Closing Date: 14th May, 2024
Description:
Multiple positions may be filled from this posting **Our Organization and Mission: The Office represents the State of Florida in state and federal civil and criminal courts, from trial courts to the Supreme Court of the United States.
Position Summary: We are actively seeking individuals to join our Miami Criminal Appeals Unit who possess a strong passion for legal research, writing, and advocacy within appellate courts. This position may represent the State of Florida in all criminal appeals filed with the District Court of Appeal and the Florida Supreme Court. This position may also represent the appropriate state official in habeas corpus proceedings filed by state prisoners in the federal courts in the District Courts for Florida.
Qualifications: Admission to the Florida Bar and two years of professional experience in the practice of law, legal research, teaching law or in administrative or judicial hearings.
The required legal experience must be from the practice of law in a state or territory of the United States.
Membership in good standing in another state Bar can substitute for the required admission to the Florida Bar provided that, pursuant to Rule 11-1.10 of the Rules Regulating the Florida Bar, the attorney applies for and obtains admission to the Florida Bar within 12 months of appointment to a position in this class.
The Work You Will Do:
- The Criminal Appeals Division of the Florida Attorney General's office is dedicated to upholding criminal convictions and sentences obtained by state prosecutors in trial courts. With specialized attorneys handling appellate work, the division ensures that the large number of criminal appeals is handled with professionalism and efficiency. The Criminal Appeals Bureau handles a significant number of cases annually, including direct criminal appeals, appeals for sexually violent predator commitments, state post-conviction appeals, extraordinary writs, state appeals to adverse rulings, and inmate challenges to state convictions in federal court. These cases range from minor sentencing and post-conviction appeals to complex white-collar crime, homicide, child abuse, and sexual assault cases. Some cases may involve constitutional or statutory construction issues and may present matters of first impression. While most cases impact only the defendants and victims involved, some cases may result in new published laws that significantly impact law enforcement and criminal trial and sentencing procedures throughout the state.
- Criminal Appeals attorneys must provide ethical and effective representation in all cases. They are required to read the trial transcripts and other pertinent documents, conduct legal research on each of the appellant's claims, and draft an argument explaining why the State of Florida should prevail. Attorneys in Criminal Appeals frequently present oral arguments before the Florida district courts of appeal, the Florida Supreme Court, and the United States Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
