what it's like being an assistant state attorney

by Jerod Hettinger 8 min read

Assistant State's Attorneys are on the front lines of all legal action involving the office. They're the lawyers most likely to be involved in charging an offense, interviewing witnesses, reviewing evidence and legal precedent, and trying cases in court. They're also the ones most likely to be involved in sentencing and appeals hearings.

Full Answer

What does an assistant attorney do in the state's attorney office?

An assistant attorney in the state's attorney office helps carry out the policy of the state's attorney. He or she may conduct legal research and represent the state's attorney in routine legal issues. Assistant attorneys in this position must understand civil law, criminal law and rules of procedure.

What are the requirements to be an assistant attorney?

Assistant attorneys in this position must understand civil law, criminal law and rules of procedure. In addition, assistant attorneys in the state's attorney office must be comfortable arguing cases in court and capable of handling unforeseen issues.

What are the duties of a district attorney?

Duties in a District Attorney's Office. Assistant attorneys in a district attorney's office represent their state as trial attorneys in all cases. They also act as the petitioner for children, the mentally ill and juvenile defendants.

What is the difference between a county attorney and state attorney?

State's Attorneys generally represent a defined geographic area, such as a county, judicial district or judicial circuit. These generally hold the title of County Attorney, District Attorney or Circuit Attorney, respectively. State's Attorneys can also represent a city and be known as a City Attorney.

What is an assistant staff attorney?

How fast will assistant state attorneys grow?

What Are The Duties Of a Lawyer?

What is the role of a lawyer in a large caseload?

What is the job of a foreclosure lawyer?

Is it hard to become an assistant state attorney?

See 3 more

About this website

image

Assistant State Attorney Responsibilities and Duties - Great Sample Resume

Administer all prosecution cases for felony, misdemeanor, juvenile delinquency, conservation and other types of cases. Prepare felony cases for prosecution and prepare appropriate reports and criminal charge sheets submitted by police and schedule trials of such cases in court of law.

Assistant United States Attorney - Wikipedia

An assistant United States attorney (AUSA) is an official career civil service position in the U.S. Department of Justice composed of lawyers working under the U.S. Attorney of each U.S. federal judicial district. They represent the federal government of the United States in civil and appellate litigation and in federal criminal prosecutions.

LEGAL-CAREERS - United States Department of Justice

Responsibilities and Opportunity Offered: The Northern District of Georgia is currently seeking applicants for a permanent Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) opening in our Criminal Division.All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on a 14-month (temporary) basis pending favorable adjudication of a background investigation.

STATE ATTORNEY - miamisao.com

katherine fernandez rundle state attorney state attorney eleventh judicial circuit of florida e. r. graham building 1350 n.w. 12th avenue miami, florida 33136-2111

How much does an assistant state attorney make?

Assistant State Attorneys in America make an average salary of $62,621 per year or $30 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $85,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $45,000 per year.

How many assistant state attorneys have a bachelor's degree?

If you're interested in becoming an assistant state attorney, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 41.2% of assistant state attorneys have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 4.3% of assistant state attorneys have master's degrees. Even though most assistant state attorneys have a college degree, it's impossible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

What is the job of a foreclosure lawyer?

Handle all legal matters, documentation and litigation related to property foreclosure and bankruptcy.

What an Assistant Attorney Does

Assistant attorneys may work in several offices at different levels of government. District attorneys', public defenders' and state attorneys' offices all hire assistant attorneys. Depending on the employer, an assistant attorney may argue cases for the plaintiff or defendant.

Duties in a District Attorney's Office

Assistant attorneys in a district attorney's office represent their state as trial attorneys in all cases. They also act as the petitioner for children, the mentally ill and juvenile defendants. They may provide training for government agencies.

Duties in a Public Defender's Office

Assistant attorneys can also be found working for the state under the public defender's office. As a public defender, an assistant attorney provides legal representation for defendants without counsel. In this capacity, assistant attorneys use functional knowledge of methods, principles and practices of criminal law to argue criminal cases.

Duties in a State Attorney's Office

An assistant attorney in the state's attorney office helps carry out the policy of the state's attorney. He or she may conduct legal research and represent the state's attorney in routine legal issues. Assistant attorneys in this position must understand civil law, criminal law and rules of procedure.

What Does a State's Attorney Do?

Criminal prosecutions are the chief duty of most State's Attorney offices. In many states, such as Michigan, criminal prosecutions follow a predetermined series of steps [source: Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan].

How are state attorneys elected?

In general, State's Attorneys are elected by the people they represent. Their duties are spelled out in the laws of the local governments they represent, and they're held accountable by the voters for how well they do their jobs and how well their performance matches up with the local politics of the area. But a State's Attorney hardly ever does ...

What is the chief duty of a state attorney?

Criminal prosecutions are the chief duty of most State's Attorney offices. In many states, such as Michigan, criminal prosecutions follow a predetermined series of steps [source: Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan].

What is plea bargaining?

At some point during these hearings, a plea bargain may be offered to induce the suspect to enter a guilty plea. Before a trial takes place, the process of discovery takes place, at which the State's Attorney and the defense attorney share information they intend to introduce as evidence at trial.

What is a prosecuting attorney?

Prosecuting attorneys are the voice of the people in America's courtrooms, enforcing the law and representing the duly elected government at all levels. A State's Attorney is the most common term for a prosecutor, someone who represents the people in criminal and civil legal matters. But while the most iconic image of a State's Attorney is the trial prosecutor depicted in countless television shows, books and films, State's Attorneys don't just prosecute accused criminals.

What happens if a defendant is found guilty?

If the defendant is found guilty, the State's Attorney recommends a sentence for the judge to determine and may have to argue the case again in an appeal to a higher court.

How many lawyers are there in Cook County?

For example, the Cook County State's Attorney in Chicago has more than 900 lawyers and a total staff of 1,600 employees [source: Cook County State's Attorney's Office ]. Assistant State's Attorneys, also known as Deputy State's Attorneys,are the ones who actually appear in court, file the legal briefs and interview witnesses. The State's Attorney, on the other hand, is in charge of policy, staffing and running the office, and making decisions about certain high-profile cases.

How much does an assistant attorney make?

The range of pay is $68,112 to $172,400 which includes a 22.16% locality pay supplement.

How long is the initial appointment to the Department of Justice?

All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on a 14-month (temporary) basis pending favorable adjudication of a background investigation.

Does the Department of Justice control the posting of vacancies?

This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies and Volunteer Legal Internships. The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information.

Do you have to take a writing test for an interview?

Applicants selected for an interview may be subject to a short writing test separate and apart from a writing sample.

How does working as an assistant US attorney work?

I've been searching google and looking through the DOJ website but I'm still not getting a real concrete description of the logistics involved in becoming an assistant US attorney. Are you hired as part of the Honor's program? Are you payed on the same GS payscale as new DOJ Honors hires? Since you're working with a US Attorney does that mean that your work spans both criminal and civil just like the actual US attorney?

When is anonymous posting appropriate?

Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are revealing sensitive employment related information about a firm, job, etc. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.

Do USAOs hire new graduates?

USAOs do not hire new graduates. I am sure there is some exception somewhere, I think I remember some California office hiring through DoJ Honors, but as a rule they don't.

Do USAOs hire lawyers?

Yep. USAOs only hire experienced lawyers, most coming from biglaw shops or local/state prosecutors' offices. Every office I'm familiar with hires you either into civil or criminal division, not both (although transfer between is possible, at least in some offices).

Who in your 1L section had the weirdest reason for going to law school?

My section has one student who says that they want to be a lawyer because they have a friend who had ADA rights violated and the entire goal of law school is to become qualified to sue on the friend’s behalf.

So, uh, how?

Just finished my second day of 2L. Seems as if I’ve already been left in the dust regarding the social aspect of law school.

What is an assistant staff attorney?

An Assistant Staff Attorney performs a wide range of clerical and administrative work that requires knowledge of legal terms, documents, and procedures. They also communicate with clients to keep them informed on case progress.

How fast will assistant state attorneys grow?

Perhaps the hardest question to answer when deciding on a career as an assistant state attorney is "should I become an assistant state attorney?" You might find this info to be helpful. When compared to other jobs, assistant state attorney careers are projected to have a growth rate described as "as fast as average" at 6% from 2018 through 2028. This is in accordance with the Bureau of Labor Statistics. What's more, is that the projected number of opportunities that are predicted to become available for a assistant state attorney by 2028 is 50,100.

What Are The Duties Of a Lawyer?

Their responsibilities revolve around providing legal counseling and advice, representing clients in different kinds of court proceedings, conducting research, collecting evidence, and coordinating with various experts. A lawyer must also manage and oversee the performance of assistants, paralegals, and other team members. Furthermore, there are instances when a lawyer must draft or manage documents such as contracts, trusts, deeds, and wills, assisting clients as needed.

What is the role of a lawyer in a large caseload?

Provide effective representation to clients who are frequently illiterate, uneducate and uncooperative while managing a large caseload.

What is the job of a foreclosure lawyer?

Handle all legal matters, documentation and litigation related to property foreclosure and bankruptcy.

Is it hard to become an assistant state attorney?

It's hard work to become an assistant state attorney, but even the most dedicated employees consider switching careers from time to time. Whether you're interested in a more challenging position or just looking for a fresh start, we've compiled extensive information on becoming a general counsel, lawyer, council member, and housing counselor.

image