The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas is one of the largest district courts among the country's 94 federal judicial districts. It is part of the federal judiciary, and together with federal probation and pretrial services, the bankruptcy and appellate courts and the Supreme Court, they make up the judicial branch of the federal government. The Southern District of Texas consists of the following seven divisional offices: Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Galveston, Houston, Laredo, McAllen, and Victoria.
We invite applications for the position of Criminal Justice Act (“CJA”) Supervising Attorney. The CJA Supervising Attorney is responsible for the oversight and administration of the panel of attorneys qualified for appointment to represent indigent defendants in cases pending before the Court and must have a thorough knowledge of the Criminal Justice Act and of criminal law and procedure.
The CJA Supervising Attorney will work to achieve the dual objectives of high-quality representation by panel attorneys and cost containment/accountability for government funds. The CJA Supervising Attorney will work within the District Clerk’s Office and report to the Clerk of Court. The CJA Supervising Attorney will perform the following administrative functions related to the Criminal Justice Act (CJA): budgeting capital and other complex cases; managing the CJA Panel for the District; coordinating the appointment of counsel in cases as needed; reviewing CJA vouchers and funding requests; processing CJA vouchers through delegation by judicial officers; updating guidelines for the accurate presentation and prompt payment of vouchers; remaining current with developments in the circuit, district court, and evolving legislation pertaining to the CJA; and providing training to panel attorneys and judges as appropriate.
Candidates must possess a J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school; be a member in good standing of, and eligible to practice before, the bar of any United States Court, or of the highest court of any State, Territory, or Insular Possession of the United States; and have a minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in the practice of law, in legal research, or in legal administration, gained after graduating from law school.
Significant experience in the practice of criminal law, with at least two years in the practice of criminal defense law (especially indigent defense), is strongly preferred.
Candidates must possess a deep appreciation of the Sixth Amendment right to counsel and an understanding of the fundamental importance of indigent defense to the judicial system of the United States.
Qualified applicants must also possess excellent academic credentials; superior analytical, organizational, interpersonal, and oral and written communication skills; computer literacy; and familiarity with federal and local court rules and practices.
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas is one of the largest district courts among the country's 94 federal judicial districts. The district courts, combined with the appellate courts and the Supreme Court, make up the judicial branch of the federal government. The Southern District of Texas consists of the following seven divisional offices: Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Galveston, Houston, Laredo, McAllen and Victoria.
