Under the direction of the Prosecuting Attorney and/or the Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, perform the vital function of prosecuting criminal cases, child abuse and neglect cases, delinquency cases, and establishing paternity and child support on behalf of the residents and/or crime victims of Ingham County. Each Assistant Prosecuting Attorney (APA) is expected to possess the same set of dynamic skills and commitment to the highest ethical standards necessary to perform the job tasks of any and all units, at any time.
Essential Functions
1. Review adult and juvenile warrant requests submitted by police agencies to determine whether charges should be issued based on interpretation of case law, relevant statutes, constitutional law, and evidentiary strengths and weaknesses. This also includes actively engaging with police agencies to give guidance on criminal investigations and analysis on complex legal issues.
2. Represent the Prosecutor's Office in criminal trial practice in District and Circuit Courts, involving both adult and juvenile offenders. This includes, but is not limited to, reviewing all reports, analyzing evidentiary issues, researching all points of law, complying with discovery, docket management, plea bargaining, writing motions, interviewing witnesses, planning trial strategy, preparing cases for trial, and advocating at preliminary examinations, pre-trial conferences, motion hearings, bench trials, jury trials, restitution hearings, and sentencing hearings.
3. Represent the Prosecutor's Office in civil trial practice in Family Division of the 30th Circuit Court. This includes, but is not limited to, advising the Department of Health and Human Services, reviewing abuse-and-neglect and delinquency petitions, determining legal sufficiency of petitions, researching all points of law, writing motions, gathering and analyzing evidence, interviewing witnesses and experts, developing trial strategy, preparing a case for trial, and advocating at post-adjudication hearings, dispositional reviews, dispositions, show-cause hearings, AWOL hearings, restitution hearings, family dependency treatment court, Phoenix Human Trafficking Court, permanency planning hearings, terminations hearings, and personal protection order (PPO) hearings.
4. Represent the Prosecutor's Office in family support matters. This includes, but is not limited to, conducting intake interviews; initiating paternity or child support cases; conducting legal research; drafting complaints, motions, affidavits, notices, judgments, and Uniform Support Orders; preside over settlement conference; generate support recommendation reports; present support recommendations during formal hearings; and data entry across various computer programs.
5. Conduct jury and non-jury trials. This includes jury selection, delivering opening statements and closing arguments, admitting evidence, questioning witnesses, and cross-examining adverse witnesses.
6. Comply with the Crime Victims' Rights Act by notifying and consulting with victims on relevant legal authority, sentencing guidelines, plea negotiations, and compiling restitution.
7. Prepare search warrants for police agencies before and after the initiation of criminal proceedings.
8. Reviews requests made pursuant to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to determine whether requested materials shall be disclosed, redact exempt materials, and produce non-exempt information to the requesting party.
9. Prepare fugitive, extradition, and detainer paperwork.
10. Represent local law enforcement agencies in civil forfeiture proceedings including review of forfeiture sustainability, negotiating settlements, drafting complaints and summons, drafting interrogatories and other discovery requests, motion practice and complex civil litigation.
11. Represent the Prosecutor's Office in appellate matters. Appearing on appellate cases requires proficiency in legal research and writing in order to prepare or respond to appellate motions and briefs in the Circuit Court, Michigan Court of Appeals, and Michigan Supreme Court. Appearing before those courts to argue any legal, factual, or constitutional issues on behalf of the People.
12. Represent the Prosecutor's Office at involuntary commitment hearings and Personal Protection Hearings that includes complex trial practice.
13. Handle the above mentioned duties and responsibilities as a special prosecutor for cases originating outside Ingham County as appointed or directed by the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan (PAAM).
14. Through rotation, serve as the on-call assistant prosecutor for law enforcement agencies during non-business hours. Each on-call assistant prosecutor provides answers to legal questions, drafts and approves search warrants, and reviews all in-custody felony and domestic violence warrants on weekends and holidays.
Other Functions:
1. Comply with all statutorily mandated functions.
2. Possess a working knowledge of the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct; Michigan Court Rules; Michigan Rules of Evidence; Brady requirements; and applicable local, state, and federal authority.
3. Perform other duties as assigned.
(The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned this classification. These statements shall not be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by personnel with this classification.)
Employment Qualifications
Education: Must be a graduate of an accredited school of law.
Experience: Entry level experience with criminal law and procedure, which may be in the form of internships or externships.
Other Requirements: Licensed to practice law in Michigan, or having taken the bar examination and awaiting results.
Demonstrates effective communication skills by engaging, interacting and working with individuals from various cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, disability status’, ages, LGBTQIA+ status’ and genders to ensure clarity and understanding in all interactions.
(The qualifications listed above are intended to represent the minimum skills and experiences levels associated with performing the duties and responsibilities contained in this job description. The qualifications should not be viewed as expressing absolute employment or promotional standards, but as general guidelines that should be considered along with other job-related selection or promotional criteria.)
Physical Requirements:
1. Must be capable of reading police reports, documents, and other materials.
2. Must be capable of verbally communicating with individuals in person or over the telephone.
3. Must be capable of appearing in court before judges and court audiences in Lansing, East Lansing, and Mason.
4. Must be available for 24 hour on-call schedule.
5. Must be able to access any part of the county and time-specific crime scenes.
6. Must be capable of lifting and carrying heavy case files or computer in the officer and to court.
(This job requires the ability to perform the essential functions contained in this description. These include, but are not limited to, the requirements listed above. Reasonable accommodations will be made for otherwise qualified applicants unable to fulfill one or more of these requirements.)
ICEA APA 16-01
September 2018
