Deputy Public Defender I-IV (DOQ)

Solano County; Fairfield (CA); On-site; USD 94,000 - 204,000; Full time

Job summary

Solano County Public Defender’s Office seeks attorneys dedicated to criminal defense and skilled in litigation for Deputy Public Defender I–IV roles. The eligible list will fill full-time, part-time, limited-term or extra-help vacancies as they occur.

Ranked levels I–IV specify monthly salaries and experience requirements, with active California State Bar membership required. A valid California driver’s license may be needed for some assignments.

Qualifications

• Active membership in the California State Bar required prior to appointment.
• Possession of or the ability to obtain a valid Class C California driver’s license may be required.

Responsibilities

• Provide criminal defense representation for clients in the Solano County Public Defender’s Office.
• Engage in trial work and litigation as appropriate to the Deputy Public Defender level.

Skills

Criminal defense

Trial experience

Litigation

Legal research

Education

Active California State Bar membership

Job description

The mission of the Solano County Public Defender is to protect and defend the rights, liberty, and dignity of our clients, to enforce the constitutional rights to due process, and to ensure the integrity of the criminal justice system for all, regardless of economic status, by providing excellent, compassionate legal representation.

The Public Defender of Solano County invites you to apply for the position of Deputy Public Defender I - IV. The Office is looking for attorneys who have a sincere dedication to criminal defense along with litigation skills anywhere from criminal defense law clerk, up to seasoned attorney's with felony trial experience. The eligible list created as a result of this recruitment will be used to fill part-time and full-time regular, limited-term or extra-help positions as vacancies occur in the Public Defender's Office.

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

Deputy Public Defender I ($8,409.44 to $10,221.72/month): No experience required; however, applicants must demonstrate possession of and competency in requisite knowledge and abilities.

Deputy Public Defender II ($11,381.69 to $13,834.60/month): A minimum of six months of criminal defense and trial experience as a Deputy Public Defender I or its equivalent which demonstrates possession of and competency in requisite knowledge and abilities. Three years of experience in the general practice of law may be substituted for the six months criminal law experience.

Deputy Public Defender III ($13,089.02 to $15,909.85/month): A minimum of one year criminal defense and trial experience as a Deputy Public Defender II or its equivalent (a total of one and one-half years of criminal defense and trial experience as Deputy Public Defender) which demonstrates possession of and competency in requisite knowledge and abilities. Four years of experience in the general practice of law may be substituted for the two years criminal law experience.

Deputy Public Defender IV ($15,055.35 to $18,299.86/month): A minimum of one year of criminal defense and trial experience as a Deputy Public Defender III or its equivalent (a total of two and one-half years of criminal defense as a Deputy Public Defender) which demonstrates possession of and competency in requisite knowledge and abilities. Five years experience in the general practice of law may be substituted for three years criminal law experience.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Active membership in the California State Bar Association is required.*
• Possession of or the ability to obtain a valid Class C California driver’s license may be required.

*An active California State Bar number will be required prior to appointment. Please see the Document Submittal Requirements section below.

The eligible list created as a result of this recruitment will be used to fill full-time and part-time regular, limited-term or extra-help positions as vacancies occur in the Public Defender's Office.

SELECTION PROCESS

8/31/2026 - 5:00pm Deadline to submit application and required documents for first application review.

Based on the information provided in the application documents, the qualified applicants may be invited for further examination and will either be pre-scheduled by the Department of Human Resources or be invited to self-schedule. All applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. Depending upon the number of applications received, the selection process may consist of an initial application screening, a mandatory information meeting, a supplemental questionnaire assessment, a written and/or practical exam, an oral board exam, or any combination listed. Responses to supplemental questions may be used as screening and testing mechanisms and will be used to assess an applicant’s ability to advance in the process; as such, responses to supplemental questions should be treated as test examination responses. Information contained herein does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.

All potential new hires and employees considered for promotion to management, confidential positions or unrepresented positions will be subject to a background and reference check after contingent job offer is accepted. These provisions are subject to change.

RETIREES - Solano County invites all to apply for positions; however pursuant to Government Code Section 21221(h) and 21224, hiring restrictions may apply to California Public Sector Pension Plan Retirees.

DOCUMENT SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

There is no required document submittal for this recruitment; however, all applicants are required to enter their active California State Bar Number on their submitted employment application. If applicants wish to submit additional document details for submittal, see below.

If applicants do not yet have their California State Bar number, they are required to submit documentation from the California State Bar Association verifying their number is pending. An active California State Bar number will be required prior to appointment.

In addition to uploading attachments when applying online, candidates may submit documents by fax to [phone], or by email to [e-mail]. Be sure to include the recruitment title (Deputy Public Defender I-IV (DOQ)) and the recruitment number (24-313100-01) in your email or fax.