IntroductionThis exempt recruitment is being opened to fill one vacancy in the Public Defender's Office. The Chief Deputy Public Defender position is exempt from the San Joaquin County Civil Service system. Appointments to exempt positions in San Joaquin County are at-will and are not governed by Civil Service Rules. This recruitment is limited to those who currently work in the San Joaquin County Public Defender's Office.
A background investigation will be required for all final candidates.
To learn more about the position, please click on the brochure below:
CHIEF DEPUTY PUBLIC DEFENDER
Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of an application. A completed application must be postmarked or received online by the final filing deadline.
NOTE: All correspondences relating to this recruitment will be delivered via e-mail. The e-mail account used will be the one provided on your employment application during time of submittal. Please be sure to check your e-mail often for updates. If you do not have an e-mail account on file, Human Resources will send you correspondences via US Mail. TYPICAL DUTIES - Plans, organizes and supervises the work of supervises the work of subordinate attorneys in defending individuals accused of various criminal and/or other matters before a court of law; assigns cases; trains and advises subordinates regarding the effective and appropriate defense of clients; evaluates subordinate work performance.
- Supervises and participates in, both directly and indirectly, the defense of clients in criminal or other matters, particularly when very serious and/or complex issues are involved; examines and cross-examines witnesses, presents arguments, and prepares/reviews briefs, memoranda, opinions, and civil/criminal pleadings; confers with prosecution attorneys, probation authorities, court officials and others to discuss pleas, modification of charges, presentation and review of evidence, and other legal matters; participates in mediation hearings.
- Researches, analyzes and interprets existing laws and ordinances, court decisions, pending legislation and other legal authorities; assists in drafting legislation for special County and State projects.
- Recommends administrative policy and procedural changes to improve staff effectiveness; participates in administrative projects and assignments; prepares correspondence and reports.
- Confers with prosecutors, court officers, probation and others to discuss matters of policy on behalf of the Public Defender's Office, including advisory groups and committees.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS EXEMPT RECRUITMENT: This position is exempt from the San Joaquin County Civil Service system. Appointments to exempt positions in San Joaquin County are at-will and are not governed by Civil Service Rules. This recruitment is limited to those who currently work in the San Joaquin County Public Defender's Office.
Note: Supplemental application must be submitted with employment application.
Special Requirement : Current membership in the California State Bar.
Experience : Four years of experience in the practice of criminal law, at least one year of which was in a state, city or county legal office.
A background investigation will be required for all final candidates.
KNOWLEDGEPrinciples and practices of management, supervision and training; principles of criminal and civil law and their application; judicial procedures; rules of evidence; State and local laws and ordinances; legal research methods; methods and practices of preparing briefs, opinions, and other legal documents.
ABILITYPlan, organize, train, motivate, supervise, and evaluate the work of subordinate attorneys; analyze legal principles and precedents and apply them to complex factual legal problems; present statements of fact, law and argument clearly and logically in written and oral form; draft opinions, pleadings and briefs; independently present complex cases in court before judicial officials; maintain effective working relationships with fellow staff members, agency representatives, judicial officers and the general public; exercise independent judgment, discretion and initiative in all areas of assignment, including plea negotiations and the application of limited defense resources.
PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS Mobility -Frequent operation of a keyboard with sitting, standing, walking and driving for long periods; occasional pushing/pulling, bending/squatting and climbing ladders and stairs;
Lifting -Frequently 5 pounds or less; occasionally 5 to 70 pounds;
Visual -Constant good overall vision, frequent reading/close-up and color perception, depth perception and peripheral vision; occasional eye/hand coordination;
Dexterity -Occasional holding, reaching, grasping, repetitive motion; frequent writing;
Hearing/Talking -Constant hearing normal speech; frequent hearing/talking on the telephone, talking in person; occasional talking over an amplified system;
Emotional/Psychological -Constant decision making and concentration, frequent public contact and working alone, weekends/nights; occasional /overtime, travel and exposure to emergency situations;
Environmental -Occasional exposure to noise, cold/heat and outdoor conditions.
Equal Opportunity EmployerSan Joaquin County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer and is committed to providing equal employment to all without regard to age, ancestry, color, creed, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation or belief, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. For more information go to
www.sjgov.org/department/hr/eeo .
Accommodations for those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): San Joaquin County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and, upon request, will consider reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.
BENEFITS Cafeteria Plan Benefits : San Joaquin County provides a comprehensive benefits package to employees of this bargaining unit. The benefits include the option of four medical plans, four dental plans, two vision plans, life insurance, Flexible Benefits (Section 125) Plan, and a Deferred Compensation Plan. A Cafeteria Plan is offered with a cafeteria allowance to the employee in the amount of $923.96/bi-weekly ($2,001.91 per month, $24,022.96 annually), which can cover or partially offset premiums or contributions. Any amount not used for purchasing benefits is included as income. The total cafeteria payment is included when calculating retirement contributions and benefits. For detailed information on the County’s benefits program, visit our website at
www.sjgov.org under Human Resources/Benefits.
Life Insurance: The County provides eligible employees with life insurance coverage as follows:
1 but less than 3 years of continuous service: $1,000
3 but less than 5 years of continuous service: $3,000
5 but less than 10 years of continuous service: $5,000
10 years of continuous service or more: $10,000
Regular employees in this unit shall be provided with a supplemental life insurance policy with a face value up to $75,000. Employees may purchase additional term life insurance up to a maximum of $200,000 at the group rate.
Section 125 Flexible Benefits Plan : This is a voluntary program that allows employees to use pre-tax dollars to pay for health-related expenses that are not paid by a medical, dental or vision plan and dependent care costs. Annual limits are set by the IRS and may change each year.
Retirement Plan : Employees of the County are covered by the County Retirement Act of 1937. Please visit the San Joaquin County Employees’ Retirement Association (SJCERA) at www.sjcera.org for more information. NOTE: If you are receiving a retirement allowance from another California county covered by the County Retirement Act of 1937 or from any governmental agency covered by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS), you are advised to contact the Retirement Officer of the Retirement Plan from which you retired to determine what effect employment in San Joaquin County would have on your retirement allowance.
Deferred Compensation: The County maintains a deferred compensation plan under Section 457 of the IRS code. You may annually contribute $18,000 or 100% of your includible compensation, whichever is less. Individuals age 50 or older may contribute to their plan, up to $24,000. The Roth IRA (after tax) is also now available. For members of this unit, the County shall make a contribution equal to 2% of the employee’s base salary to the deferred compensation plan.
Vacation: Maximum earned vacation is 15 days each year up to 10 years; 20 days after 10 years; and 23 days after 20 years.
Holidays: 14 paid holidays per year.
Vacation Cash-Out: Members shall have the option of purchasing up to eight 8-hour days vacation time once each calendar year from the member’s accumulated vacation with the approval of the County Administrator.
Administrative Leave : Each fiscal year, department heads grant 10 days of administrative leave to eligible salaried employees. Administrative leave may not be carried beyond to the next fiscal year.
Sick Leave : 12 working days of sick leave annually with unlimited accumulation. Sick leave incentive : An employee is eligible to receive eight hours administrative leave if the leave balance equals at least one-half of the cumulative amount that the employee is eligible to accrue. The employee must also be on payroll during the entire calendar year.
Bereavement Leave : 3 days of paid leave for the death of an immediate family member, 2 additional days of accrued leave for death of employee’s spouse, domestic partner, parent or child.
Merit Salary Increase: New employees will receive the starting salary, which is the first step of the salary range. After employees serve 52 weeks (2080 hours) on each step of the range, they are eligible for a merit increase to the next step.
Educational Reimbursement Program: The County offers an Educational Reimbursement Program which reimburses the employees up to $850 per fiscal year and up to $1,600 per fiscal year for enrollment in an approved career-related course work. Attorney members assigned to this unit may be reimbursed up to $520 as partial payment of California Bar Association dues, not to exceed actual amount of the dues.
Parking Supplemental Downtown : The County contributes up to $17 per pay period for employees who pay for parking and are assigned to work in the Downtown Core Area.
School Activities : Employees may take up to 40 hours per year, but not more than eight (8) hours per month, to participate in their children’s school activities.
Selection ProceduresApplicants who meet the minimum qualifications will go through the following examination process:
- Written Exam: The civil service written exam is a multiple choice format. If the written exam is administered alone, it will be 100% of the overall score. Candidates must achieve a minimum rating of 70% in order to be placed on the eligible list.
- Oral Exam: The oral exam is a structured interview process that will assess the candidate’s education, training, and experience and may include a practical exercise. The oral exam selection process is not a hiring interview. A panel of up to four people will determine the candidate’s score and rank for placement on the eligible list. Top candidates from the eligible list are referred for hiring interviews. If the oral exam is administered alone, it will be 100% of the overall score. Candidates must achieve a minimum rating of 70% in order to be placed on the eligible list.
- Written & Oral Exam: If both a written exam and an oral exam is administered, the written exam is weighted at 60% and the oral exam is weighted at 40% unless otherwise indicated on the announcement. Candidates must achieve a minimum rating of 70% on each examination in order to be placed on the eligible list.
- Rate-out: A rate-out is an examination that involves a paper rating of the candidate’s application using the following criteria: education, training, and experience. Candidates will not be scheduled for the rate-out process.
Note: The rating of 70 referred to may be the same or other than an arithmetic 70% of the total possible points.
Online Written Exams: Written exams may be administered online. Candidates will be notified of the examination date and will be responsible to complete the written exam within a given period of time (typically within five calendar days). Candidates are required to read the Online Exam Guide for Test Takers prior to taking an online written exam.
The link to the guide is here:
Online Exam Guide For Test TakersPLEASE NOTE:
- Online exams must be completed in one sitting and can only be taken once
- Candidates will have access to an online exam within the allotted time only
- A steady internet connection is highly recommended
- The allotted time will still continue if a candidate closes the window or gets disconnected
- Once the allotted time expires, access to the exam will be unavailable
Microsoft is no longer supporting Internet Explorer. Therefore, it is recommended that candidates do not use Internet Explorer to complete online written exams.
Candidates that do not have access to a computer can contact the Human Resources office at (209)468-3370 for information on accommodations.
Testing Accommodation: Candidates who require testing accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) must call Human Resources Division at (209) 468-3370 prior to the examination date.
Veteran’s Points: Eligible veterans, unmarried widows and widowers of veterans of the United States Armed Forces who have been honorably discharged and who have served during wartime shall be given veteran’s points in initial appointment to County service. Eligible veterans receive 5 points and eligible disabled veterans receive 10 points. Disabled veterans must submit a recent award letter stating a 10% service connected disability issued by the United States Veterans Administration. Note: A copy of your DD214 showing the discharge type must be received in the Human Resources by the date of the examination.
Acceptable wartime service dates:
- September 16, 1940 to December 31, 1946
- June 27, 1950 to January 31, 1955
- August 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975
- Persian Gulf War, August 2, 1990, through a date to be set by law or Presidential Proclamation.
Eligible Lists: Candidates who pass the examination will be placed on an eligible list for that classification. Eligible lists are effective for nine months, but may be extended by the Human Resources Director for a period which shall not exceed a total of three years from the date established.
Certification/Referral: Names from the eligible list will be referred to the hiring department by the following methods.
- Rule of the Rank: The top rank or ranks of eligibles will be referred for hiring interviews. The minimum number of names to be referred will be equal to the number of positions plus nine, or 10% of the eligible list, whichever is higher. When filling nine or more positions in a department at the same time, the top rank or ranks will be referred and the minimum number of names shall be two times the number of positions to be filled or 10% of the eligible list, whichever is higher. This applies only to open competitive recruitments.
- Rule of Five: The top five names will be referred for hiring interviews. This applies only to department or countywide promotional examination.
Physical Exam: Some classifications require physical examinations. Final appointment cannot be made until the eligible has passed the physical examination. The County pays for physical examinations administered in its medical facilities.
Pre-Employment Drug Screening Exam: Some classifications require a new employee successfully pass a pre-employment drug screen as a condition of employment. Final appointment cannot be made until the eligible has passed the drug screen. The County pays for the initial drug screen.
Employment of Relatives: Applicants who are relatives of employees in a department within the 3rd degree of relationship, (parent, child, grand parent, grand child or sibling) either by blood or marriage, may not be appointed, promoted, transferred into or within the department when;
- They are related to the Appointing Authority or
- The employment would result in one of them supervising the work of the other.
Department Head may establish additional limitations on the hiring of relatives by departmental rule.
Proof of Eligibility: If you are offered a job you will be required to provide proof of U.S. citizenship or other documents that establish your eligibility to be employed in the U.S.
HOW TO APPLY Apply Online: www.sjgov.org/department/hr By mail or in person: San Joaquin County Human Resources
44 N. San Joaquin Street Suite 330
Stockton, CA 95202
Office hours:
Monday - Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm; excluding holidays.
Phone: (209) 468-3370
Job Line: For current employment opportunities please call our 24-hour job line at (209) 468-3377.
When a final filing date is indicated, applications must be filed with the Human Resources Division before 5:00 p.m. or postmarked by the final filing date. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of an application. Applications sent through county inter-office mail, which are not received by the final filing date, will not be accepted. (
The County assumes no responsibility for mailed applications which are not received by the Human Resources Division).
San Joaquin County Substance Abuse Policy: San Joaquin County has adopted a Substance Abuse Policy in compliance with the Federal Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988. This policy is enforced by all San Joaquin County Departments and applies to all San Joaquin County employees.
Equal Opportunity Employer : San Joaquin County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer and is committed to providing equal employment to all without regard to age, ancestry, color, creed, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation or belief, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. For more information go to
www.sjgov.org/department/hr/eeo .
Click on a link below to apply for this position:
Fill out the Supplemental Questionnaire and Application NOW using the Internet. Apply Online
View and print the Supplemental Questionnaire. This recruitment requires completion of a supplemental questionnaire. You may view and print the
supplemental questionnaire here.
View and print the official application form as an Acrobat pdf file. A San Joaquin County application form is required for this recruitment. You may print this Acrobat PDF document and then fill it in. Contact us via conventional means. You may contact us by phone at (209) 468-3370, or by
email, or apply for a job in person at the San Joaquin County Human Resources Division.
Closing Date/Time: 7/8/2024 11:59:00 PM
