Deputy District Attorney IV

County of Sonoma; Santa Rosa (CA); On-site; USD 215,000 - 263,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid Telework

Salary advancement

Paid time off

Health premium contributions

Professional development

Job summary

County of Sonoma's District Attorney's Office seeks experienced attorneys to join the team as Deputy District Attorney IV. The role focuses on prosecuting the most complex cases, including homicide, with independence and discretion.

The office values integrity, professionalism, and community service as core components of its mission. The DDA IV will mentor junior prosecutors, handle high-profile matters, and contribute to the office's pursuit of justice for Sonoma County residents.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate degree and membership in the California State Bar.
• Extensive experience in criminal felony prosecution, including homicide or other serious felonies.
• Strong leadership, mentoring, and ability to work independently in fast-paced courtrooms.

Responsibilities

• Prosecute the most complex and challenging cases, including felonies, rape, domestic violence, sexual assault, and homicides.
• Exercise discretion in filing decisions, dispositions, and trial readiness for serious cases.
• Mentor less experienced prosecutors and perform high-level legal analysis and motions.

Job description

Position Information

The Sonoma County District Attorney's Office is seeking experienced and passionate attorneys to join their team!

Starting salary up to $114.44/hourly ($238,850/annually) and a competitive total compensation package!*

The District Attorney's Office is currently recruiting to fill two Deputy District Attorney positions at either the Deputy District Attorney I, II, III, or IV levels depending on qualifications. If you are interested in being considered at the different levels of this opportunity, you must apply to the separate concurrent recruitments being conducted for those levels.

The Positions

As a Deputy District Attorney IV (DDA IV), you will be responsible for prosecuting the most complex and challenging cases in the office, including felony rape, domestic violence, sexual assault, and all homicide cases. This position requires the ability to work independently and exercise sound discretion in the prosecution and disposition of all manner of serious and violent felonies. In this role, you will demonstrate leadership skills and the ability and willingness to mentor less experienced prosecutors. The DDA IV is a senior position and operates with significant discretion to make independent decisions about most case dispositions and trials. The DDA IV prosecutor exercises this discretion within the rules of professional responsibility and office policy and is responsible for making significant decisions involve filing, disposition, and trial readiness for certain serious and violent felonies. These positions often handle specially assigned cases in addition to their normal duties, including homicides or other "high profile" cases.

The Ideal Candidates

In addition to holding a Juris Doctorate degree and membership in the California State Bar, the ideal candidates will have extensive experience in criminal felony prosecution, including jury trial experience in homicide and/or other complex, serious or violent felonies. They will be committed to handling challenging work for the betterment of the community and be dedicated to ensuring equal justice and equal access to the criminal justice system for all citizens of Sonoma County regardless of race, gender, sexual identity, ethnic origin, or nationality. The ideal candidates will also possess many of the following:

• Experience with sensitive victims, language or cultural barriers, significant expert testimony, and multiple-defendant prosecutions
• Significant law and motion experience, including significant professional experience with research and drafting pleadings in complex matters
• Significant training in the prosecution of criminal cases under California state law
• Well-versed knowledge in the California Penal and Evidence Codes with a solid grasp of felony sentencing
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to interact professionally and effectively with co-workers, law enforcement officers, defense attorneys, judges and court staff, and members of the public
• A strong interest in criminal justice and a desire to assist crime victims and strive to provide the community with a safe place to live by holding the guilty accountable, protecting the innocent, and preserving the dignity of victims and their families
• The ability to thrive working in a fast-paced environment with short timelines
• Prior attendance at California District Attorneys Association or National District Attorneys Association seminars in Trial Practice, Felony Sentencing, and other areas relating to criminal prosecution is highly desired

Please note: A current, active member of the State Bar of California is required by date of hire, please see Questions 4 and 5.

The District Attorney's Office

Under the leadership of the District Attorney, Carla Rodriguez, the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office is the largest legal office in the County and has a staff of 138 employees including attorneys, investigators, paralegals, and clerical support. Our mission is to pursue justice for the people of Sonoma County through innovative prosecution, strategic legislative advocacy, and strong community partnerships, holding those who harm our community accountable while delivering victim-centered justice with integrity and professionalism. With a population in excess of 475,000, the office handles a wide variety of serious and complex criminal cases, as well as civil consumer protection and environmental crimes. Our core values are:

• Integrity - We uphold the highest ethical standards and do what's right, even when it's difficult
• Courage - We have the determination to fearlessly pursue justice, advocating relentlessly for victims and holding offenders accountable regardless of challenges or opposition.
• Results Focused - We pursue creative, evidence-based solutions that address harm, enhance public safety, and deliver meaningful justice for victims and our community.
• Professionalism - We conduct ourselves with competency, respect, and accountability while maintaining the highest standards of legal practice and public service.
• Victim Centered - We treat every victim with dignity, respect, and compassion while ensuring their voice is heard and their healing is supported throughout the justice process.

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Hybrid Telework - A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Staff Development/Wellness - Annual benefit allowances of up to $1,250 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• Annual Professional Development Benefit - $452
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Additional Benefits: Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

The District Attorney's Office is currently recruiting to fill two Deputy District Attorney positions at either the I, II, III, or IV levels. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help positions as they occur during the active status of the list.

Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire be completed.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience: Legal experience subsequent to membership in the State Bar of California, which directly relates to the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, four years of legal experience practicing criminal law as a licensed attorney, including two years of experience at a level comparable to Deputy District Attorney III in Sonoma County; or four years of legal experience as a licensed attorney with two years of related experience to specialty assignments such as Environmental and Consumer Law or Appellate practice; or equivalent experience with another prosecuting agency, would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed.

Special qualifications: Specialty training courses focusing on felony prosecutions, or environmental, consumer, or appellate practice.

Professional License: Current active membership in the State Bar of California. Possession of a valid driver's license may be required for certain assignments.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position. The positions advertised on this announcement do not require possession of a valid California Driver's License.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Thorough knowledge of: the duties, powers, limitations and authorities of the office of the District Attorney.

Extensive knowledge of: the principles of criminal law, principles of trial procedure, and rules of evidence; legal research methods and judicial procedures; the statutory and constitutional laws of the State of California and the United States; written and oral communications, including language mechanics, syntax and English composition.

Ability to: research, analyze and apply legal principles, facts, evidence and precedents to legal problems; consistently prepare and present statements of law, fact and argument clearly, logically and persuasively in written and oral form in all legal matters; exercise sound judgment and respond appropriately in fast-paced and constantly changing courtroom situations; establish and maintain effective working relationship with staff members, departmental representatives, county officials, the courts, law enforcement agency officials, and the general public; provide training and instruction to attorney staff, law enforcement, and other related department and county personnel, and state prosecutors or the public, if requested; understand and accept differences in human behavior, and cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire be completed.

Responses to supplemental questions will be used in assessing minimum qualifications. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%). Each application and supplemental questionnaire will be thoroughly evaluated for satisfaction of minimum qualifications and relevance of educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities that relate to this position. Candidates possessing the most appropriate job-related qualifications will be placed on an employment list and referred to the department for selection interviews.

Additional Information

It is the policy of law enforcement and legal offices and departments, in the County of Sonoma, that candidates complete a thorough background investigation process prior to employment. This policy is imperative in order to keep the department's employees and the public safe and to maintain high standards in the law enforcement community. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to candidates.

The background investigation will include a thorough assessment of a candidate's personal, employment, educational, criminal, and credit history. The investigation may include but is not necessarily limited to: use of prescription and/or other drugs, reports from former employers, friends, family members, educational institutions, law enforcement agencies, credit reports, court reports, public records search, and or other relevant sources. Candidates must be honest and forthcoming about information that may arise during the background process. Deception during any portion of this process is grounds for disqualification, even after employment.

Depending on the assignment, candidates may be required to take a pre-employment medical examination and may be required to take a polygraph examination. All candidates for law enforcement positions are required to undergo drug testing as part of the selection process. Additionally, candidates may be required to take a pre-employment psychological and physical abilities examination. The results of these examinations and the background investigation shall be confidential and shall not be available to the candidate for review. Failure to pass the background investigation will eliminate a candidate from the employment process. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

Issues that arise during the investigation process will be assessed and judgment and discretion will be used to determine the employability of the candidate. Where there is evidence of a candidate's past use of controlled substances, many factors shall be used to determine the employability of the individual such that a pattern of use, kind of drug used, circumstances of the start of the drug use, treatment, behavior and attitude since discontinuance, etc. Please note that a history of using controlled substances does not result in automatic disqualification from the selection process. Prior to disqualifying any candidate whose profile falls within the provisions of the policy, the candidate shall be given the opportunity to present any and all evidence of mitigating facts that the candidate feels should be considered by the hiring authority. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.