Conciliation Court Referee (Contractor)

Minnesota Judicial Branch•Saint Paul, MN

52d•Remote

About The Position

The Second (Ramsey County) Judicial District is seeking attorneys to serve as Conciliation Court referees. Conciliation Court, also known as "small claims court," is a division of District Court and handles claims for money and property that do not exceed $20,000 and consumer credit transactions that do not exceed $4,000. Conciliation Court referees preside over general and collection calendars of 20 to 50 cases per half day session. Conciliation hearings are presumptively heard remotely, unless exceptional circumstances exist to deviate to an in-person setting.

Requirements

Must be a licensed attorney in the State of Minnesota
Must have at least five years of experience as a practicing attorney
Must be in good standing and have no disciplinary actions within the past 5 years
Must reside or maintain an office in or near the county in which they serve
May not have a client base that would create a frequent conflict in the type of cases most commonly heard in conciliation court (e.g. credit card debt, landlord tenant)
Must pass background check(s)
Must not cancel a scheduled assignment more than twice in a twelve-month period.
Must serve at least once every twelve months.

Nice To Haves

Civil litigation experience
Possesses experience, knowledge and comfort with technology and electronic records

Responsibilities

Serves at the pleasure of the Chief Judge or designee
Exercises all the duties and powers granted to a Conciliation Court Referee by M.S.A. 491A.03, Subdivision
Familiarity with M.S.A. 491A.01 through 491.03
Compliance with the Code of Judicial Conduct as adopted by the MN Supreme Court
Refrains from making any extra-judicial public statements about pending proceedings
Prohibits broadcasting, televising, recording, or taking photographs in the courtroom or virtual hearing during sessions of Conciliation Court or recesses
Prioritizes assignments and disposes promptly of the business of Conciliation Court
Affords every party in a proceeding the full right to be heard according to law and maintains compliance with Rule 2.9 of the Code of Judicial Conduct
Conciliation Court referees shall not serve as a lawyer in the County's conciliation court for which they serve, nor as a lawyer in any appeals from judgments originating from the County's conciliation court for which they serve
Presides over assigned hearings; reviews court calendars before scheduled sessions of court; grants continuances; reads or listens to allegations and determines if action is supported by facts; hears and evaluates evidence of witnesses and technical experts; listens to presentation of case; and rules on admissibility of evidence and methods of conducting testimony
Prepares orders that meet Judicial Branch standards
Carries out work assignments with a substantial degree of discretion and independent judgment in accordance with applicable state laws, rules of court and local practices
Maintains order and decorum in all proceedings and treats all parties with courtesy and respect
Advises litigants that they will be notified by mail of the Conciliation Court Referee's decision