Deputy District Attorney – Appellate Unit

Adams County, Colorado; Brighton (CO); On-site; USD 111,000 - 181,000; Full time

Job summary

Adams County is seeking a Deputy District Attorney to handle appellate litigation in the Adams and Broomfield District Courts, Colorado Court of Appeals, and Colorado Supreme Court. The role requires an attorney with 2–5 years of experience prosecuting criminal cases and handling misdemeanor and felony appellate and postconviction matters.

Qualified candidates must have a Juris Doctorate, be licensed in Colorado, and possess or obtain a Colorado driver's license.

Qualifications

• Must possess a Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school.
• Must be licensed to practice law in the State of Colorado.
• Must possess or have the ability to obtain a valid Colorado Driver's License.
• Must pass a criminal background check.

Responsibilities

• Litigates misdemeanor and traffic appeals arising from County Court cases and felony appeals from District Court cases.
• Reviews court records and transcripts and conducts legal research to effectively litigate appeals.
• Litigates postconviction motions pursuant to Crim. P. 35(c) in misdemeanor and traffic cases in County Court and felony cases in District Court, including drafting and filing responsive briefs and motions, and appearing in court for postconviction evidentiary hearings.
• Evaluates court records, transcripts, and attorney files in litigating Crim. P. 35(c) motions.
• Litigates various criminal-law-adjacent civil matters including asset forfeitures, petitions to deregister, and sealing of criminal justice records.
• Assists the office’s trial attorneys with legal research and writing on an as-needed basis.
• Prepares and presents training for the office’s attorneys on various criminal-law issues.
• Assists victims of crime through the criminal justice system and communicates with victims and witnesses on cases in which they are involved.
• Provides legal advice to law enforcement agencies.

Skills

Legal research

Appellate litigation

Criminal law

Education

Juris Doctorate

Job description

What Success Looks Like In This Job

The Deputy District Attorney performs professional legal work in the litigation of appeals in the Adams and Broomfield District Courts, Colorado Court of Appeals, and Colorado Supreme Court, acting on behalf of the District Attorney and representing the People of the State of Colorado in appellate, postconviction, and civil proceedings. The Deputy District Attorney is a licensed attorney with 2-5 years of experience prosecuting criminal cases, handling a docket of misdemeanor and felony appellate cases, as well as misdemeanor and felony postconviction cases.

A range of experience for this vacancy will be considered, and a candidate’s qualifications will determine the level at which they are hired.

Salary Range

• Deputy District IV $111,190.03 to $161,225.55
• Senior Deputy District Attorney $124,933.12 to $181,153.02

Examples of Duties for Success

General Legal Duties

• Litigates misdemeanor and traffic appeals arising from County Court cases and felony appeals from District Court cases.
• Reviews court records and transcripts and conducts legal research to effectively litigate appeals.
• Litigates postconviction motions pursuant to Crim. P. 35(c) in misdemeanor and traffic cases in County Court and felony cases in District Court, including drafting and filing responsive briefs and motions, and appearing in court for postconviction evidentiary hearings.
• Evaluates court records, transcripts, and attorney files in litigating Crim. P. 35(c) motions.
• Litigates various criminal-law-adjacent civil matters including asset forfeitures, petitions to deregister, and sealing of criminal justice records.
• Assists the office’s trial attorneys with legal research and writing on an as-needed basis.
• Prepares and presents training for the office’s attorneys on various criminal-law issues.
• Assists victims of crime through the criminal justice system and communicates with victims and witnesses on cases in which they are involved.
• Provides legal advice to law enforcement agencies.
• Performs related work as required.

Qualifications for Success

• Must possess a Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school
• Must be licensed to practice law in the State of Colorado
• Must possess or have the ability to obtain a valid Colorado Driver's License
• Must pass a criminal background check

Adams County and the 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office complies with Colorado’s Job Application Fairness Act (“JAFA”). JAFA prohibits employers from asking individuals to disclose their age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation on an initial employment application. However, additional application materials such as certifications and transcripts containing this information may be required for certain positions; if such additional materials are requested, applicants may redact information that identifies the applicant’s age, date of birth, or dates or attendance or graduation.