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Posted: January 10, 2026 (4 days ago)

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Public Defender Interviewer I

County of Tulare

Public Defender

Fresh

Location

Salary

$44,543.97 - $54,287.02

per year

Type

Closes

January 31, 2026

Job Description

Summary

This job involves interviewing clients in the public defender's office to gather details about their arrests and cases, helping to build defense strategies while checking for legal conflicts.

It requires strong communication skills to work with diverse people and organize information accurately.

A good fit would be someone with a high school education plus relevant coursework or experience in legal or public service settings, who is detail-oriented and comfortable in high-pressure environments.

Key Requirements

  • High school diploma or equivalent, plus coursework in criminal justice, paralegalism, psychology, or related field
  • Three years of experience in public communication in a legal setting or analyzing/organizing data for public agencies (or two years of related college coursework as substitute)
  • Knowledge of interviewing techniques, report writing, and record keeping principles
  • Ability to communicate effectively with diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and respect different beliefs and behaviors
  • Proficiency in operating office equipment, including computers and keyboards
  • Skill in collecting, organizing, and analyzing data, and writing clear reports and correspondence
  • Ability to read and understand complex legal materials, follow instructions, and work under pressure to meet deadlines

Full Job Description

Public Defender.jpg
This recruitment will establish an employment list to fill current and any future vacancies within the Public Defender’s Office. The anticipated life of the employment list is six months. If interested in employment for this position for current or future vacancies, please submit an online application for consideration.

Current vacancy is with the Public Defender’s Office located in Porterville or Visalia. The anticipated life of the list is six months.

Requirements

  • Interview clients to obtain details of arrest, connection with charged offenses and other information pertinent to development of the defense case.
  • Identify, analyze, and evaluate each variation of fact and substantiate pertinent information.
  • Determine relationship of various parties to current case and prior cases to determine if a legal conflict exists.
  • Communicate with management staff regarding potential conflict issues.
  • Advise clients concerning rights and responsibilities associated with interview process.

For a full list of duties for this position, please click here.

Qualifications

Minimum qualifications are used as a guide for establishing the education, training, experience, special skills and/or license which are required and equivalent to the following.


Education:

  • Equivalent to completion of the 12th grade supplemented by course work in criminal justice, para legalism, psychology, or closely related field.

Experience:

  • Three years of experience involving frequent communications with members of the public in a legal setting and/or analyzing, organizing, and documenting data for services offered by public agencies.

Equivalency for Experience:

  • Two years of college course work in criminal justice, para legalism, psychology, or closely related field may be substituted for the experience requirement.

Knowledge of:

  • Interviewing techniques.
  • Report writing.
  • Record keeping principles.

Skill/Ability to:

  • Work and communicate effectively with people of various education and socioeconomic backgrounds by respecting beliefs, interpersonal styles and behaviors of both clients and co-workers.
  • Operate contemporary office equipment inclusive of computer, keyboard, and all applicable electronic equipment.
  • Collect information, organize material, and analyze relationships among a variety of collected data.
  • Assist with gathering verifications on information obtained from clients.
  • Write clear, concise, and grammatically correct narratives, reports, records, and correspondence.
  • Follow oral and written instructions.
  • Read and understand complex material such as laws, codes, and legal documents.
  • Adjust to changes in workload, priorities, and work under pressure to meet deadlines.
  • Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with co-workers, other agencies, and departments.
  • Coordinate work with others.
License or Certificate:
  • Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate, valid California driver's license.


DESIRABLE EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

Knowledge of;

  • Court proceedings, elements of misdemeanor or felony offenses, legal defenses, pleading, pretrial motions, diversions, priors and attacks on priors, and sentencing.

Skill/Ability to:

  • Speak, read, and write in Spanish.
  • Prepare interview summaries.
  • Organize and analyze data.
  • Recognize legal issues sufficient to alert attorneys for appropriate action.

Additional Information

Conditions of Employment

Candidates selected will be required to pass a pre-employment drug and alcohol screening.

Additionally, a background investigation may also be conducted, which may include a re-investigation every 10 years for some positions.

An Employment Eligibility Verification using E-Verify may be required on the first day of employment for some positions. Some job classes may also require a physical exam.


College Cost Reduction Access Act

This may be a qualifying position for student loan forgiveness through the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA).

Only student loan payments made after October 1, 2007 and in a qualified repayment plan are eligible.

For more information you are encouraged to speak with your student loan servicer or visit: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service


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Posted on NEOGOV: 1/10/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 1/11/2026

Source: NEOGOV | ID: neogov-tulare-5187529