Assistant Solicitor G127 State Court Solicitor

Columbus Consolidated Government; Columbus (GA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Columbus Consolidated Government seeks a Senior Assistant Solicitor General to prosecute criminal cases in city courts. The attorney will lead misdemeanor prosecutions, review bound over cases, and manage arraignments, subpoenas, and discovery.

The role requires a law degree from an ABA-accredited school, active Georgia Bar status, 1–3 years’ experience, and strong skills in negotiation, research, and courtroom argument. Training police and advising on procedures are also part of the job.

Qualifications

• Law degree from ABA-accredited school required.
• Active member of the State Bar of Georgia required.
• 1–3 years of experience or service preferred for understanding the work.

Responsibilities

• Prepares and tries misdemeanor criminal cases in state court; serves as lead counsel for the state.
• Reviews misdemeanor criminal cases bound over to State Court to assess proper charges and sentence recommendations; interviews witnesses.
• Dockets cases with not guilty pleas to the trial docket; sends trial notices and discovery to defense attorneys.
• Gives legal advice and trains police officers on Georgia criminal law and procedures; trains recruits in domestic violence cases.
• Prosecutes criminal cases; negotiates pleas by reviewing charges, police reports, and records.
• Arraigns criminal defendants and negotiates with the Public Defender’s Office; prepares pre-trial motions.
• Reads, analyzes, and interprets Georgia statutes and regulations; researches legal issues; disseminates evidence.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Negotiating plea bargains

Oral and written communication

Legal research

Independent work

Training police officers

Education

Juris Doctor (ABA accredited)

Tools

Computers and software

Job description

This position is responsible for prosecuting criminal cases occurring in the city. An incumbent in this position may be designated “Senior Assistant Solicitor General.”

• Prepares and tries misdemeanor criminal cases in state court; serves as lead counsel for the state.
• Reviews misdemeanor criminal cases bound over to State Court to assess the proper criminal charge if any and to determine what sentence recommendation to make; interviews witnesses as necessary.
• Dockets cases with not guilty pleas to the trial docket; sends trial notices and other discovery and motions to defense attorneys or defendants.
• Gives legal advice and provides training for police officers, etc. regarding Georgia criminal law and procedures; trains law enforcement recruits in the investigation and prosecution of domestic violence cases.
• Prosecutes criminal cases; negotiates pleas by reviewing charges, police reports, and criminal records.
• Prepares and makes recommendations for arraignment dockets and jail plea dockets.
• Prepares written reports, motions, briefs, orders, letters, and other documents.
• Interprets and communicates complicated policies, procedures, and protocols.
• Reads, analyzes, and interprets Georgia statutes and regulations; researches legal issues; gathers, analyzes, evaluates, and disseminates evidence and other information.
• Arraigns criminal defendants and negotiates open cases with defendants; negotiates cases with the Public Defender’s office.
• Participates in training to stay current in criminal law.
• Appears at arraignments to facilitate the movement of cases; sends trial notices, subpoenas, and discovery; prepares pre-trial motions.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

• Knowledge of alternative sentencing practices.
• Knowledge of procedural law.
• Knowledge of Georgia criminal statutes, laws of criminal procedure, and laws of evidence.
• Skill in negotiating plea bargains and explaining the law and procedures to victims of crimes and witnesses.
• Skill in problem solving, organization, writing, and research.
• Skill in anticipating defense objections and pre-trial issues.
• Skill in the operation of computers and various software and standard office equipment.
• Skill in oral and written communication.
• Ability to work independently and with minimal supervision.

A Law Degree from a Law School accredited by the American Bar Association is required. Experience sufficient to thoroughly understand the work of subordinate positions and to be able to answer questions and resolve problems, usually associated with one to three years' experience or service. Must be an active member of the State Bar of Georgia.

The work is typically performed while intermittently sitting, standing, stooping, walking, bending, or crouching. The employee occasionally lifts light and heavy objects. Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:

• Balancing – maintain equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing, or crouching.
• Crouching – bending body forward by bending leg, spine.
• Feeling – perceiving attributes of objects by touch with skin, fingertips.
• Grasping – applying pressure to object with fingers, palm.
• Handling – picking, holding, or working with whole hand.
• Hearing 1 – perceiving sounds at normal speaking levels, receive information.
• Hearing 2 – receive detailed information, make discrimination in sound.
• Kneeling – bending legs at knee to come to rest at knees.
• Lifting – raising objects from lower to higher position, moving objects side to side, using upper extremities, back.
• Manual Dexterity – picking, pinching, typing, working with fingers rather than hand.
• Mental Acuity – ability to make rational decisions through sound logic, deductive reasoning.
• Pulling - use upper extremities to exert force, haul or tug.
• Pushing – use upper extremities to press against objects with force, or thrust forward, downward, outward.
• Reaching – extending hands or arms in any direction.
• Repetitive Motion – substantial movements of wrists, hands, fingers.
• Speaking – expressing ideas with spoken word, convey detailed, important instructions accurately, concisely.
• Standing – for sustained periods of time.
• Stooping – bending body downward, forward at waist, with full motion of lower extremities and back.
• Talking 1- expressing ideas by spoken word.
• Talking 2 – shouting to be heard above ambient noise.
• Visual Acuity 1 - prepare, analyze data, transcribing, computer terminal, extensive reading.
• Visual Acuity 5 -close acuity for inspection of small defects, machines, use measurement devices, or fabricate parts.
• Walking - on foot to accomplish tasks, long distances, or site to site.

The work is typically performed in an office, library, or computer room.