Senior Deputy District Attorney - Appeals

Douglas County Government; Castle Rock (CO); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid holidays

Vacation time

Retirement plan

Job summary

Douglas County Government seeks an experienced Senior Deputy District Attorney – Appeals to lead appellate litigation and provide expert guidance on high‑level criminal issues across Douglas, Elbert, and Lincoln Counties. You will argue before the Colorado Supreme Court and Colorado Court of Appeals, supervise CCJRA/CORA matters, civil forfeiture, and sealing, and mentor trial deputies in complex cases.

You will conduct extensive legal research, draft briefs, and present oral arguments, while

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of appellate experience or substantially related criminal litigation experience.
• Exceptional written and oral advocacy skills.
• Strong critical-thinking and rapid, well-reasoned courtroom and legal analysis.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement.

Responsibilities

• Litigate appellate matters before Colorado Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and District Courts.
• Oversee CCJRA/CORA matters, civil forfeiture, sealings, and civil litigation.
• Draft appellate briefs, motions, memoranda, and respond to postconviction filings.
• Provide legal guidance to trial deputies on motions, evidentiary issues, and strategy.
• Develop legal strategies and training resources for prosecutors and partner agencies.

Skills

Appellate experience

Oral advocacy

Written advocacy

Criminal law knowledge

Collaboration

Analytical thinking

Job description

Summary of Position

The 23rd Judicial District Attorney’s Office is seeking an experienced and highly skilled Senior Deputy District Attorney – Appeals to serve as an appellate advocate and subject‑matter expert on high‑level legal issues affecting the District. This senior role is central to shaping criminal jurisprudence in Colorado and ensuring the fair and consistent administration of justice throughout Douglas, Elbert, and Lincoln Counties. You will litigate complex matters before the Colorado Supreme Court, the Colorado Court of Appeals, and District Courts within the 23rd Judicial District. In addition, this position oversees several specialized legal areas critical to the Office’s operations, including CCJRA/CORA issues, civil forfeiture, sealings, and civil litigation. This position is ideal for an attorney who thrives on sophisticated legal analysis, constitutional interpretation, mentoring trial deputies, and handling impactful appellate and civil matters.

Key Responsibilities

Appellate Litigation

• Represent the People of the State of Colorado in the Colorado Supreme Court in certiorari matters, original proceedings under C.A.R. 21, and interlocutory appeals under C.A.R. 4.1.
• Prosecute state‑initiated appeals and cross‑appeals in the Colorado Court of Appeals involving pretrial, trial, and sentencing issues under C.A.R. 4 and 4.1.
• Handle defense‑initiated misdemeanor appeals and state‑initiated suppression appeals in Douglas, Elbert, and Lincoln County District Courts under Crim. P. 37 and 37.1.

Specialized Legal Areas

• Advise on Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act (CCJRA) and Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) matters, including litigation, compliance, and policy development.
• Oversee and litigate civil forfeiture cases, ensuring statutory compliance and ethical enforcement.
• Manage record sealing determinations and related motions, providing guidance on statutory interpretation and procedural requirements.
• Handle or coordinate civil litigation involving the District Attorney’s Office, including constitutional claims, subpoenas, writs, and other civil matters impacting operations.

Legal Research & Writing

• Conduct extensive research on complex and emerging criminal and constitutional issues.
• Draft appellate briefs, motions, legal memoranda, and respond to postconviction filings.
• Present oral arguments before appellate courts.
• Prepare responses and litigate postconviction matters, including Crim. P. 35(c) claims, clemency and pardon requests, and Forensic Science Integrity Act filings.

Support for Trial Deputies

• Provide legal guidance on motions, evidentiary matters, trial strategy, and post‑conviction issues.
• Offer support in significant cases involving complex legal, instructional, or constitutional questions.

Policy, Strategy & Training

• Develop legal strategies involving evolving constitutional, statutory, and procedural issues.
• Assist with drafting proposed legislation and amendments to the Colorado Rules of Criminal Procedure.
• Serve as a legal expert and training resource for prosecutors, law enforcement personnel, and partner agencies.

Minimum Qualifications

Qualifications & Competencies

• Minimum of 5 years of appellate experience or substantially related criminal litigation experience.
• Extensive knowledge of criminal law, appellate rules, the rules of criminal procedure, and the rules of evidence.
• Exceptional written and oral advocacy skills with the ability to present complex legal issues clearly and persuasively.
• Capacity to fairly balance the interests of victims, the community, and defendants.
• Strong critical‑thinking skills and rapid, well‑reasoned courtroom and legal analysis.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues, judges, defense counsel, law enforcement partners, and the public.
• Demonstrated commitment to integrity, professionalism, and the mission of the 23rd Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

This position requires successful completion of a criminal background check including fingerprinting through a national database.

Must possess a valid Colorado Driver’s License upon hire, with complying insurance. Review of motor vehicle record is required at time of hire and periodically throughout employment.

Additional Information

• Douglas County is dedicated to the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity in any term, condition, or privilege of employment. We do not discriminate against applicants or employees on the basis of age, race, sex, color, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other status protected by federal, state or local law.
• In compliance with the Job Application Fairness Act (SB 23-158), applicants may redact information that identifies age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution in your application, transcripts and/or other application materials.
• Douglas County requires a pre‑employment drug screen (including marijuana) and background check, which may include fingerprinting to be run through a national database to determine criminal activity, prior to employment.
• Douglas County participates in E‑Verify. We will provide the Social Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security, with information from each new employee's Form I‑9 to confirm work authorization.

Douglas County offers a comprehensive benefit package. For a more detailed overview of our benefit package, click on the link below.

http://www.douglas.co.us/government/departments/humanresources/employee-benefits/

Why Douglas County? We offer excellent benefits to our employees!

• 11 ½ paid holidays each year + a floating holiday
• 9 hours of paid vacation per month
• 8 hours of paid sick time per month
• Medical insurance employees can choose from two plan options: United Healthcare Doctors Plan or United Healthcare HDHP Plan
• Life insurance 2 times employee salary at no cost to employee
• Mandatory retirement – defined contribution of 8% - matched at 8%
• Annual performance reviews with potential for an increase

Additionally, we offer dental, vision, accident/critical illness insurance, tuition reimbursement, and employee training.