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Child Support Attorney III/IV
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The County of Santa Barbara’s Department of Child Support Services is seeking an experienced and motivated Child Support Attorney III/IV to join its dedicated legal team. This position can be based in either Santa Barbara or Santa Maria, California. If you are an attorney committed to serving the community and supporting children and families, we encourage you to apply for this opportunity.
We are also accepting applications to establish one employment list to fill current and future vacancies in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria. Please be sure to select all of the locations you are willing to accept employment for current and future vacancies.
Please note: This position requires regular travel between Child Support Services offices in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria, as well as occasional overnight travel and overtime during the work week and on weekends.
BENEFITS: The County of Santa Barbara offers generous benefits. Click on the Benefits Tab above or to view more information. In addition, applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for retirement reciprocity and time and service credit towards an advanced vacation accrual rate.
The Department
Santa Barbara County Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) supports children’s futures, assisting parents and guardians by establishing, collecting, and distributing child and medical support for minors. Our work is an important part of California’s effort to nurture and protect children and to help their families achieve self-sufficiency. We are committed to improving the quality of life and creating opportunities for children through establishing and enforcing child support in our community.
To learn more about the Child Support Services Department, please visit: http://countyofsb.org/css
The Position
Under general direction, performs a variety of civil litigation activities in the areas of child support and parentage; and performs related duties as required.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: Child Support Services (CS) Attorney is a flexibly staffed series. Incumbents are responsible for overseeing civil litigation aspects of child support cases in the Department of Child Support Services. CS Attorneys are distinguished, in part, from Deputy District Attorneys by the latter’s responsibility for overseeing criminal litigation aspects of child support cases.
Child Support Attorney III is an experienced level class. Incumbents are expected to handle more difficult cases and work with more independence. Advancement to CS Attorney IV is dependent upon both seniority and performance.
Candidates may be initially appointed at the III or IV level, depending on the candidate's qualifications and needs of the department.
The Ideal Candidate will possess:
- Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion principles and practices;
- Strong analytical ability and attention to detail;
- Customer-focused and solutions-driven approach;
- Strong interpersonal skills demonstrated across various levels of the organization.
- Demonstrated commitment to collaboration and cooperation including the ability to work effectively with others, communicate openly, and contribute to the collective success of the team.
Examples of Duties
- Advises department staff, custodial and non-custodial parents, and witnesses regarding legal issues involved in prospective civil parentage and/or support actions.
- Interprets and applies laws; court decisions; local, state, and federal regulations; and other legal authorities for use in the preparation of child support cases.
- Prepares legal pleadings, including complaints, answers, demurrers, discovery, motions, orders, and judgments required for hearings, trials, and varied legal proceedings; drafts and prepares related reports and correspondence; and maintains accurate case records.
- Litigates a variety of parentage and support cases in civil court trials and at family law and motion hearings.
Employment Standards
- Two years of experience as an attorney in the practice of public or family law or four years as a general practicing attorney; OR,
- One year of experience performing duties equivalent to the class of Child Support Attorney II with Santa Barbara County; OR,
- A combination of training, education, and experience that is equivalent to one of the employment standards listed above and that provides the required knowledge, abilities, and license.
Additional Qualifications: Possession of a valid California Class C Driver’s License may be required upon hire.
Knowledge of: civil and criminal codes related to California family law; administrative law procedures; trial and court procedures; legal research methods; rules of evidence; standard legal office practices and procedures; ethical and professional rules of conduct; and negotiating techniques.
Ability to: effectively present and conduct trials; work independently; perform legal research; analyze and apply legal principles, facts, evidence, and precedents in legal problems; present statements of law, facts, and arguments clearly, logically, and forcefully, both in written and oral format; negotiate settlements; maintain confidentiality and objectivity; manage an assigned caseload; operate personal computers and use computer applications used by the department; and establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
Supplemental Information
- Review applications and supplemental questionnaires to determine those applicants who meet employment standards.
- Supplemental Questionnaire Rating. Responses to the required supplemental examination questions will be evaluated and scored. Candidates’ final score and rank on the eligibility list will be determined by the responses to these questions. This process may be eliminated if there are fewer than 11 qualified candidates.
Candidates must receive a percentage score of at least 70 on the Supplemental Questionnaire Rating to be placed on an employment list. An adjustment may be made to raw scores based on factors listed in Civil Service Rule VI. Those candidates who are successful in the selection process will have their names placed on the employment list for a minimum of three months. At the time the employment list is established, all candidates will receive an email notice of their score on the exam(s), rank on the employment list, and exact duration of the employment list.
The appointee must satisfactorily complete a one-year probationary period.
Conditional Offer: Once a conditional offer of employment has been made, candidate will be required to successfully complete a background check, which includes a conviction history check, LiveScan fingerprinting, and satisfactory reference checks. Appointee will be subject to a post-offer medical evaluation or examination.
NOTE: This position has access to federal tax information (FTI) and is thus subject to the provisions of IRS Publication 1075, Tax Information Security Guidelines for Federal, State and Local Agencies, which include criminal history background investigations every 5 years, subsequent arrest notification and citizenship verification through e-Verify.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS: The County of Santa Barbara is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants. Qualified individuals with disabilities who need reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter listed on the job posting. We require verification of accommodation needed from a professional source, such as a Medical Provider or a learning institution.
Recruiters will correspond with applicants by e-mail during each step in the recruitment process. Applicants are reminded to check spam filters continuously during the Recruitment & Selection Process steps listed above to ensure they do not miss the required deadlines.
Disaster Service Workers: Pursuant to Governmental code section 3100, all employees with the County of Santa Barbara are declared to be disaster service workers subject to such disaster service. Activities as may be assigned to them by their superiors or by law.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement
The County of Santa Barbara provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any type with regard to any characteristic or status protected by any federal law, state law, or Santa Barbara County ordinance. The County continues to be committed to a merit-based selection process and to eliminating barriers to attracting and retaining top qualified candidates. The County has a long-standing practice of providing a work environment that respects the dignity of individual employees and values their contributions to our organization.
APPLICATION AND SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE DEADLINE: Monday, January 12, 2026, at 4:59 PM PST. Applications and job bulletins can be obtained 24 hours a day at www.sbcountyjobs.com.
Erin Kuhn, Talent Acquisition Analyst, erkuhn@countyofsb.org
- BENEFITS: Retirement Plans Generous County Defined Benefit Plan Eligible to participate in 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan Retirement Reciprocity with CalPERS, CalSTRS, and 1937 Act plans For more information on our retirement plans, please visit: https://www.sbcers.org/ and www.santabarbara457.comHealth Benefits Benefit Allowance paid in cash bi-weekly, which can be used by employees to fund health care costs or used for other purposes. The amount varies by bargaining unit, click the Compensation Summary link below for more information Choice of dental, vision and medical plans. In addition to the Benefit Allowance noted above, the County contributes toward medical premiums and dental premiums On-Site Employee Health Clinics in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria which provide ongoing and episodic services to eligible employees and their eligible dependents Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers free, confidential assistance with personal and workplace problems to employees and their immediate family members Healthcare Advocacy Program to help employees navigate the complexities of health plan benefits Available Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Account (HSA), Supplemental Term or Whole Life Insurance, Personal Accident Insurance, Critical Illness Insurance, Accident Insurance and more! For more information on our health benefits, please visit: https://www.countyofsb.org/4012/Health-BenefitsPaid Time Off Vacation Leave 12 to 25 days per year depending on length of public employment Sick Leave 12 days annually with unlimited accumulation, one year of which can be converted to service credit upon retirement Paid Holidays based on bargaining unit (view the compensation summary for this bargaining unit, link below) Alternative Transportation Benefit (TDM) up to 2 days of additional vacation for using alternative methods of commuting For more information on Paid Time Off please view the Compensation Summary for this bargaining unit (available below)Miscellaneous Benefits County Paid Term Life Insurance County Paid Long Term Disability Insurance Childcare and Employee Discounts Relocation Assistance may apply Flexible work schedule may apply For more information on all of these benefits, please visit: https://www.countyofsb.org/4013/24636/WorkLife-BenefitsCompensation Summary To view the Compensation Summary specific to the bargaining unit for this position (link to full Memorandum of Understanding also available at bottom of the summary), please visit: https://www.countyofsb.org/3088/Civil-Attorneys-Association *This benefits list is for convenience only; please refer to the Memorandum of Understanding for complete details of terms and conditions. Amounts are generally prorated for part-time employment.
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