Closing Date: 29th April, 2024
Description:
Basic Function:This Deputy Attorney General position is an advanced prosecutor position in the Office of Attorney General's Criminal Law Division. The Criminal Prosecutions Section investigates and prosecutes a complete spectrum of crimes ranging from the simplest of misdemeanors, to complex corrupt organizations and conspiracies, to first-degree murder cases. Many cases this section handles come as referrals from a District Attorney's office due to a lack of resources, or an actual or apparent conflict of interest on the part of the district attorney or their office. This position requires an attorney who has significant jury trial experience and experience handling child abuse and sex crimes investigations/prosecutions. Grand Jury experience would also be beneficial for this role.
The assigned attorney is responsible for all phases of prosecution, including making charging decisions, arraignment, preliminary hearing, pretrial conference, pretrial motions/hearings, trial (bench/jury), post-trial motions/hearings, and sentencing hearings. The assigned attorney is responsible for maintaining contact with victims throughout the aforementioned stages of proceedings. A willingness to travel is an essential part of this position. An intimate knowledge of criminal law and criminal procedure is necessary to perform these duties. A Deputy Attorney General III (DAG III) will work independently on most matters. A Deputy Attorney General IV (DAG IV) works independently except in extraordinary cases.
Examples of Duties:
- Develops investigative plans based upon the nature of the matter to be investigated (simple/complex) in conjunction with assigned agents
- Directs investigations determining what investigative steps to take and investigative tools to use to achieve appropriate/just investigative outcome
- Monitors investigations, assessing progress and adjusting investigative strategies when needed
- Keeps supervisor informed of the progress and potential outcome of investigations
- Determines, along with agents and in consultation with superiors, whether to pursue a prosecution
- Prepares/reviews/approves charging documents in conjunction with agents if prosecution is pursued
- Represents the Commonwealth post arrest and throughout all stages of the criminal prosecution including arraignments, preliminary hearings, pre-trial conferences, pretrial motions/hearings, trials (bench/jury), post-trial motions/hearings, and sentencing hearings
- Answers routine correspondence
- Performs additional and related work as required
Minimum Experience and Training
Deputy Attorney General III:
Graduation from an accredited school of law, admission to the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and a minimum of three years of progressively responsible experience in professional legal work
Deputy Attorney General IV:
Graduation from an accredited school of law, admission to the Bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and six years of progressively responsible experience in professional legal work
In addition to the above qualifications, the below experience is preferred, but not required:
Grand Jury experience
