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Job Description
Description
The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office is seeking a highly motivated Paralegal to provides legal research and prepare legal documents to assist Law Enforcement Officials, Investigators, Prosecutors and other attorneys in obtaining information regarding forfeiture cases.
HIRING HOURLY RANGE: $25.40 - $28.61
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Monday, June 30, 2025 - Review begins immediately
Duties and Responsibilities
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES and ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS INCLUDE, but are not limited to:- Maintains contact with other agencies in and out of the state for the service of legal documents.
- Monitor deadlines, draft all pleadings, and perform each step of the forfeiture process from start to finish (Summons & Complaint, Petition and Order for Publication, Default Order of Forfeiture, Consent Orders, etc.)
- Correspond with pro se parties, attorneys, deputies, investigators, and Clerk of Court personnel that are involved with sheriff's office forfeiture cases.
- Processes claims for payments for all invoices/charges associated with seizure related cases. Maintains confidentiality regarding restricted information.
- Gathers all pertinent information stemming from drug, vice, DUS-DUI and larceny seizures pursuant to the respective forfeiture statutes and apply the statutes’ elements to establish a successful forfeiture.
- Generates and prepares a variety of legal documents, orders, motions, and correspondence reports for the County Attorney.
- Researches Law Enforcement data bases to locate and gather information on interested parties and confirm or eliminate innocent owners.
- Conducts legal research using applicant resources (ie, South Carolina Code of Law, County Ordinances, Federal Law).
- Reviews applicable publications and resources to stay current with changes in the law, or with requirements of the South Carolina forfiture laws.
- Maintains database detailing seized assets and their status. Utilizes the public auction site to sell forfeited vehicles and property including photographing and describing items for sale, interacting with bidders, scheduling retrieval of items, collecting funds and obtaining vehicle titles.
- Files public sales and appear in Magistrate’s Court for abandoned/DUS-DUI vehicles.
- Creates tracking report of items which are cleared and available to be reduced to proceeds at a public auction and track items that are forfeited to the sheriff's office and converted to agency use, as well as destroyed property.
- Assists Law Enforcement Officals, Investigators, Prosecutors and other attorneys in obtaining information regarding forfeiture cases.
- Obtains and verifies information relative to specific cases, provided by outside parties, and members of the criminal justice system to ensure accuracy.
- Meets with interested parties and lienholders for retrieval of vehicles or personal property in the event of property return.
- Forwards all completed orders forfeiting currency to Charleston County Finance to disseminate funds to the approporiate accounts and agencies. Forwards and checks completed orders to State Treasurer’s Office.
Minimum Qualifications
REQUIREMENTS: A qualified applicant must (1) be a U.S. citizen, (2) possess a high school diploma (from an accredited
school) or GED (3) must have a valid SC driver’s license or the ability to obtain a South Carolina one upon acceptance of the
position (4) paralegal certification or ability to achieve paralegal certification within the first year of employment (5) 2 years of
paralegal experience or an equivalent of education and experience involving the criminal justice system. (6) be able to operate a
personal computer using Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook), the internet, JMS, RMS, and NCIC (7) be able to always
interact with all individuals in a professional and courteous manner and (8) be able to obtain NCIC certification within six months of selection.
Charleston County offers competitive pay and a comprehensive benefits package to its employees, including but not limited to:- Health, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance
- Optional Life and Disability Insurance
- Optional Medical and Dependent Care Spending Accounts
- Annual and Sick Leave
- Fourteen (14) recognized Holidays
- South Carolina Retirement System (SCRS) State Retirement Plan
- Police Officers Retirement System (PORS - as applicable)
- Optional Deferred Compensation Program
- Longevity and Merit Pay Increases
- Leadership, Professional and Skill Development Training
- Employee Assistance Program
- Employee Well-being Program
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ABOUT THE COMPANY
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Charleston County Government
Show moreCharleston County Government has over 2500 employees working in more than 40 different departments across the County. Employees embody excellent customer service, trust, and commitment to the community. Our diverse team works hard to provide effective government services to the citizens. Excellent benefits and rewarding work make Charleston County a premier employer of choice. We look forward to you joining us.
Located in the beautiful and historical Lowcountry of South Carolina. Charleston County's rich blend of culture, economic activity, environmental beauty, and historic tapestry makes it one of the most distinguished counties in the nation. A recognized leader, Charleston County is a proud community that strives to protect both its historic treasures and its environment, while still keeping an eye toward future development.
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