Twin Falls County Prosecutor’s Office – Deputy Prosecuting Attorney

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: (illustrative only)

Civil prosecutors are responsible for the prosecution of civil cases such as child protection cases, civil asset forfeitures, involuntary civil commitments, and other civil cases. Duties include providing legal advice to elected officials and other county employees on a variety of legal matters including employment law, contract interpretation, federal regulations, and planning and zoning. Misdemeanor prosecutors screen cases, appear at motions to suppress, and prosecute cases ranging from infractions (traffic tickets) to misdemeanors (driving under the influence, petit thefts, etc.). Felony prosecutors are assigned cases such as narcotics, DUI, property crimes, domestic violence, or other crimes. This attorney will spend many hours in court and will make critical decisions in case strategy, preparation and presentation.

• Performs all duties of a Prosecuting Attorney pursuant to Idaho Code;
• Responds to legal questions from law enforcement agencies;
• Directs staff in the preparation of pleadings, forms, orders, motions, legal memorandums and other paper work
• Conducts legal research;
• Interacts, mediates and negotiates with opposing counsel, judges, office staff, other agencies and law enforcement offices;
• Performs time management and scheduling functions, meets deadlines, and sets project priorities;
• Communicates and coordinates regularly with appropriate co-workers to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of office operations and activities;
• Interacts with county employees, witnesses, victims, defendants, law enforcement officials, visitors, and the general public effectively and professionally;
• Assists other prosecutors in the office on cases when necessary;
• Attends Idaho Prosecuting Attorneys Association training to comply with continuing legal education requirements of the Idaho State Bar; and
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Twin Falls County Prosecuting Attorney.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:
The requirements listed below are representative of the minimum knowledge, skill, and ability required to satisfactorily perform each essential duty required for this position.
Knowledge of:

• Constitutional law, criminal law, criminal procedures, rules of evidence and prosecutorial ethics;
• Legal, court, and judicial procedures, rules, terminology, methods, documents, practices, and objectives;
• Applicable county, state, and federal laws, statutes, ordinances, and codes;
• Legal research methods;
• Negotiation techniques and methods; and
• English grammar, spelling, punctuation, and composition.

Skill and Ability to:

• Analyze, appraise, and organize facts, evidence, and precedents in determining the various aspects, alternatives, and possible outcomes of cases;
• Present material to opponents and develop an appropriate legal strategy;
• Appear without assistance in court and other judicial proceedings and present evidence, arguments, testimony, and witnesses before a judge or jury;
• Make significant legal decisions in individual cases based on a combination of factors including the law, policy, and rules of ethics;
• Negotiate complex legal issues;
• Bring interested and affected parties to consensus;
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, for purposes of advocating, persuading, negotiating, and counseling on behalf of the State;
• Analyze, appraise, and organize facts and precedents and present arguments clearly and logically;
• Determine alternative courses of action, and anticipate defense strategies;
• Present and argue cases while handling unanticipated problems smoothly and effectively;
• Proficiently operate computers and software programs;
• Follow verbal and written instructions;
• Work independently and exercise initiative, with general guidance and supervision;
• Maintain a professional demeanor at all times;
• Perform a wide variety of duties and responsibilities with accuracy and speed under the pressure of strict deadlines;
• Demonstrate integrity and ingenuity in the performance of assigned tasks and solving problems;
• Perform all duties in accordance with Twin Falls County Prosecuting Attorney policies and procedures; and
• Maintain strict confidentiality in all cases and comply with Idaho Rules of Professional Conduct.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING:

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree, and;
• Graduation from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association with a Juris Doctorate Degree, and;
• License to practice law in the State of Idaho, and;
• Eligibility for membership in the Idaho Prosecuting Attorney’s Association.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This position is frequently required to stand, sit, stoop, kneel, bend, use hands to type, handle materials, or manipulate tools, and reach with hands and arms.  Incumbent must occasionally lift or move up to 25 pounds.  Adequate vision required, including close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus.  Incumbent must have sufficient clarity of speech and hearing abilities to permit him or her to discern verbal instructions and communicate effectively in person and by telephone.  This position works in the office and in the courtroom where the noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.  This is an exempt employee, and is almost always required to work more than 40 hours per week, and is daily exposed to emotional and violent people who may create risk to personal safety.