Deputy Prosecuting Attorney - Arraignments

St. Joseph County Prosecutor's Office; Mishawaka (IN); On-site; USD 64,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Joseph County Prosecutor's Office in South Bend–Mishawaka seeks a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney – Arraignments for a full-time on-site role.

You will handle daily arraignment dockets, review charging documents, present cases to the court, and advise defendants of their rights and charges. You will work with law enforcement and court staff, perform legal research, draft motions, and help manage case flow in the criminal division.

Qualifications

• J.D. and admission to practice before the Supreme Court of Indiana.
• DPA must maintain good standing with the Indiana Supreme Court including CLE requirements and disciplinary fees.

Responsibilities

• Gather and analyze evidence for assigned cases.
• Review police and investigative reports and interview witnesses to ascertain facts.
• Prepare materials, including motions, memoranda, and orders, and appear in Court at hearings.

Skills

Arraignments

Court presentation

Interview witnesses

Legal research

Education

J.D. degree

Indiana bar admission

Job description

WORK SCHEDULE: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm

JOB CATEGORY: Legal

SALARY: $70,640 yearly

STATUS:Full-Time

FLSA STATUS:Exempt

Company Description

The St. Joseph County Prosecutor's Office is dedicated to protecting community members by holding dangerous offenders accountable, supporting rehabilitation where appropriate, and honoring the rights and needs of crime victims. The office is led by Prosecutor Ken Cotter and a multidisciplinary team of deputy prosecuting attorneys, paralegals, investigators, child support caseworkers, victim advocates, and support staff. Team members collaborate with residents, law enforcement, and local government partners to promote public safety and strengthen community trust. The work environment emphasizes integrity, service, and a shared commitment to making St. Joseph County a safer place to live and raise a family.

Role Description

The Deputy Prosecuting Attorney – Arraignments is a full-time, on-site role based in the South Bend–Mishawaka Region. This position is responsible for handling daily arraignment dockets, including reviewing charging documents, presenting cases to the court, and ensuring that defendants are advised of their rights and the charges brought against them. The role includes evaluating evidence, assessing appropriate bond recommendations, and making timely, ethical charging decisions in consultation with office policies and applicable law. The attorney will work closely with law enforcement, court personnel, and other prosecutorial staff to prepare and present information accurately and clearly at hearings. Additional responsibilities may involve legal research, drafting motions and orders, communicating with victims and witnesses, and supporting overall case flow management in the criminal division.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Conduct criminal case prosecution in court proceedings on behalf of St. Joseph County and the State of Indiana, including the following duties:

Gather and analyze evidence for assigned cases.Review police and investigative reports and interview witnesses to ascertain facts of case. Review law and facts of individual cases to ascertain appropriate charges within Office charging policy.

Correlate findings and prepare cases. Prepare materials, including appropriate motions, memoranda, and orders, and appear in Court at all scheduled hearings on assigned cases.

Review pertinent decisions, policies, regulations, attend local and in house training seminars and otherwise remain current with developments in the law regarding pending cases to maintain a high professional standard of competency.

Maintain accurate records of all developments in assigned cases including entering notes to files and/or computerized case management system.

Other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

Work Attributes:

Attorneys must be able to work closely with fellow attorneys in a cooperative manner. Position requires self confidence and ability to speak competently to victims, Courts and other professionals. Individuals must be able to quickly evaluate and re-evaluate case status in the give and take atmosphere of the criminal justice system.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

None for initial position. Senior T&M deputies may be assigned to supervise and train initial deputies.

Education and Professional Competence

J.D. and admission to practice before the Supreme Court of Indiana. DPA must maintain good standing with the Indiana Supreme Court including maintaining a current status with Continuing Legal Education requirements and Disciplinary fees.

Physical Demands

Position does not require any heavy, repetitive, or overhead lifting. Position requires familiarity with normal office machines and computer skills.

Work Environment

Interior office environment in close proximity to other employees.