Job Description

This is a continuous filing exam. The next filing cut-off is at 5:00 pm on:

Fourth Friday of every month

1/24/25, 2/28/25, 3/28/25, 4/25/25, 5/23/25, 6/27/25, 7/25/25, 8/22/25, 9/26/25, 10/24/25, 11/26/25, 12/26/25

Salary Information:

1. Level I: $10,944.58 monthly
2. Level II: $12,590.67 monthly
3. Level III: $11,397.00 - $13,853.92 monthly
4. Level IV: $13,194.42 - $16,037.58 monthly
5. Level V: $14,558.58 - $17,694.08 monthly

This is a single classification with five (5) salary levels. Level I is the level at which initial appointments to Attorney - Criminal are typically made; and advancement from the lower to the higher level of the class is at the discretion of the appointing authority, provided the minimum qualifications are met.

NOTE: Please apply only after you have been issued a California State Bar number. If you are awaiting results of the Bar exam, or have a pending issuance of a State Bar number, please wait until after your number is issued to apply. If you submit an application without having a California State Bar number, you may be disqualified from the exam process.

Under direction, the Attorney - Criminal performs professional legal work in the Public Defender's Office or District Attorney's Office involving the defense or prosecution of criminal cases.

The duties of an Attorney - Criminal include reading and evaluating investigative reports submitted by law enforcement agencies; using good judgement in deciding whether or how best to proceed in a given matter; conducting and/or directing additional investigation as may be necessary to competently prosecute or defend contested actions in trial courts or other judicial forums; preparing and presenting evidence in those forums as well as making pertinent legal and factual arguments. Attorneys in this range must be capable, depending on their level of experience, of handling the prosecution or defense of matters requiring little or no experience up to and including the most difficult, complex, and sensitive cases requiring a high degree of legal knowledge, skill, and experience.

The class of Attorney - Criminal has five levels which are assigned at the department head's discretion in accordance with budget provisions, workload, organizational needs, and the individual attorney's expertise and skill, subject to the following basic experience requirements:

Level I: This level is assigned to attorneys who have no previous legal experience. Under close supervision, attorneys at this level are generally assigned a variety of less difficult assignments. This is the entry and trainee level for criminal attorneys.

Level II: This level is assigned attorneys with at least one year of experience in the practice of law. Under close supervision, attorneys at this level perform work of average difficulty in all phases of criminal law. This is the first working level.

Level III: This level is assigned attorneys with at least one year of Sacramento County service as an Attorney - Criminal, Level II, or three years of experience practicing law in the State of California. Attorneys at this level litigate increasingly difficult and complex criminal cases under general supervision. This is the full journey level.

Level IV: This level is assigned attorneys with at least one year of Sacramento County service as an Attorney - Criminal, Level III, or four years of experience practicing law in the State of California in an area of law practiced by the District Attorney's or Public Defender's Offices. Acceptable areas of practice include but are not limited to, criminal law, consumer fraud, environmental protection, asset forfeiture, or family support. Attorneys at this level litigate the most difficult and complex criminal cases with minimal direction. This is the advanced journey level.

Level V: This level is assigned attorneys with at least one year of Sacramento County service as an Attorney - Criminal, Level IV. Attorneys at this level litigate demanding and critical cases requiring a highly advanced degree of knowledge of legal processes, or act in a lead capacity when the staff size is so large, or the work is so complex, as to require both a first-line supervisor and a lead attorney.

Incumbents in the Attorney - Criminal classification must have knowledge and abilities sufficient to enable competent prosecution or defense of criminal actions and relevant civil actions (e.g., consumer, environmental, family support, etc.) in trial courts. Essential knowledge and abilities include demonstrated proficiency in legal research and writing, knowledge of rules of criminal and civil procedure, proficiency in oral advocacy skills used in court and jury trials and hearings before other judicial and quasi-judicial officers, and knowledge of ethical standards and duties required to maintain the highest standard of professionalism.

Minimum Qualifications:

Membership in the California State Bar.

Document Required with the application: Your California State Bar license number and date of issue MUST be documented on your application.

NOTE: Failure to submit proof of educational requirements will result in disqualification from the examination.

Probationary Period:

The probationary period for this classification is twelve (12) months.

APPLICATION

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. All applicants must complete and submit an online County of Sacramento employment application by 5:00 PM on the posted cut-off date. Click here to apply.

County of Sacramento
Department of Personnel Services
Employment Services Division
700 H Street, Room 4667
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone (916) 874-5593; 7-1-1 California Relay Service

Email: EmployOffice@Saccounty.net

Inter-Office Mail Code: 09-4667

• Employment applications and all documentation requested in this announcement must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.
• Employment Services is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by an applicant's computer or web browser. Applicants will be automatically logged out if they have not submitted their applications and all documentation prior to 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.
• Your application should highlight all relevant education, training, and experience, and clearly indicate how you meet the minimum qualifications for the position as of the cut-off date.
• Application information must be current, concise and related to the requirements in this job announcement. You may only apply for this recruitment once. Duplicate and incomplete applications will be disqualified.
• A resume may be included with your application, however it will not substitute for the information requested on the application.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE

Applicants are required to provide a full and complete response to each supplemental question. The Supplemental Questionnaire is located in the tab marked "Supplemental Questions". Please be descriptive in your response.

Note: Responses of "See Resume" or "See Application", or copy and paste of work experience are not qualifying responses and will not be considered.

• Supplemental Questionnaires must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date. Employment Services is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by an applicant's computer or web browser. Applicants will be automatically logged out if they have not submitted their applications and all documentation prior to 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.
• The supplemental questions are designed to elicit specific information regarding a candidate's experience, education, and training. Responses should be consistent with the information on your application and are subject to verification.
• Please provide place of employment, pertinent dates, and concise, descriptive and detailed information for each question.
• If a job included responsibilities applicable to several questions, separate the different functions of the job to answer all the questions completely.
• Resumes or referral to the application or other questionnaire responses will not be accepted in lieu of completing each question.
• If you have no experience, write "no experience" for the appropriate question.
• For many individuals, it is more efficient to develop responses to the supplemental questions in a word processing document and then paste them into the final document to be submitted. Changes or corrections to your Supplemental Questionnaire cannot be made once your application packet has been submitted.
• If the Supplemental Questionnaire is used in the Formula Rate exam, failure to complete all of the questions or incomplete responses will result in a lower score. While scoring the Supplemental Questionnaire, the candidate's application and/or attachments will not be reviewed, therefore, a candidate's responses to the questions should be accurate, thorough, detailed, and complete.

FORMULA RATE EXAMINATION (Weighted 100%)

All candidates meeting the minimum qualifications by the cut-off date will have their Supplemental Questionnaire scored in the Formula Rate Examination.

This examination will evaluate the relevance, level, recency, progression and quality of candidate's education, training and experience. The candidate's application or other materials will not be included in this examination. Therefore, the candidate's responses to the supplemental questionnaire should be thorough, detailed and complete. The score from the Formula Rate Examination will determine the ranking on the eligible/employment list for this job.

All candidates competing in the testing process will receive written notice of their examination results by email. Notices can also be accessed in their governmentjobs.com inbox. Applicants achieving a passing score will be placed on the eligible list in rank order. The rank is determined by the test score attained from the examination.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Click here for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

For information regarding County jobs:

Sacramento County is about enriching communities to thrive. We strive to create inclusive workplaces that reflect the communities we serve. We value and celebrate the unique perspectives, backgrounds, abilities, and diverse dimensions of our employees and residents. Through transparency, courage, innovation, and trust we are committed to advance equity and transformational change.

We are a proud equal opportunity employer. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability for any phase of the hiring process, please contact our Disability Compliance Office at dco@saccounty.gov or 916-874-7642, CA Relay 711

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