ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT
The District Attorney's Office is responsible for the prosecution of all crimes or offenses that occur within the County. District Attorney staff represent the People of the State of California in criminal cases, provide support and assistance to crime victims, and work in partnership with local law enforcement agencies to promote public safety. Our mission is to JUSTICE WITH INTEGRITY.
Our staff consists of approximately 163 employees. The Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office is recruiting to establish an eligibility list to fill current and future full-time and part-time vacancies. The recruitment is to fill general criminal prosecutor positions. Eligible lists are usually good for six months and may be extended for up to one year.
TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE
Application Deadline: July 27, 2026
Oral Examination: Tentatively the week of August 3, 2026
To learn more about the District Attorney’s Office, visit: https://www.stanislaus-da.org/
ABOUT THE POSITION
The Stanislaus County District Attorney is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Deputy District Attorney I-V. As a member of our prosecution team, you could be assigned to a variety of cases including driving under the influence, domestic violence, drug sales and possession, elder abuse, child abuse, gang crimes, consumer fraud, environmental crimes, agricultural crimes, auto theft, homicide, sexual assault, human trafficking and more. You will prepare and prosecute your assigned cases with a team of support personnel including investigators, victim advocates, paralegals, and clerical support staff. You will interview witnesses and examine, evaluate, and present evidence as you prosecute your misdemeanor and/or felony cases.
The ideal candidate will be a team-player who has a demonstrated passion for seeking and pursuing justice on behalf of victims of crime including some prior experience or connection to prosecution, law enforcement, and/or victim advocacy. Candidates may be considered for appointment to any level in the classification series based on their level of experience and ability. We are seeking professionals with excellent analytical, research, written communication, and oral advocacy skills.
Deputy District Attorneys work under the direction of a Chief Deputy District Attorney and are responsible for the review of investigative reports and evidence submitted by law enforcement, issuance of criminal complaints, and the preparation and presentation of criminal cases in court. Deputy District Attorneys draft legal opinions on points of criminal law for argument in court or for dissemination to law enforcement agencies and perform other related duties as required.
STANISLAUS COUNTY DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
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Bi-weekly payroll system
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5-step salary range (5% intervals)
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Health insurance
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Paid sick leave
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Life - employer paid $50,000 in term life insurance
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Disability - long term disability insurance
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Vacation accrued bi-weekly plus 12 paid holidays
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$900 Professional development expense reimbursement
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Paid professional leave up to 60 hours per year
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CDAA dues paid by employer
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Bar dues paid by employer
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Malpractice indemnification provided
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MCLE in-house training
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5% certificate pay of qualifying members for Level III through V
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2.5% Lead pay after qualifying to handle homicide cases
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3.5% Complex Litigation certificate pay
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2.5% bilingual pay of qualifying members
StanCera - employer/employee paid retirement system (1937 Retirement Act)
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ATTORNEY I
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Handle routine misdemeanor matters.
ATTORNEY II- Typical tasks listed in Level I, plus:
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Handle all misdemeanor matters, including trials and juvenile matters; and
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Entry level felonies.
ATTORNEY III- Typical tasks listed in Level I and II, plus:
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Felonies;
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Preliminary hearings;
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Trials; and
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Juvenile Court.
ATTORNEY IV- Typical tasks listed in Level I-III, plus:
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Felony cases; including homicides; and
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Track and document statistical data on appropriate cases.
ATTORNEY V- Typical tasks listed in Level I-IV, plus:
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All felony cases, including capital homicides;
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May include responsibility for a specialized unit; and
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All levels including other duties as assigned.
KNOWLEDGE OF:
ATTORNEY I
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Legal research and writing;
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Criminal and civil law and procedure;
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Rules of evidence;
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Trial principles;
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Oral argument;
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Constitutional law;
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Knowledge and compliance with the Rules of Professional Responsibility;
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Issuance standards;
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Charging statutes and language;
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Sentencing and probation parameters;
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Office procedures and practices; and
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Rules of court.
ATTORNEY II- Demonstrated knowledge of Level I, plus:
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Probation department policy and procedures as related to misdemeanor cases.
ATTORNEY III- Demonstrated knowledge of Level I and II, plus:
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Felony sentencing structure including rules of court and statutes; and
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All rules and statutes applicable to felonies.
ATTORNEY IV- Demonstrated knowledge of Level I-III, plus:
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The duties, powers, limitation and authority of the District Attorney's Office;
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Trials;
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Probation and sentencing rules; and
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Specialized statutes and enhancements.
ATTORNEY V- Demonstrated knowledge of Level I-IV, plus:
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Advanced knowledge of specialized statutes including sentencing and enhancements;
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Legal principles and their application;
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Trial procedures and rules of evidence; and
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Legal research methods.
SKILLS:
ATTORNEY I
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Public speaking;
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Write clearly and concisely;
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Argue clearly and logically;
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Demonstrated flexibility in approach to legal issues and working with people;
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"Think on your feet" and ability to explain thoughts coherently; and
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Basic computer skills to function effectively in an automated environment.
ATTORNEY II- Demonstrated skills required in Level I, plus:
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Office computer efficiency;
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Basic legal research and writing;
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Argument; and
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Organization and handling multiple cases.
ATTORNEY III- Demonstrated skills required in Level I and II, plus:
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Present evidence and arguments;
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Make sentencing recommendations; and
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Negotiate settlements.
ATTORNEY IV- Demonstrated skills required in Level I-III, plus:
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Advanced legal research and writing; and
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Professionally represent the office in public.
ATTORNEY V- Demonstrated skills required in Level I-IV, plus:
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Advanced legal research and writing.
ABILITY TO:
ATTORNEY I
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Organize multiple tasks;
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Prepare and present statements of fact, law and arguments clearly and logically in written and oral form;
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Evaluate facts and evidence, obtain information through examination of facts and evidence;
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Analyze legal problems and apply legal principles and practices;
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Follow directions, accept and learn from criticism;
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Communicate effectively, extract information from and coherently provide it to others;
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Produce research and writing, accurately document actions;
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Dress professionally;
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Work with others in a team environment; and
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Maintain the confidence and respect of members of the legal profession, public officials and other persons contacted in the work environment.
ATTORNEY II- Demonstrated ability with Level I qualifications, plus:
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Evaluate requests for the issuance of criminal complaints;
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Evaluate cases to determine the parameters of settlement;
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Present legal motions in court clearly and logically; and
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Review charging documents for accuracy.
ATTORNEY III- Demonstrated ability with Level I and II qualifications, plus:
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Evaluate cases to determine the parameters of settlement of complex and multiple issues;
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Determine sentencing parameters utilizing state statutes and local rules of court; and
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Represent the office in public.
ATTORNEY IV- Demonstrated ability with Level I-III qualifications, plus:
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Prosecute all felony cases; and
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Track and document statistical data.
ATTORNEY V- Demonstrated ability with Level I-IV qualifications, plus:
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Competently prosecute all cases including homicides;
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Willingness to prosecute capital cases; and
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Assume the full range of responsibilities relating to the office.
Minimal experience is required at the entry level. At the higher levels, initial placement is based upon professional level experience. Level specific experience is as follows:
ATTORNEY I
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Pass California State Bar and possess valid bar license.
Attorney I is a Veterans' Preference Program eligible job classification.
ATTORNEY II
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A minimum of six (6) months of experience as an Attorney I OR
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Three (3) years' experience in the general practice of law may be substituted for the six (6) months of criminal law experience.
ATTORNEY III
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One (1) year experience as an Attorney II OR
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Equivalent of four (4) years' experience in the general practice of law may be substituted for the two years of criminal law experience.
ATTORNEY IV
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A minimum of one (1) year of criminal prosecution and trial experience as an Attorney III or its equivalent OR
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Five (5) years of experience in the general practice of law may be substituted for three (3) years of criminal law experience
ATTORNEY V
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One (1) year experience as an Attorney IV or equivalent.
THE FOLLOWING APPLY FOR ALL LEVELS OF DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY LICENSE-
Active membership in good standing in the State Bar of California is required for all levels at time of appointment. The Bar membership number should be listed in the Licenses section on the application form; AND
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Applicants must possess and maintain a valid California Driver's License and remain free from repeated preventable accidents.
OTHER REQUIREMENT
Ability to pass a thorough background investigation, including fingerprinting.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
In addition to the minimum qualifications, applicant screening will focus on the following desirable qualifications to assist in appropriate initial placement level, based on job knowledge, skills, and abilities required at each specific level.
A minimum of three (3) months experience working in a District Attorney’s Office or Public Defender’s Office OR performing duties including any of the following:
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Working with all types of misdemeanor maters, including law & motion, trials and juvenile matters,
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Preparing and making appropriate public and/or courtroom presentation in person or via Zoom or Teams electronic video media,
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Prosecuting felonies, handling preliminary hearings, trials, and law and motion,
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“Brady” issues and “Pitchess” motions.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES/FINAL FILING DATE
Applications cannot be submitted later than 5:00 p.m. on the final filing date. Make your online application as complete as possible so a full and realistic appraisal may be made of your qualifications.
Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application.
Attaching your resume and cover letter are an optional feature for those who wish to do so in addition to completing the required application. Information on your resume and cover letter will not substitute for the education, work experience and required fields on the County application. The online County application is the primary tool used to evaluate your job qualifications.
EXAMINATION PROCESS
Most County recruitments consist of the steps detailed below and are governed by Merit Principles. The examination process ensures that all applicants are given the same opportunity to gain employment within Stanislaus County.
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Application Review and Screening. Applications are carefully screened based on information provided. Those who submit incomplete applications that lack relevant qualifications or do not submit all required documents will not be invited to move on.
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Written Examination. Applicants will be invited to participate in a written exam that tests knowledge for the position.
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Oral Examination. Applicants are invited to a panel interview in which they will be evaluated by County subject matter experts.
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Eligible Lists. Candidates who pass the examination will be placed on an eligible list for that classification. Eligible lists are effective for six months but may be extended up to eighteen months.
GENERAL INFORMATION
CLASSIFICATION INFORMATION
Unless otherwise provided, this position is part of the Classified Service of the County and is assigned to the Attorneys bargaining unit for labor relations purposes.
The Job Task Analysis provides information detailing the physical and functional demands of the classification. For the complete job task analysis, visit the Risk Management website at http://www.stancounty.com/riskmgmt/ under the "Disability" tab.
Note: The eligible list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill future extra-help, part-time and full-time vacancies throughout Stanislaus County.
Incumbents may also be subject to overtime, standby, callback, weekend, holiday and shift assignments as identified in their MOU (Memorandum of Understanding).
RECRUITMENT ACCOMMODATIONS
Arrangements may be made to accommodate disabilities and religious convictions. Applicants requiring testing accommodations are required to complete and submit the Testing Accommodations Request Form prior to the test administration date. Special arrangements for religious convictions should be included in the "Additional Information" section of the application form.
GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS
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Pass County-paid pre-employment job-related background investigation.
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Perform job duties in a manner assuring a safe working environment for oneself and others.
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Maintain confidential information according to the legal standards and/or County regulations as required.
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Some positions may be required to possess and maintain a valid California Driver’s License and meet County insurability requirements.
APPLICATION AND/OR EXAMINATION APPEAL RIGHTS
Application and/or examination results may be appealed by applicants presenting facts alleging irregularity, fraud and/or error in application screening or in exam scoring. Appeals must be in writing and submitted to the Chief Executive Officer within seven (7) days after the examination results are emailed.
DISCLAIMER
Stanislaus County reserves the right to revise the examination plan described in this flyer to better meet the needs of County service. The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute an express or implied contract. Any provision contained in this bulletin may be modified or revoked without notice. The information contained in the bulletin is information which sets forth a general summary of benefits for this respective position. This information is not legally binding. The benefits and other information regarding this position may be found in the Stanislaus County Code, the Stanislaus County Personnel Policies manual, or in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding(s), and such information prevails over information contained in this flyer. Questions regarding this bulletin may be directed to the Stanislaus County Chief Executive Office/Human Relations.
