APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC
BEGINNING DECEMBER 27, 2011 THROUGH JANUARY 13, 2012
OR UNTIL THE POSITION IS FILLED.

JOB TITLE: Public Defender Attorney

Date Posted: December 27, 2011
Department: Public Defenders
Hours: M-F, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Salary: Commensurate with Experience

To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed in this document are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Wayne County provides reasonable accommodations to qualified employees and applicants with known disabilities who require accommodation to complete the application process or perform essential functions of the job, unless the accommodation would cause an undue hardship.

Incumbent serves as Attorney for the Public Defender Department, responsible providing defense and legal counsel to individuals accused of crimes.

DUTIES:

Provides legal counsel and criminal defense to defendants charged with murder, Class A, B, C, and D felonies, misdemeanors, indigents in Probation Revocation proceedings, juvenile offenders in Juvenile Court, and as needed in conflict of interest situations.

Interviews clients and gathers information.

Interviews witnesses for formal legal discovery.

Researches suppression issues in cases.

Negotiates with Prosecutors to determine best resolution of cases.

Meets with clients to discuss negotiations and pre-sentence reports.

Prepares clients for mercy plea hearings and trials.

Attends plea and sentencing hearings.

Reviews advance sheets for law changes and conducts legal research. Attends legal seminars to meet required continuing education laws.

Prepares related trial work for court and jury.

Performs related duties as assigned.

I. JOB REQUIREMENTS:

Doctoral Degree in Jurisprudence and Indiana license to practice law.

Must be at least 21 years of age.

Thorough knowledge of criminal law, constitutional law, and federal, state, and local laws/ordinances, with the ability to effectively administer department operations, counsel clients, and argue cases before the court.

Knowledge of standard legal procedures and practices of Wayne County courts and Public Defender's Office.

Ability to use standard office equipment, including computer, printer, calculator, and transcriber/dictaphone.

Ability to compare or observe similarities and differences between data, people, or things.

Ability to analyze, evaluate, observe, diagnose, and investigate.

Ability to coordinate, place, make determinations, take action based on data analysis.

Ability to understand and follow oral or written instructions, write notes, and request supplies in writing or orally.

Ability to file, post, mail materials, copy data from one document to another and to interview to obtain information.

Ability to prepare presentations and interview/counsel/advise people.

Ability to write detailed reports, such as motions and briefs.

Ability to competently serve the public with diplomacy and respect, including occasional encounters with irate/hostile persons.

Ability to provide public access to or maintain confidentiality of department information and records according to state requirements.

Ability to comply with all employer/department personnel policies and work rules, including, but not limited to, attendance, safety, drug-free workplace, and personal conduct.

Ability to work alone with minimum supervision.

Ability to work on several tasks at the same time, and work rapidly for long periods, often under time pressure.

Ability to read and carry out simple instructions.

Ability to plan and layout assigned work projects.

Ability to read/interpret detailed prints, sketches, layouts, specifications, and maps.

Ability to count, make simple arithmetic additions/subtractions.

Ability to occasionally respond to emergencies from off duty status.

II. DIFFICULTY OF WORK:

Incumbent defends citizens in accordance with legal requirements, exercising judgment to effectively research and investigate cases, prepare and argue cases before the court, and ensure most appropriate defense as individual cases demand. Incumbent's work involves a range of duties often requiring careful consideration of a variety of circumstances, and involves multiple choices and interrelationships.

III. RESPONSIBILITY:

Incumbent works under general supervision with assignments guided by broad policies and general objectives. Incumbent's performance is reviewed primarily for compliance with legal requirements and attainment of objectives. Incumbent uses judgment to regularly make decisions in absence of policy, subject only to guidance from the Courts.

Incumbent reports directly to assigned Judge(s).

IV. PERSONAL WORK RELATIONSHIPS:

Incumbent maintains frequent contact with court personnel, Jail, Prosecutors, Clerk's Office, criminal offenders, witnesses, and the public for a variety of purposes, including giving and receiving information and ideas, explaining and interpreting policies and procedures, presenting cases before court, and/or arriving jointly at decisions or solutions to problems.

V. PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Incumbent works in a courtroom environment, involving sitting/walking at will, sitting for long periods, lifting/carrying objects weighing up to 25 pounds, close vision, far vision, keyboarding, color perception, speaking clearly, hearing sounds/communication, and handling/grasping/fingering objects. Incumbent is occasionally required to work extended hours, weekends, evenings and travel out of town, sometimes over night. Incumbent occasionally responds to emergencies from off-duty status.

Incumbent may occasionally be exposed to violent/irate individuals, responding to situations involving potential physical harm to self and others.

APPLY AT: Wayne County Human Resources,
401 East Main Street
Richmond, IN 47374

Wayne County is an Equal Opportunity Employer