Legal Careers
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) Detail
601 D Street, NW
Washington, DC 20530 - United States
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C. has recurring openings for its Superior Court Division Special AUSA (SAUSA) detail programs. All federal and local government attorneys are eligible. We are offering our standard, shortened, and split programs starting in January, April, July, and October, 2025.
STANDARD DETAIL
The first option is our standard detail that will start on April 7, 2025, and end on October 31, 2025. The detail begins with the same three-week Basic Training course that our newly hired AUSAs attend. The course is an excellent blend of intense academic classes (e.g., evidence, discovery), trial skills, and hands-on experience, including evidence workshops and mock trials that are critiqued by seasoned Assistant United States Attorneys with years of trial experience. At the conclusion of Basic Training, SAUSAs are assigned to either our Misdemeanor Section or our Domestic Violence Misdemeanor Section in the Superior Court Division.
While in the Superior Court Division, SAUSAs will handle their own caseloads; draft and argue motions; handle plea negotiations; conduct plea hearings; meet with and prepare victims and witnesses; first-chair bench trials; advocate at sentencings; etc. Most days include court appearances. There is no difference between a regular AUSA and a SAUSA in terms of duties, responsibilities, and training. Because the U.S. Attorney’s Office also serves as the local prosecutor for the District of Columbia, we prosecute thousands of cases each year. Our misdemeanor-level caseloads include simple assaults; threats; possession of prohibited weapons; drug possession; assaults on police officers; theft; destruction of property; child abuse; credit card fraud; etc. We do not handle traffic; DUI; or juvenile cases.
Second Half of the Standard Detail: During the second half of the standard detail (August 11, 2025 – October 31, 2025), the SAUSA will be given more advanced litigation opportunities while in their assigned Misdemeanor or DV Section, to include the opportunity to handle a jury trial.
SHORTENED DETAIL
The second option is a shorter detail in the Superior Court Division that will start on April 7, 2025, and end on August 8, 2025. This program begins the same way as the standard detail with our Basic Training program followed by assignments to either our Misdemeanor Section or our Domestic Violence Misdemeanor Section. While SAUSAs in the shortened detail will receive the same training and handle the same types of cases as the SAUSAs in the standard detail, the more advanced litigation opportunities are not part of this program.
SPLIT DETAIL
The third option is a split detail. After completing the shortened detail in the Superior Court Division, attorneys with the requisite security clearance are eligible to be considered for a transfer to our Criminal, Civil, Appellate, or Special Proceedings Division for six months (August 11, 2025 – February 6, 2026). This requires advance agreement between the USAO-DC and the SAUSA’s agency, as well as the appropriate USAO-DC Division Chief’s approval of the transfer.
Finally, the start and end dates for the standard and shortened details are based on the start dates of our Basic Training programs to ensure smooth case transitions with incoming and outgoing AUSAs and SAUSAS. We have classes that begin in January, April, July, and October. The USAO-DC provides SAUSAs with laptops, iPhones, and a USAO email address upon onboarding.
Please encourage any interested applicants to reach out with questions. The potential SAUSA may also come to the Office to “shadow” for a morning.
A resume; written supervisory approval; a joint Memorandum of Understanding; and verification of security clearance will be required. A Tier 2 Background Investigation (BI) is sufficient for SAUSAs who are serving only in Superior Court. This is a non-reimbursable detail; the SAUSA’s agency will continue to pay the SAUSA’s salary and benefits.
If you have additional questions about our program, please reach out to Jean Sexton, the Office’s Director of the Office of Professional Development and Training, at Jean.Sexton@usdoj.gov, (202) 252-7735, or (703) 244-3047.
SAUSAs participating in the Standard Detail will be assigned to either our general Misdemeanor Unit or our Domestic Violence Misdemeanor Unit and will appear daily before judges in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia. Prior graduates of the USAO-DC’s standard detail have conducted upwards of 15 bench trials over the course of the Standard Detail. SAUSAs in the Standard Detail also will have the opportunity to participate in the indictment of certain misdemeanor offenses in front of the grand jury, as well as first-chair jury trials for offenses such as hate/bias crimes, assault on law enforcement, and theft.
SAUSAs conduct daily court hearings covering a wide array of offenses, including assaults; weapons possession; narcotics possession and drug distribution; destruction of property; child abuse; and fraud. These cases are assigned to SAUSAs from intake, after which they will prepare discovery, draft and argue motions, handle plea negotiations, and meet with and prepare victims and witnesses for trial. SAUSAs conduct their own motions and plea hearings and first chair their own trials in Superior Court.
SAUSAs participating in the Shortened Detail (3.5 months) will receive the same training and handle the same types of cases as the SAUSAs in the Standard Detail, but the more advanced litigation opportunities, such as grand jury indictment and jury trials, are not part of this program.
Please encourage any interested applicants to reach out with questions. The potential SAUSA may also come to the Office to “shadow” for a morning.
All SAUSAs must possess a J.D. Degree and be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction). Prior litigation experience is not required.
SAUSA applicants will be required to provide a recent resume, written supervisory approval; a joint Memorandum of Understanding; and verification of security clearance.
Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflicts of interest or disqualification issues that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.
This is a non-reimbursable detail; the SAUSA’s agency or component will continue to pay the SAUSA’s salary and benefits. The USAO-DC provides SAUSAs with laptops, iPhones, and a USAO email address upon onboarding.
Department Policies
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This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
The Department encourages qualified applicants with disabilities, including individuals with targeted/severe disabilities to apply in response to posted vacancy announcements. Qualified applicants with targeted/severe disabilities may be eligible for direct hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A (5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u)) hiring authority. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact one of the Department’s Disability Points of Contact (DPOC) to express an interest in being considered for a position. See list of DPOCs.
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