Courtroom Clerk I/II (Open and Promotional)

County of San Mateo • San Mateo, CA

23h • Onsite

About The Position

The Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Courtroom Clerk I/II. Courtroom Clerks provide direct administrative assistance to their supervisors, the Judges, and Commissioners; interact with attorneys, the public, and other County agencies; process a variety of legal documents, provide data entry support, maintain accurate and timely records of court proceedings, and provide support services to the Clerk's Office. Courtroom Clerk I is the entry-level position and under close supervision, the Courtroom Clerk will learn courtroom procedures, practices, and rules of court for the various divisions of the Court. As experience is gained, there is greater independence of action within established guidelines. This classification is flexibly staffed with Courtroom Clerk II, and incumbents may advance to the higher level after gaining experience and demonstrating proficiency which meet the qualifications of the higher-level classification. Courtroom Clerk II is the journey-level class in this series, fully competent to independently perform a variety of difficult, complex, and detailed courtroom administrative support duties. Incumbents at this level are expected to perform the day-to-day work with minimal supervision and to exercise sound judgment in performing courtroom, office, and administrative support duties. The Courtroom Clerk is a flexibly staffed classification series. After working 2080 hours as a Courtroom Clerk I and meeting the knowledge and experience, incumbents may advance to Courtroom Clerk II.

Requirements

• Knowledge of computers and Microsoft Office Suite programs.
• Effective interpersonal skills and ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality and professionalism while working with a diverse group, including the judicial officers, attorneys, law enforcement agencies, and the public.
• Ability to take initiative, problem-solve, and adapt in a challenging work environment with shifting priorities and multiple deadlines.
• Ability to work as a member of a team and independently.
• Excellent public speaking, listening, and written communication skills.
• Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying.
• Two years of experience receiving, filing, and processing a variety of legal documents such as are found in the court.
• Knowledge of Court and courtroom policies, procedures, practices, and terminology.
• Knowledge of Applicable codes, rules of court and proceedings, and general legal terminology, processes, and format.
• Knowledge of Office and administrative practices and procedures, including filing and the operation of standard office equipment.
• Knowledge of Records management practices and procedures, including indexing and cross-indexing.
• Knowledge of Business letter writing and the proper form for typed material.
• Knowledge of Correct English usage, including grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Knowledge of Principles and techniques for dealing with the public, often when relations may be strained.
• Knowledge of Basic business data processing principles and practices.
• Knowledge of Business arithmetic.
• Ability to Understand and apply Court, courtroom, and basic legal policies, practices, procedures, and terminology and explain them to court participants.
• Ability to Perform detailed, complex, and difficult courtroom support work quickly and accurately.
• Ability to Organize and prioritize work, meet critical time deadlines, and coordinate multiple activities.
• Ability to Deal tactfully and effectively with a variety of individuals.
• Ability to Make accurate arithmetic calculations.
• Ability to Exercise initiative and sound independent judgment within established guidelines.
• Ability to Compose correspondence independently or from brief instruction.
• Ability to Use standard office equipment, including a remote appearance audio/video portable unit, public access hardware, and computer.
• Ability to Organize and maintain accurate files and records.
• Ability to Understand and carry out oral and written instructions.
• Type at a rate of 40 net words per minute from printed copy.

Nice To Haves

• At least two years of experience in the legal field
• A working knowledge of court documents, procedures, and legal terminology.
• Ability to operate remote appearance technology and equipment (e.g., Zoom).

Responsibilities

• Attend all court proceedings and record and transcribe minutes of legal actions and proceedings such as disposition of pleas, trial settings, motions, continuances, and all findings and rulings made by the court.
• Maintain a judge's daily court calendar and inform appropriate individuals of changes, record assignment of cases, and confer with attorneys to set hearing dates.
• Screen visitors and attend confidential hearings in the judge's chambers and prepare and process appropriate documentation resulting from such hearings.
• Impanel and poll jurors, record challenges, administer oaths or affirmations to witnesses and jurors, and record jury service and compensation due.
• Provide general, non-legal information regarding courtroom policies and procedures to courtroom participants.
• Receive, mark, and maintain records of evidence and exhibits and ensure the safekeeping of such materials during the proceedings.
• Read charges, read and record verdicts and sentences, and prepare abstracts of judgments for sentencing purposes.
• Notify involved parties of various court matters by telephone, in person, or by preparing correspondence.
• Answer routine inquiries and correspondence regarding court matters such as court orders, hearing and filing dates, and the judge's decisions.
• Provide varied office and administrative assistance to the judge.
• Enter and retrieve data and prepare reports using a personal or on-line computer system and create new databases and report formats using preprogrammed software for case management.
• Organize work, set priorities, and ensure that critical deadlines are met.
• Organize and maintain varied general and departmental files, initiate new filing systems, purge outdated materials as required, maintain tickler files, and independently follow up on matters as necessary.
• Operate standard office equipment such as a remote appearance audio/video portable unit and public access hardware, including electronic recording equipment computer, copier, facsimile machine, calculator, or telephone.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community.
• Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed