Assistant Prosecuting Attorney – Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office

Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan; Lansing (MI); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan seeks an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney to prosecute criminal cases, child abuse and neglect matters, and family law proceedings for residents of Ingham County. The role requires strong ethics, courtroom presence, and collaboration with law enforcement and agencies.

Responsibilities include trial preparation, interviews, motions, and post-adjudication work across criminal and civil family divisions. On-call duties and 24-hour flexibility are required.

Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited school of law.
• Entry-level experience in criminal law and procedure (internships/externships acceptable).
• Licensed to practice in Michigan, or awaiting bar results; strong communication with diverse individuals.

Responsibilities

• Prosecute criminal cases and related matters for residents and victims.
• Represent the office in trial practice in District and Circuit Courts.
• Represent in civil family matters and related hearings; draft motions and interview witnesses.
• Prepare warrants, review FOIA requests, and handle appellate matters as needed.
• Serve as special prosecutor and on-call prosecutor for outside cases; perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Effective communication

Court appearances

Reading police reports

Verbal communication

On-call readiness

Education

Law degree

Job description

Job Overview

Under the direction of the Prosecuting Attorney and/or the Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, perform the vital function of prosecuting criminal cases, child abuse and neglect cases, delinquency cases, and establishing paternity and child support on behalf of the residents and/or crime victims of Ingham County. Each Assistant Prosecuting Attorney (APA) is expected to possess the same set of dynamic skills and commitment to the highest ethical standards necessary to perform the job tasks of any and all units, at any time.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Review adult and juvenile warrant requests submitted by police agencies to determine whether charges should be issued based on interpretation of case law, relevant statutes, constitutional law, and evidentiary strengths and weaknesses. Actively engage with police agencies to give guidance on criminal investigations and analysis on complex legal issues.
• Represent the Prosecutor’s Office in criminal trial practice in District and Circuit Courts, involving both adult and juvenile offenders. Manage all aspects of trial preparation, including reviewing reports, analyzing evidentiary issues, researching law, complying with discovery, docket management, plea bargaining, writing motions, interviewing witnesses, planning trial strategy, preparing cases for trial, and advocating at preliminary examinations, pre‑trial conferences, motion hearings, bench trials, jury trials, restitution hearings, and sentencing hearings.
• Represent the Prosecutor’s Office in civil trial practice in the Family Division of the 30th Circuit Court. Advise the Department of Health and Human Services, review abuse‑and‑neglect and delinquency petitions, determine legal sufficiency, research law, write motions, gather and analyze evidence, interview witnesses and experts, develop trial strategy, prepare a case for trial, and advocate at post‑adjudication hearings, dispositions, show‑cause hearings, AWOL hearings, restitution hearings, family dependency treatment court, Phoenix Human Trafficking Court, permanency planning hearings, termination hearings, and personal protection order (PPO) hearings.
• Represent the Prosecutor’s Office in family support matters, including conducting intake interviews, initiating paternity or child support cases, conducting legal research, drafting complaints, motions, affidavits, notices, judgments, Uniform Support Orders, presiding over settlement conferences, generating support recommendation reports, presenting support recommendations during formal hearings, and data entry across various computer programs.
• Conduct jury and non‑jury trials, including jury selection, delivering opening and closing statements, admitting evidence, questioning witnesses, and cross‑examining adverse witnesses.
• Comply with the Crime Victims’ Rights Act by notifying and consulting with victims on relevant legal authority, sentencing guidelines, plea negotiations, and compiling restitution.
• Prepare search warrants for police agencies before and after the initiation of criminal proceedings.
• Review requests made pursuant to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to determine whether requested materials shall be disclosed, redact exempt materials, and produce non‑exempt information to the requesting party.
• Prepare fugitive, extradition, and detainer paperwork.
• Represent local law enforcement agencies in civil forfeiture proceedings, including review of forfeiture sustainability, negotiating settlements, drafting complaints and summons, drafting interrogatories and other discovery requests, motion practice, and complex civil litigation.
• Represent the Prosecutor’s Office in appellate matters, preparing or responding to appellate motions and briefs in the Circuit Court, Michigan Court of Appeals, and Michigan Supreme Court; argue any legal, factual, or constitutional issues on behalf of the People.
• Represent the Prosecutor’s Office at involuntary commitment hearings and Personal Protection Hearings that include complex trial practice.
• Serve as a special prosecutor for cases originating outside Ingham County as appointed or directed by the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan (PAAM).
• Serve as the on‑call assistant prosecutor for law enforcement agencies during non‑business hours; provide answers to legal questions, draft and approve search warrants, and review all in‑custody felony and domestic violence warrants on weekends and holidays.
• Perform other statutory functions, maintain knowledge of the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct, Michigan Court Rules, Michigan Rules of Evidence, Brady requirements, and applicable local, state, and federal authority; perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Must be a graduate of an accredited school of law.
• Experience: At minimum entry‑level experience with criminal law and procedure, which may be in the form of internships or externships.
• Other Requirements: Licensed to practice law in Michigan, or having taken the bar examination and awaiting results; demonstrates effective communication skills by engaging respectfully and effectively with individuals of all backgrounds; capable of reading police reports and documents; capable of verbally communicating with individuals in person or over the telephone; appears in court before judges and court audiences in Lansing, East Lansing, and Mason; available for a 24‑hour on‑call schedule; able to access any part of the county and time‑specific crime scenes; capable of lifting and carrying heavy case files or computers; works in an office setting.

Application Instructions

Ingham County
5303 S. Cedar St., Suite 2102
Lansing, Michigan, 48911
Phone: 517‑887‑4328
Website: http://ingham.org
Apply Here: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/ingham/jobs/4092680/assistant-prosecuting-attorney?pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs