendation are optional. You may submit up to two letters by attaching them to your application.

Veterans Employment Preference Policy (VEPP)
The County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid  internship openings. Please click here (Download PDF reader) to review the policy.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 BACKGROUND SCREENING:
Candidates under consideration for hire by the District Attorney will be required to pass an extensive investigation to the satisfaction of the department.

EMAIL NOTIFICATION:
Email is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct email address is included in our application and use only one email account.

NOTE: User accounts are established for one person only and should not be shared with another person. Multiple applications with multiple users may jeopardize your status in the recruitment process for any positions for which you apply.

Candidates will be notified regarding their status as the recruitment proceeds via email through the GovernmentJobs.com site. Please check your email folders, including spam/junk folders, and/or accept emails ending with “governmentjobs.com” and “ocgov.com.” If your email address should change, please update your profile at www.governmentjobs.com.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Click here for additional Frequently Asked Questions. For specific information pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Marina Guillen at (714) 347-8420 or Marina.Guillen@ocdapa.org