Deputy District Attorney

Under direction, prosecutes criminal cases; provides legal advice to County departments, commissions, boards, and special districts; litigates civil cases; provides legal services and supervises child support law enforcement; and performs other work as assigned.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

An employee in this class is an "at-will" employee serving at the pleasure of the District Attorney. The duties listed below are examples of the work typically performed by the employee in this class.  Not all assigned duties may be listed.  

1. Reviews law enforcement reports to determine charges to be filed; prepares complaints, affidavits, warrants, and summons; confers with law enforcement officers and witnesses; negotiates with defense attorneys' prepares motions and other pleadings for court; prepares case and witnesses for court; appears in court; conducts hearings and trials; advises police and probation officers.
2. May attend commission, board, or special district meetings as legal advisor drafts ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and by-laws; prepares and negotiates contracts; provides legal advice, opinions, and interpretations to County departments and local government agencies.  
3. Prepares legal documents, conducts discovery, negotiates, settles, and tries civil litigation cases. 
4. Selects, directs, develops and evaluates department staff; instructs and trains staff to enhance staff capabilities, effective utilization of time, and improvement of the delivery of services; advises staff on resolution of problems, hears, responds to and resolves staff problems, concerns, complaints and grievances; administers discipline. 
5. Provides advice and recommends disposition of civil paternity cases, criminal and civil non-support cases; interviews clients and defendants; negotiates agreements and settlements; tries non-support and contempt cases. 
6. Interprets and applies laws, court decisions and other legal authorities for use in preparation of cases, opinions and briefs. 
7. Prepares written legal reports, opinions, briefs, and appeals. 
8. Advises law enforcement officers and others on criminal proceedings and procedures. 
9. Evaluates requests for the issuance of a criminal complaint by analyzing evidence presented; determines if complaint can be justified or that additional evidence is required; authorizes the issuance of criminal complaints. 

Knowledge and Ability:

Knowledge of principles and practices of criminal law, trial procedures and rules of evidence; legal research methods and judicial procedures; statutory and constitutional laws of the State of Nevada.

Ability to research, analyze and apply legal principles, facts, evidence and precedents to legal problems; prepare and present statements of law, fact and argument clearly, logically, and persuasively in written and oral from in a variety of legal matters; manage a legal caseload; provide legal advice to a variety of public officials.

Experience and Training:   

Any combination of training, education and experience that would provide the required knowledge and abilities.  A typical way to gain the required knowledge and ability is:

• Graduation from law school with a J.D. degree.
• Certificate of admission to the State Bar of Nevada or eligible to practice under the Rural Practice provision of the Nevada Supreme Court Rules.

Benefits: 
Humboldt County offers an excellent benefits package, including:

• Relocation/Sign-On Bonus available
• No Nevada state income tax
• Nevada PERS - contributions paid 100% by the County. Participants are vested in the system after five years
• No Social Security taxes
• Medicare deduction of 1.45% of salary
• Twelve (12) paid holidays
• Annual leave plan
• Sick leave plan
• Medical, dental, vision, health savings account and life insurance plans
• Worker's Compensation
• Employee assistance plan
• Deferred Compensation plans available
• Voluntary additional insurance plans available

Humboldt County is an Equal Employment Opportunity provider in the services it offers.