Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Prosecutor Staffing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Klamath County seeks additional deputy district attorneys to reduce heavy caseloads
Summary
Klamath County District Attorney Alina Johnson told the Board of Commissioners Jan. 20 she wants to hire an experienced deputy from Josephine County and a newly licensed attorney to reduce overtime and address heavy caseloads, including 12 open murder cases handled by three qualified trial attorneys.
Klamath County District Attorney Alina Johnson told the Board of Commissioners on Jan. 20 that her office needs two more deputy district attorneys to reduce overtime and manage rising caseloads. Johnson asked the board to allow offers to two candidates: an experienced deputy from Josephine County and a soon-to-be-licensed attorney in the SPPE program.
Johnson said the experienced applicant carries a caseload of roughly 700 cases and that the office would like to offer that person a Deputy DA 2 at step 3 with an annual salary Johnson cited as $106,009.09, plus an $8,000 hiring bonus and moving expenses. She said the entry-level candidate would be offered a Deputy DA 1 at an entry salary Johnson cited as $84,005.93; any hiring bonus for that candidate had not been finalized.
"We have 12 open murder cases, and only 3 attorneys can try those cases that are qualified," Johnson said, citing DA Dave Scott, DDA Cole Chase and DDA Dan Higgins as the prosecutors currently qualified to handle homicide trials. She emphasized that attorney caseloads range in the hundreds and that bringing staffing to roughly seven DDAs would allow the office to spread assignments more evenly and reduce overtime costs.
Johnson told commissioners she is monitoring personnel and materials lines and has held some spending in other areas to offset personnel growth. She acknowledged the county did not budget for two additional DDAs this cycle and asked to work with county finance staff to identify available carryover or other funding.
Commissioners expressed support for hiring additional attorneys and directed Johnson, by consensus, to work with county finance (referred to in discussion as "Vicky") to pursue one or both hires and return with implementation details. There was no formal board vote recorded on the hires at the meeting.
Next steps: Johnson will coordinate with county finance to clarify funding sources and any required budget amendments before offers are finalized.
