Deputy District Attorney I-IV - San Joaquin County California
San Joaquin County, CA
About the Job
This recruitment is being given to fill multiple vacancies in the District Attorney's Office and to establish an eligible list which may be used to fill future vacancies. Applicants that have recently taken the Bar exam and are awaiting results are encouraged to apply for the entry-level class, Deputy District Attorney I. Please note, appointments will not be made until applicants can provide proof of membership in the California State Bar.
Deputy District Attorneys provide professional legal services in the preparation and prosecution of a variety of criminal and some civil matters. You may apply for Deputy District Attorney I, Deputy District Attorney II, Deputy District Attorney III, Deputy District Attorney IV, or all.
Salary Information:
Pre-Employment Drug Screening and Background: Potential new hires into this classification are required to successfully pass a pre-employment drug screen and a background investigation as a condition of employment. Final appointment cannot be made unless the eligible has passed the drug screen and successfully completed the background process. The County pays for the initial drug screen.
The following incentives and bonuses may be available for eligible new hires . Incentives and bonuses are subject to approval by Human Resources:
- Vacation Accrual Rate: San Joaquin County vacation accrual rate consistent with the candidate's total years of public service.
- Sick Leave: Candidates leaving other employment may receive credit for actual non-reimbursable sick leave hours (up to 160 hours) from their last agency. Hours shall be subject to San Joaquin County's minimum sick leave cash out provisions.
- New Hire Retention Bonus:
$2,000 upon completion of first year equivalent employment (2,080 hours)
$1,000 upon completion of third year equivalent employment (6,240 hours)
$3,000 upon completion of sixth year equivalent employment (12,480 hours)
Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of an application. A completed application must be postmarked or received online by the final filing deadline.
NOTE: All correspondences relating to this recruitment will be delivered via e-mail. The e-mail account used will be the one provided on your employment application during time of submittal. Please be sure to check your e-mail often for updates. If you do not have an e-mail account on file, Human Resources will send you correspondences via US Mail.
- Prepares and prosecutes criminal and some civil matters in both court and jury trials and hearings; examines and cross examines witnesses; presents oral arguments; prepares and prosecutes appeals; conducts post-conviction proceedings.
- Refuses or approves and issues complaints in criminal matters; advises law enforcement agencies on legal and evidentiary matters prior to issuance of criminal complaints; interviews and advises complainants and witnesses; prepares search warrants and arrest warrants.
- Researches, analyzes and interprets existing laws and ordinances, court decisions, pending legislation and other legal authorities; assists in drafting legislation for special County and State projects.
- Prepares and reviews briefs, memoranda, opinions and civil and criminal pleadings.
- Conducts mediation hearings to resolve legal problems without further court action.
- Confers with defense attorneys, probation authorities, court officials and law enforcement agencies to discuss pleas, modification of charges, presentation and review of evidence and other legal matters.
- Advises the general public, State and local departments and law enforcement officers on civil and criminal issues and proceedings; advises and directs law enforcement agencies on questions of law in criminal investigation matters.
- May advise and train law enforcement personnel and client agencies in criminal and civil law.
- May supervise clerical, research and investigate staff and other attorneys.
San Joaquin County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer and is committed to providing equal employment to all without regard to age, ancestry, color, creed, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation or belief, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. For more information go to Equal Employment Opportunity Division (sjgov.org).
Accommodations for those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):
San Joaquin County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and, upon request, will consider reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.
Health Insurance : San Joaquin County provides employees with a choice of three health plans: a Kaiser Plan, a Select Plan, and a Premier Plan. Employees pay a portion of the cost of the premium. Dependent coverage is available for all plans.
Dental Insurance : The County provides employees with a choice of two dental plans: Delta Dental and United Health Care-Select Managed Care Direct Compensation Plan. There is no cost for employee only coverage in either plan; dependent coverage is available at the employee’s expense.
Vision Insurance : The County provides vision coverage through Vision Service Plan (VSP). There is no cost for employee only coverage; dependent coverage is available at the employee’s expense.
For more detailed information on the County’s benefits program, visit our website at www.sjgov.org under Human Resources/Benefits.
Life Insurance : The County provides eligible employees with life insurance coverage as follows:
1 but less than 3 years of continuous service: $1,000
3 but less than 5 years of continuous service: $3,000
5 but less than 10 years of continuous service: $5,000
10 years of continuous service or more: $10,000
Employees may purchase additional term life insurance to a maximum of $200,000 at the group rate.
125 Flexible Benefits Plan : This is a voluntary program that allows employees to use pre-tax dollars to pay for health-related expenses that are not paid by a medical, dental or vision plan (Health Flexible Spending Account $2550 annual limit with a $500 carry over); and dependent care costs (Dependent Care Assistance Plan $5000 annual limit).
Retirement Plan : Employees of the County are covered by the County Retirement Act of 1937. Please visit the San Joaquin County Employees’ Retirement Association (SJCERA) at www.sjcera.org for more information. NOTE: If you are receiving a retirement allowance from another California county covered by the County Employees’ Retirement Act of 1937, or from any governmental agency covered by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS), you are advised to contact the Retirement Officer of the Retirement Plan from which you retired to determine what effect employment in San Joaquin County would have on your retirement allowance.
Deferred Compensation : The County maintains a deferred compensation plan under Section 457 of the IRS code. You may annually contribute $22,500 or 100% of your includible compensation, whichever is less. Individuals age 50 or older may contribute to their plan, up to $30,000. The Roth IRA (after tax) is also now available.
Vacation : Maximum earned vacation is 10 days each year up to 3 years; 15 days after 3 years; 20 days after 10 years; and 23 days after 20 years.
Holiday : Depending on date of hire into the unit, employees earn either 10 or 14 holidays per year.
Administrative Leave : Each fiscal year, department heads grant 10 days of administrative leave to eligible salaried employees – not carried beyond the end of the fiscal year.
Sick Leave : 12 working days of sick leave annually with unlimited accumulation. Sick leave incentive: An employee is eligible to receive eight hours administrative leave if the leave balance equals at least one-half of the cumulative amount that the employee is eligible to accrue. The employee must also be on payroll during the entire calendar year.
Bereavement Leave : 3 days of paid leave for the death of an immediate family member, 2 additional days of accrued leave for the death of employee’s spouse, domestic partner, parent or child.
Merit Salary Increase : New employees will receive the starting salary, which is the first step of the salary range. After employees serve 52 weeks (2080 hours) on each step of the range, they are eligible for a merit increase to the next step.
Bilingual Pay : Employees in the Attorney unit who are designated by the appointing authority and approved by the County Administrator and who have passed a bilingual proficiency examination administered by the Human Resources Division and have otherwise qualified for bilingual compensation shall receive additional compensation of $0.41 per hour.
Job Sharing : Any regular, permanent full-time employee may agree to job-share a position, subject to approval by a Department Head and the Director of Human Resources.
Educational Reimbursement Program : Eligible employees may be reimbursed for career-related course work up to a maximum of $850 per fiscal year. Eligible employees enrolled in an approved four (4) year College or University academic program may be reimbursed up to $800 per semester for a maximum of $1600 per fiscal year.
Parking Supplemental Downtown Stockton : The County contributes up to $17 per pay period for employees assigned to work in the Downtown Core Area.
School Activities : Employees may take up to 40 hours per year, but not more than eight (8) hours per month, to participate in their children’s school activities.
Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will go through the following examination process:
- Written Exam: The civil service written exam is a multiple choice format. If the written exam is administered alone, it will be 100% of the overall score. Candidates must achieve a minimum rating of 70% in order to be placed on the eligible list.
- Oral Exam: The oral exam is a structured interview process that will assess the candidate’s education, training, and experience and may include a practical exercise. The oral exam selection process is not a hiring interview. A panel of up to four people will determine the candidate’s score and rank for placement on the eligible list. Top candidates from the eligible list are referred for hiring interviews. If the oral exam is administered alone, it will be 100% of the overall score. Candidates must achieve a minimum rating of 70% in order to be placed on the eligible list.
- Written & Oral Exam: If both a written exam and an oral exam is administered, the written exam is weighted at 60% and the oral exam is weighted at 40% unless otherwise indicated on the announcement. Candidates must achieve a minimum rating of 70% on each examination in order to be placed on the eligible list.
- Rate-out: A rate-out is an examination that involves a paper rating of the candidate’s application using the following criteria: education, training, and experience. Candidates will not be scheduled for the rate-out process.
Note: The rating of 70 referred to may be the same or other than an arithmetic 70% of the total possible points.
Online Written Exams: Written exams may be administered online. Candidates will be notified of the examination date and will be responsible to complete the written exam within a given period of time (typically within five calendar days). Candidates are required to read the Online Exam Guide for Test Takers prior to taking an online written exam.
- Online exams must be completed in one sitting and can only be taken once
- Candidates will have access to an online exam within the allotted time only
- A steady internet connection is highly recommended
- The allotted time will still continue if a candidate closes the window or gets disconnected
- Once the allotted time expires, access to the exam will be unavailable
Testing Accommodation: Candidates who require testing accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) must call Human Resources Division at (209) 468-3370 prior to the examination date.
Veteran’s Points: Eligible veterans, unmarried widows and widowers of veterans of the United States Armed Forces who have been honorably discharged and who have served during wartime shall be given veteran’s points in initial appointment to County service. Eligible veterans receive 5 points and eligible disabled veterans receive 10 points. Disabled veterans must submit a recent award letter stating a 10% service connected disability issued by the United States Veterans Administration. Note: A copy of your DD214 showing the discharge type must be received in the Human Resources by the date of the examination.
Acceptable wartime service dates:
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September 16, 1940 to December 31, 1946
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June 27, 1950 to January 31, 1955
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August 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975
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Persian Gulf War, August 2, 1990, through a date to be set by law or Presidential Proclamation.
Eligible Lists: Candidates who pass the examination will be placed on an eligible list for that classification. Eligible lists are effective for nine months, but may be extended by the Human Resources Director for a period which shall not exceed a total of three years from the date established.
Certification/Referral: Names from the eligible list will be referred to the hiring department by the following methods.
- Rule of the Rank: The top rank or ranks of eligibles will be referred for hiring interviews. The minimum number of names to be referred will be equal to the number of positions plus nine, or 10% of the eligible list, whichever is higher. When filling nine or more positions in a department at the same time, the top rank or ranks will be referred and the minimum number of names shall be two times the number of positions to be filled or 10% of the eligible list, whichever is higher. This applies only to open competitive recruitments.
- Rule of Five: The top five names will be referred for hiring interviews. This applies only to department or countywide promotional examination.
Physical Exam: Some classifications require physical examinations. Final appointment cannot be made until the eligible has passed the physical examination. The County pays for physical examinations administered in its medical facilities.
Pre-Employment Drug Screening Exam: Some classifications require a new employee successfully pass a pre-employment drug screen as a condition of employment. Final appointment cannot be made until the eligible has passed the drug screen. The County pays for the initial drug screen.
Employment of Relatives: Applicants who are relatives of employees in a department within the 3rd degree of relationship, (parent, child, grand parent, grand child or sibling) either by blood or marriage, may not be appointed, promoted, transferred into or within the department when;
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They are related to the Appointing Authority or
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The employment would result in one of them supervising the work of the other.
Department Head may establish additional limitations on the hiring of relatives by departmental rule.
Proof of Eligibility: If you are offered a job you will be required to provide proof of U.S. citizenship or other documents that establish your eligibility to be employed in the U.S.
Please be advised that Human Resources will only be accepting Online Application submittals for this recruitment. Paper application submittals will not be considered or accepted.
Apply Online:
www.sjgov.org/department/hr
Office hours:
Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm; excluding holidays.
Phone: (209) 468-3370
Job Line:
For current employment opportunities please call our 24-hour job line at (209) 468-3377.
When a final filing date is indicated, applications must be submitted online to the Human Resources Division before the submission deadline. Resumes and paper applications will not be accepted in lieu of an online application. (The County assumes no responsibility for online applications which are not received by the Human Resources Division).
San Joaquin County Substance Abuse Policy: San Joaquin County has adopted a Substance Abuse Policy in compliance with the Federal Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988. This policy is enforced by all San Joaquin County Departments and applies to all San Joaquin County employees.
Equal Opportunity Employer : San Joaquin County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer and is committed to providing equal employment to all without regard to age, ancestry, color, creed, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation or belief, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. For more information go to www.sjgov.org/department/hr/eeo .