Tribal Court - Court Clerk - Child Support

Puyallup Tribe of Indians•Tacoma, WA

88d•Onsite

About The Position

The Court Clerk provides clerical support and records management for the Puyallup Tribal Court, specializing in child support cases, and supports the Tribal Court Judges. The role maintains confidentiality and impartiality, manages court records and calendars, records courtroom proceedings, and handles filings, court documents, fines, and fees. The clerk assists the public and other parties with filing procedures without providing legal advice, and performs duties under the direction of Court leadership. This is a grant-funded position subject to funding and has no supervisory responsibilities.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED and two years of related experience and/or training, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Intermediate experience and knowledge using word processing and spreadsheet applications such as Word for Windows, Excel, and Access.
Ability to interact tactfully and positively with Tribal members and all levels of staff and management.
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
Ability to write routine reports and professional correspondence, present information effectively, respond to questions, and speak effectively before groups or co-workers.
Ability to perform basic arithmetic and compute rates, ratios, and percentages, and draw and interpret bar graphs.
Ability to solve practical problems, handle concrete variables in standardized situations, and interpret and follow written, oral, diagrammatic, or scheduled instructions.
Ability to organize work, set priorities, and meet deadlines.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Strong customer service skills when working with the public.
Ability to remain calm with difficult or intense clients and defuse tense situations.
Ability to remain impartial and culturally sensitive in a diverse society.
Must acceptably pass a background check before employment and periodically throughout employment.
Must be willing to attend child support-specific training.

Nice To Haves

At least two years of experience in legal procedures for civil traffic, child welfare, juvenile, criminal, and child support policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

Maintain confidentiality and impartiality as a member of the Court.
Maintain court records, files, and other records.
Accurately record details of courtroom proceedings.
Maintain the court calendar and prepare the docket one week in advance for the presiding Judge.
Oversee issuance of summonses, subpoenas, orders, and other necessary documents.
Receive and review court filings for completeness and conformity to requirements, determine whether documents should be accepted or denied, and complete related data entry and record keeping.
Receive and review fines and fees and complete related accounting, data entry, and record keeping.
Assist the public, attorneys, law enforcement, social services, and other agencies with submitting filings, including explaining how to amend a filing for acceptance without providing legal advice.
Process accepted filings by affixing stamps and seals, providing copies to filers, filing originals, documenting actions in court files, and ensuring filings are presented to the presiding Judge.
Verify, enter, retrieve, correct, and update information in manual or automated record-keeping systems.
Organize work, set priorities, and meet critical deadlines.
Apply knowledge of the Puyallup Tribal Code and Tribal judicial system and learn and apply legal terminology.
At the presiding Judge’s direction, prepare and review court documents, including orders after hearings, for format and content.
At the presiding Judge’s direction, contact people required for court sessions, such as attorneys and witnesses, by telephone or email.
At the presiding Judge’s direction, assist with the legal and administrative needs of a jury trial.
Attend and participate in trainings and meetings.
Uphold Court policies and procedures.
Operate copiers, computers, Zoom audio/video functions, phones, and fax machines.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Chief Court Clerk, Court Administrator, Chief Judge, Associate Judges, and Pro Tempore Judges.
Handle cases that may be more complex than other cases.
Assist with depositing Tribal Court fine and fee funds with accounting.
Assist in drafting the Court’s standard operating procedures.