Conciliation Court Referee, 2nd, 4th, and 10th Districts

Minnesota Judicial Branch • Brainerd, MN

4d • Remote

About The Position

The Second (Ramsey County), Fourth (Hennepin County), and Tenth (Anoka, Chisago. Isanti, Kanabec, Pine, Sherburne, Washington, and Wright) Judicial Districts are seeking attorneys to serve as Conciliation Court referees. Conciliation Court, also known as "small claim courts", is a division of District Court and handles claims for money and property that do not exceed $15,000 and consumer credit transactions that do not exceed $4,000. Conciliation Court referees preside over a general and collection calendars of 12 to 50 cases per half day session.
Conciliation hearings are presumptively heard remotely, unless exceptional circumstances exist to deviate to an in-person setting.
Please note that these are contractor positions with the Second, Fourth, and/or Tenth Districts. Candidates contracted for these opportunities will not be employees of the Minnesota Judicial Branch. They will be compensated on a contractual, per-diem basis, at the rate of $75.00 per half day, and they are excluded from eligibility of benefits available to MJB employees. The engagement of Conciliation Court Referees is governed by Minnesota Statute 491A.03.

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 five years.
• Must reside or maintain an office in or near the District (2, 4 or 10) 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 the conciliation court (e.g. credit card debt, landlord-tenant).
• Must pass criminal background and Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility disciplinary history checks.
• Must not cancel a scheduled assignment more than twice in a twelve-month period.
• If working remotely, access to a computer and webcam with reliable, high-speed internet allowing for video and document sharing.
• Must serve at least once every three months.

Nice To Haves

• Civil litigation experience.
• Possesses experience, knowledge , and comfort with technology and electronic records.
• Work well under pressure with demonstrated time management and problem-solving efficiencies.
• Attention to detail and ability to foster cooperation with effective interpersonal skills.

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 1.
• 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.
• 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 judgement 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
• Perform legal research if needed.
• Ability to learn, adapt, and utilize technology in operation of electronic devices.

Benefits

• Minnesota Judicial Branch employees consistently express pride in their public service and in the quality of programs and services provided to customers, as well as appreciation for the teamwork and collaboration that is promoted within the MJB.
• We celebrate and are committed to the principles of diversity and inclusion, and actively seek and value diversity in professional background and cultural characteristics.
• We are intentional and mindful about the organizational culture we are building, seeking broad-minded individuals with robust capabilities who value supporting one another’s growth.
• The Minnesota Judicial Branch cares about and invests in you as an employee.
• Because of that, we offer affordable yet competitive benefits to support you and your family’s wellbeing.
• Our comprehensive benefits package for eligible employees includes health and wellness benefits, enhanced fertility benefits, short- and long-term disability, pension, paid parental leave, tuition reimbursement, and more.
• Minnesota Judicial Branch employees may also be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
• This federal program allows qualified individuals to have their loans forgiven after meeting certain requirements working in public service.

What This Job Offers

• Education Level: No Education Listed