Job Details

Deputy Public Defender I/II/III - Riverside

Join to apply for the Deputy Public Defender I/II/III - Riverside role at County of Riverside

Deputy Public Defender I/II/III - Riverside

2 months ago Be among the first 25 applicants

Join to apply for the Deputy Public Defender I/II/III - Riverside role at County of Riverside

About The Position

The County of Riverside's Law Offices of the Public Defender is seeking to fill a vacancy in their Riverside office at the Deputy Public Defender I, II, and III levels (level entry is based on years of experience). The incumbents will perform professional legal work in the misdemeanor unit and do other work as required.

About The Position

The County of Riverside's Law Offices of the Public Defender is seeking to fill a vacancy in their Riverside office at the Deputy Public Defender I, II, and III levels (level entry is based on years of experience). The incumbents will perform professional legal work in the misdemeanor unit and do other work as required.

Experience working in a law office is preferred. Candidates who are post-bar and awaiting their results are encouraged to apply.

The Deputy Public Defender I position is the entry-level class in the Deputy Public Defender series and is subject to the rotation of assignments according to business needs. Incumbents are given supervision and guidance by higher level attorneys on initial assignments through formal and informal work reviews.

The Deputy Public Defender II is the second level class in the Deputy Public Defender series and is subject to the rotation of assignments according to business needs. Positions in this class are distinguished from positions in the lower class of Deputy Public Defender I by assignments that require more specific legal experience and are performed with less supervision and review.

The Deputy Public Defender III is the journey level in the Deputy Public Defender series and is subject to the rotation of assignments according to business needs. Positions in this class are distinguished from positions in the lower level Deputy Public Defender II classification by assignments that require demonstrated ability to effectively perform the complete range of legal work in the fields of civil and criminal defense.

Incumbents are employed in the Office of the Public Defender and are considered deputies to the Public Defender.

The level at which the candidate will fill is at the department's discretion.

Meet the Team!

It is the mission of the Law Offices of the Public Defender to provide the highest quality legal representation to any person unable to afford it for criminal, juvenile, or certain civil proceedings. The Public Defender strives to preserve human dignity in all cases where citizens' liberties are at stake. The Public Defender is dedicated to the principle that no citizen shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without competent, professional, and vigorous representation so that due process is implemented fairly, equitably, and without prejudice. The Public Defender is headquartered in Riverside, with additional offices providing support to residents in Banning, Blythe, Murrieta, and Indio.

Who may apply?

This recruitment is open to all applicants.

Examples Of Essential Duties

Deputy Public Defender I

• Interviews applicants for public defense and determines financial eligibility; advises and counsels defendants on legal rights and procedures.
• Investigates, researches, and prepares cases for the defense; presents and defends cases in the Justice, Municipal, and Superior Courts.
• Analyzes legal issues for pending cases; prepares trial briefs and checks questions of law; argues points of law and makes final arguments of summations.
• Negotiates with the prosecuting authorities regarding the disposition or modification of charges in specific cases; does legal research in the specific area of criminal law; prepares correspondence and reports.
• Reviews progress and development of cases with supervisory deputies.
  
  

Deputy Public Defender II/III

• Interviews applicants for public defense and determines eligibility; advises and counsels defendants on legal rights and procedures; appears with and for defendants at court hearings.
• Decides on and makes appropriate legal motions and pleas, and takes other legal action on behalf of clients; conducts the trial defense for clients; orders investigations and subpoenas.
• Negotiates with prosecuting authorities regarding the disposition or modification of charges in specific cases.
• When warranted, argues the merits of probation for defendants; prepares appeals, writs, and other legal documents on behalf of defendants; dictates correspondence and prepares reports.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

DEPUTY PUBLIC DEFENDER I

License/Certificate: Active membership in the State Bar of California. Candidates who are post-bar and awaiting their results are encouraged to apply.

DEPUTY PUBLIC DEFENDER II

Option I

Experience: One year of experience at the Deputy I level with the Public Defender's Office of Riverside County (Certification of qualifications by the Public Defender may be substituted for up to six months of the required experience).

Option II

Experience: One year of experience at the Deputy I level with another office of Riverside County or as an attorney at an equivalent level with another California county or city.

Option III

Experience: One year of experience in the practice of criminal and/or civil law; civil law experience must have included primary involvement in the following areas: Conservatorships, Probate, Guardianships or other closely related cases.

DEPUTY PUBLIC DEFENDER III

Option I

Experience: One year of experience at the Deputy II level with the Public Defender's Office of Riverside County, at the Deputy II level with another office of Riverside County, or as an attorney at an equivalent level with another California county or city.

Option II

Experience: Two years of experience in the practice of criminal and/or civil law; civil law experience must have included primary involvement in the following areas: Conservatorships, Probate, Guardianships or other closely related civil cases.

All Levels

Knowledge of: Legal principles and their application; rules of evidence and the conduct of court proceedings; the laws of California.

Ability to: Analyze legal problems and apply legal principles and practices; present arguments and statements of fact and law clearly and logically in written and oral form; perform legal research; work cooperatively with others.

Other Requirements

License/Certificate: Active membership in the State Bar of California. Post-bar, awaiting results will be considered.

License: Possession of a valid California Driver's License is required.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

For more information regarding the position, please contact the recruiter Mary Miller at 951-###-#### or via email at ...@rivco.org .

________________________________________________________________________________________

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Veteran's Preference

The County has a Veterans Preference Policy applicable to new hires. To qualify, upload a copy of your (or your spouse's) Member-4 Form DD-214 indicating dates of service, and a copy of your spouse's letter of disability (if applicable) with your application. For privacy reasons, it is recommended that you remove your social security information from the document(s). A Human Resources Representative will review the materials and determine if you qualify for veterans' preference. The Veterans Preference Policy, C-3 is available here:

Reasonable Accommodations

The County of Riverside is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter for the position noted above. For additional information and/or to obtain the appropriate form for requesting a reasonable accommodation, please visit the Disability Access Office web page located at:

Proof of Education

If using education to qualify or when requested by the recruiter, upload a copy of any license(s), official/unofficial transcript(s), degrees, and/or related employment documents to your NeoGov account at the time of application and before the closing date. Official or unofficial transcripts will be accepted.

If your education was completed outside of the United States, you will need to provide a copy of your Foreign Education Equivalency evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services ( NACES ) or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. ( AICE ).

Equal Opportunity Employer

The County of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the County of Riverside to provide equal employment opportunities for all qualified persons. All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, or denial of medical and family care leave, or any other non-job-related factors.

Pre-Employment

All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of pre-employment requirements including a criminal background investigation, which involves fingerprinting. (A felony or misdemeanor conviction may disqualify the applicant from County employment). A pre-employment physical examination and background check may be required.

Probationary Period

As an Approved Local Merit System, all County of Riverside employees, except those serving "At Will," are subject to the probationary period provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding, County Resolution, or Salary Ordinance. Temporary and Per Diem employees serve at the pleasure of the agency/department head.

General Information

Current County of Riverside and/or current employees of the hiring department may receive priority consideration. Qualified candidates may be considered for future County vacancies.

Job postings may close without notice based on application volume. Submit your complete application by the recruitment close date; no late applications are accepted. Ensure all relevant experience/education is reflected on your application/resume, as a failure to demonstrate position requirements may disqualify applicants. A description of job duties directly copied from the job classification or job posting will not be considered.

Please read and follow any special application instructions on this posting. Click the 'Apply' link located on this page to submit your application. For additional instructions on the application process, examinations, Veteran's preference, pre-employment accommodation or other employment questions, please refer to our web site, www.rc-hr.com .

If you are experiencing technical problems, you may contact the governmentjobs.com applicant support desk Monday through Friday, 6 am to 5 pm Pacific Time at ...@governmentjobs.com or toll-free 1-855-###-####.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Entry level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Legal

• Industries

  Government Administration

Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at County of Riverside by 2x

Get notified about new Deputy Public Defender jobs in Riverside County, CA.

Deputy District Attorney II-IV (Special Prosecutions)

Riverside, CA $100,000.00-$185,000.00 7 months ago

District Attorney Post-Bar Law Clerk: February or July 2025 Bar Exam (Law Clerk II)

Riverside, CA $160,000.00-$200,000.00 6 hours ago

Riverside, CA $150,000.00-$190,000.00 2 days ago

Rancho Mirage, CA $140,000.00-$180,000.00 2 weeks ago

Riverside, CA $140,000.00-$220,000.00 1 day ago

District Attorney Post-Bar Law Clerk: February or July 2026 Bar Exam (Law Clerk II)

Cathedral City, CA $140,000.00-$220,000.00 5 hours ago

Indio, CA $140,000.00-$220,000.00 5 hours ago

We're unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.

#J-18808-Ljbffr