Potter and Armstrong Counties, located in the Panhandle of Texas, are implementing a hybrid indigent defense program that combines a Public Defender division with a Managed Assigned Counsel division. Each division will be separately managed by its own Director. This new program will be built from the ground up under the direction of the two Directors. Funding to support the program’s implementation has already been procured through the Texas Indigent Defense Commission and the two County Commissioners’ Courts.
In general, the Public Defender Director will facilitate the provision of legal defense to clients needing publicly-assisted representation in cases (primarily, felony cases) accepted by the Public Defender division. The PD Director will oversee the Public Defender division of the PD/MAC. The PD Director will work in coordination with the Director of the MAC division.
The two counties have created an implementation plan for the establishment of this new office which can be found at:
https://www.co.potter.tx.us/upload/page/7464/docs/HR/Public%20Defense%20...
• License to practice law in good standing in the State of Texas or immediately eligible to obtain licensure through the Texas Board of Law Examiners Admission Without Examination (AWOX) process. (Applicants not licensed to practice law in Texas must review the TBLE AWOX requirements: https://ble.texas.gov/admission-without-examination).
• Have at a minimum, five (5) years of Criminal Law experience preferably with Non-Capital Murder qualifications.
• Understand the ABA Criminal Justice Standards for the Defense Function, the National Association of Public Defense Foundational Principles, the Texas Indigent Defense Commission’s Guide-lines for Indigent Defense Caseloads and the Performance Guidelines for Non-Capital Criminal Defense Representation promulgated by the State Bar of Texas.
• Complete knowledge of and ability to apply federal, state, and local laws and ordinances to a wide variety of individual situations and circumstances for the preparation of cases and defense of clients before the court and/or jury.
• Supervisory or Managerial experience preferred.
A full job description, along with a County Employment Application form, can be found on the Potter County HR website at: https://www.co.potter.tx.us/page/potter.Jobs.Openings
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