The newest member of the Washington County Prosecuting Attorney's Office staff is a Marietta native who formerly served as a probation officer for the county juvenile court.
Jared Erb started his duties as an assistant prosecutor Oct. 1, having previously worked as an attorney with a private law firm on a contract basis. As a criminal justice major at Xavier University, he interned with the federal probation service in Cincinnati and Hamilton County Common Pleas Court before attending law school at Capital University.
The son and grandson of local attorneys John and Ernest Erb, the 2001 Marietta High School graduate is spending his weekdays in the local area while he looks for a residence here.
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Question: What led you to select criminal justice as your undergraduate major?
A: I don't really know; I just kind of chose the major my freshman year in college, found it interesting. ... I worked as a probation officer after college with Washington County Juvenile Court. After that, I worked at the Supreme Court of Ohio in the Judicial College (helping plan and coordinate educational seminars).
Q: What led you to make the transition from probation officer to attorney?
Fact Box
Jared Erb
Age: 29.
Residence: Columbus.
Occupation: Assistant Washington County prosecutor.
Experience: Graduated from Capital University Law School in September 2011; passed the bar in May, worked for a private law firm on a contract basis before starting in Washington County Oct. 1.
A: I'd always wanted to be a lawyer, but I wanted to work a couple years after college. I was just ready to start working.
Q: Does your experience as a probation officer help you as a prosecutor?
A: It helps in dealing with people ... people with a myriad of different personalities. Get to know the courts, really how to deal, how to handle people and situations.
Q: You said you wanted to be an attorney; why a prosecutor?
A: No particular reason. I like litigation. I had a concentration in law school in civil litigation. I like the trial work. I like being in the courtroom. My dad was a trial attorney before he passed away, and my grandfather was an attorney and a judge here in town as well.
Q: How does the work you're doing now differ from your previous job?
A: It was more of a commercial litigation.
Q: Is there a particular type of case or area of the law that interests you most?
A: In my current job, I guess, just trial work really. That's anything.
Q: How are you starting out? Did they give you a case to work right away or are you working with someone else?
A: I went to court (Monday) morning with Kevin Rings and sat in on a couple hearings, and I've already got files on my desk to look over. ... I'll do what I can and learn what I need to.
Evan Bevins conducted this interview.
