Child Support Attorney - I

Placer County is currently accepting applications for Child Support Attorney I - IV.  Each level in this job series has different minimum qualifications.  To be eligible for more than one level in the series, you must complete and submit separate applications and supplemental questionnaires for each recruitment:  Full time and part time assignments may be available,

Child Support Attorney - I           #2021-14125-01

Child Support Attorney - II          #2021-14126-01

Child Support Attorney - III         #2021-14129-01

Child Support Attorney - IV         #2021-14130-01

Placer County is comprised of over 1,400 square miles of beautiful and diverse geography, ranging from the residential and commercial areas of South Placer, westward through the historic foothill areas of Auburn, Foresthill, and Colfax, and to the County's jewel of the North Lake Tahoe basin. Placer is a great place to live, work, play and learn. For more information about Placer County, please visit www.placer.ca.gov.

To learn more about the Placer County Child Support Services Department, click here to visit their website.

Placer County offers a comprehensive benefits package to employees. The following information represents benefits currently available to permanent Placer County employees and may be subject to change. Applicants should inquire as to the most current benefit package during hiring interviews or by contacting the Human Resources Department.

Click here to view Professional benefits

For more information regarding the benefits Placer County has to offer please visit Placer County's Human Resources website.

To perform professional legal work in Family Law within the Department of Child Support Services; to establish paternity and support orders; to apply enforcement actions and obtain remedies; and to prepare and present difficult cases in court.

Child Support Attorney I is the entry level in the Child Support Attorney series assigned to employees with no previous legal experience.  Employees at this level are not expected to perform with the same independence of direction and judgement on matters allocated to the higher levels.  Since this class is typically used as a training class, employees may have only limited or no directly related work experience.  Employees work under immediate supervision while learning job tasks.

Receives immediate supervision from a Supervising Child Support Attorney or other management staff and receives technical and functional supervision from higher level Child Support Attorneys.

• Work within the Department of Child Support Services, performing the full range of legal activities involving establishing, modifying and enforcing child support obligations, including medical support; enforcing support orders already established, and determining paternity of minor children in a civil suit, as needed; prepare and present cases in court.
• Enforce all orders using civil and criminal means; monitor all cases to modify existing support orders; file civil complaints; set cases for trial; negotiate settlements when appropriate; conduct discovery in the case; hold depositions of parties involved; issue subpoenas for necessary witnesses and evidence; participate in both court and jury trials; prepare and pursue any appropriate appeal of Court decisions; file liens against real property; pursue collection through workers compensation benefits, initiate action to seize personal property such as bank accounts, cars, boats and other such property; file actions for revocation of probation.
• Perform a wide variety of advanced legal research.
• Prepare opinions, briefs, pleadings, warrants, and other legal documents; dictate correspondence and reports.
• Work closely with affiliated law enforcement agencies from the County, State or Federal level as required by the assigned case.
• Review cases for any assistance required of investigation staff; assign Investigators to secure evidence or make further investigation; review and incorporate additional information secured by Investigators.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

It is the responsibility of applicants to identify in their application materials how they meet the minimum qualifications listed below.

Experience and Training
Any combination of experience and training that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience: None required.

Training: Demonstrated possession of the eligibility requirements to take the California Bar Examination as established by Section 6060 of the California Business and Professions Code.

Required License or Certificate:

• Active membership in the California State Bar to be obtained by date of appointment.
• May need to possess a valid driver's license as required by the position.  Proof of adequate vehicle insurance and medical clearance may also be required.

NOTE:  Applicants receiving their degree outside the United States must submit proof of accreditation by a recognized evaluation agency.

Knowledge of:

• Legal principles and practices, including civil, criminal, family law, constitutional law, criminal law and related procedures.
• Rules of Court, Evidence Code, Family Code, Code of Civil Procedure, Labor Code, Bankruptcy Code, United States Code and relevant Child Support laws and regulations.
• Legal research methods.

Ability to:

• Learn to investigate and prosecute criminal, civil and child support complaints.
• On a continuous basis, sit at desk for long periods of time or in meetings; intermittently walk, stand and bend while going to/from other offices or court and while taking files to/from meetings or court; twist to reach equipment surrounding desk; perform simple grasping and fine manipulation; use telephone and write or use a keyboard to communicate through written means; hear sufficiently to communicate with clients and to understand actions in public meetings, hearings, or court proceedings; and lift light weight.
• On a continuous basis, analyze a case and determine the law's application; identify and interpret the applicable law or statute; utilize legal research methods; work with juries and witnesses; problem solve situations that arise in cases; understand and apply case law and statutes; and explain case status to the public as required.
• Analyze and apply legal principles, facts and precedents to legal problems.
• Learn to recommend investigative alternatives.
• Learn to prepare and present cases and represent the Department of Child Support Services.
• Present law, facts and arguments clearly and logically in written and oral form.
• Explain legal principles and relate them to both trained legal professionals and the public.
• Perform legal research.
• Work under time constraints and exacting professional and legal standards.
• Learn to obtain information through interview and interrogation and deal fairly and courteously with the public.
• Draft legal pleadings.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Work with various cultural and ethnic groups in a tactful and effective manner.
• Analyze situations quickly and objectively and to determine proper course of action.
• Adhere to ethical standards.
• Operate a computer terminal with sufficient proficiency to perform the duties of the job.

Training & Experience Rating (100%)

Based upon responses to the supplemental questionnaire, the applicant’s education, training, and experience will be evaluated using a pre-determined formula. Scores from this evaluation will determine applicant ranking and placement on the eligible list.

Prior to the date of hire, applicants must undergo a fingerprint test by the Department of Justice, pass a medical examination (which may include a drug screening and possibly a psychological evaluation), sign a constitutional oath, and submit proof of U.S. citizenship or legal right to remain and work in the U.S.  For some positions, applicants may also be required to submit proof of age, undergo a background investigation (which may include a voice stress analysis and/or a polygraph), and/or be bonded. Additionally, positions in law enforcement classifications and those supporting law enforcement functions will be required to complete a conviction history questionnaire prior to or during the interview process. Applicants for positions with access to Medi-Cal billing software or who are licensed providers must clear the Federal Exclusion List, credentialing, and social security verification. Failure to clear these requirements may result in an employment offer being withdrawn.

The eligible list resulting from this recruitment may be certified as a substitute list for a substantially similar classification.  For this purpose, a substantially similar classification is one at a lower level in the same classification (example: entry level vs. journey level) and/or a similar classification (similar work performed, similar training and experience qualifications required). If you are contacted for an interview by a County department, you will be informed of the classification and other relevant information. If you choose not to interview for a substantially similar classification, you will remain on the eligible list for which you originally applied.

Placer County offers an expedited process for qualifying certain applicants for interviews. Candidates currently employed, or employed within the last year, by a public agency operating under a personnel civil service or merit system may be eligible to be placed on a Public Agency Eligible List and certified as eligible for appointment to a similar job assignment without going through the examination process. For more information on the Public Agency Eligible List, to download forms, or to apply, please click here.

Thank you for your interest in employment with Placer County. Placer County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an active nondiscrimination program. It is the stated policy of Placer County that harassment, discrimination, and retaliation are prohibited and that all employees, applicants, agents, contractors, and interns/volunteers shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, transfer, and promotion will be based on the qualifications of the individual for the positions being filled regardless of gender (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, race (including traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists), color, ancestry, religion (including creed and belief), national origin, citizenship, physical disability (including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over),  marital status, military and/or veteran status, sex (including parental status, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), political orientation, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law. Please contact the Human Resources Department at least 5 working days before a scheduled examination if you require accommodation in the examination process. Medical disability verification may be required prior to accommodation.

REMINDER:  Placer County is currently accepting applications for Child Support Attorney I - IV.  Each level in this job series has different minimum qualifications. 

To be eligible for more than one level in the Child Support Attorney job classification series, you must complete an application and supplemental questionnaire for each individual level

Tentative Recruitment Timeline:

Week of 1/17/22       Minimum Qualifications Screening

Week of 1/24/22      Training and Experience Rating

Week of 1/24/22       Establish Eligible List

For questions regarding this recruitment, please contact Jennifer Tucker, Administrative Technician, at jmtucker@placer.ca.gov or (530) 886-4667