PART-TIME Judicial Process Assistant - DJJC

Snohomish County•Everett, WA

10d•Onsite

About The Position

This part-time position is assigned to the Juvenile Division of the Clerk’s Office at the Denney Juvenile Justice Center. The Juvenile Division operates as a fully functioning satellite office with responsibilities including courtroom support, customer service, cashiering, intensive docketing/data entry, processing civil protection orders and appeals, and assisting with special projects. The court matters handled at this center encompass all juvenile matters, civil protection orders, minor guardianship, family law, and civil litigation. This role offers an excellent opportunity to enhance current skills and expand knowledge within various areas of the legal system. The successful candidate will possess strong administrative skills, be detail-oriented, adaptable, have a strong work ethic, maintain professional boundaries, and be capable of working both independently and as part of a team. Key success factors include excellent clerical and time management skills, exceptional interpersonal abilities, strong written and verbal communication, the ability to build partnerships and promote teamwork, a professional image, and a positive, approachable demeanor. A commitment to teamwork and helping others achieve goals, along with the ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment, are also crucial.

Requirements

Associate’s Degree in criminal justice or paralegal studies or completion of an accredited legal assistant program; AND one (1) year of legal clerical work, legal document/record processing work, records management or legal customer service experience; OR any equivalent combination of training and/or experience that provides the required knowledge and abilities.
Must pass job related tests.
Typing of forty-five (45) wpm required.

Nice To Haves

Excellent clerical and time management skills
Exceptional interpersonal ability and strong written and verbal communication skills
The ability to build partnerships and promote teamwork
A professional image and positive, approachable demeanor
A commitment to teamwork and helping others achieve goals
The ability to multi-task and handle numerous responsibilities simultaneously in a fast-paced environment
Knowledge of processing court documents in accordance with state laws, appellate and general rules, Superior Court Local Court Rules and Administrative Orders
Knowledge of state and local databases and Clerk’s CMS
Knowledge of legal terminology
Knowledge of courtroom operations
Knowledge of general records management principles
Knowledge of county departmental structures/departments including Prosecuting Attorney, Public Defender, Superior Court and records management warehousing
Knowledge of cash handling / receipting methods and cash-related accounting controls
Knowledge of court document processing procedures
Knowledge of basic arithmetic
Knowledge of computer software applications, including Microsoft Office Suite
Knowledge of court records research techniques and procedures
Knowledge of office policies, procedures, and practices and commonly used equipment
Knowledge of employee training methods, practices, and techniques
Ability to establish and maintain effective work relationships with superiors, peers and other staff
Ability to learn, understand, and execute complex technical court document and records policies and procedures including document examination, interpretation, and acceptance and rejection procedures
Ability to research and provide answers to public court document and court records questions
Ability to listen and understand complex Judicial oral decisions and reduce them to written form
Ability to learn and teach trainees the distinction between offering legal advice and providing excellent customer service and applying this knowledge in the workplace
Ability to maintain required indexing and cashiering accuracy standards
Ability to use proper English, spelling, grammar, punctuation and word usage
Ability to follow complex oral and written instructions
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing
Ability to perform accurate arithmetic calculations
Ability to work independently and effectively under pressure
Ability to work with minimum supervision and make consequential work decisions in accordance with state laws, court rules, and Court and Clerk policies and procedures
Ability to communicate effectively with customers including a culturally diverse population and angry or distraught customers, in a courteous and professional manner.
Ability to obtain information from defendants in the face of hostility and dispute
Ability to operate standard and specialized office equipment including computers, printers, copiers, telephones, and data entry retrieval programs
Ability to maintain public databases including entering data, performing data verification, making corrections to data, and developing database queries
Ability to update and write new procedures when necessary
Ability to exercise good judgment under stressful circumstances
Ability to operate in a lead capacity when assigned
Ability to train and provide support to other staff
Ability to analyze and solve work related problems
Ability to acquire knowledge of specialized procedures and subject matters encountered in work assignments

Responsibilities

Attend Superior court hearings and prepare detailed minutes and exhibit catalogs.
Assist the judge in maintaining order and decorum in all proceedings before the court.
Examine, interpret, and process court documents prior to acceptance for filing.
Determine and provide appropriate access to court records.
Maintain electronic record keeping systems to ensure complex databases are accurate.
Assist the general public, attorneys/legal staff, Superior Court employees, and agencies by telephone or in writing, explaining court procedures and schedules.
Examines court documents for legally required data, formats and correct causes of action for Superior Court criminal and civil matters prior to acceptance for filing, pursuant to statutes and court rules; and processes filing fee accounts receivable transactions.
Prepares and electronically files appeal documents with State Court of Appeals and State Supreme Court, pursuant to state Rules of Appellate Procedure (RAP); receives, prepares, and processes appeal documents to/from courts of limited jurisdiction and state administrative agencies; and prepares billing documents.
Examines, determines and provides appropriate access for all court exhibits; indexes and retrieves exhibit data from computer databases; maintains chain of custody for records and exhibits and participates in routine audits; prepares documentation and exhibits for release, and/or destruction after required retention period; prepares and provides exhibits for transfer to State Supreme Court or State Court of Appeals for appellate cases.
Examines and indexes court and appellate documents into state databases and Clerk’s Case Management System (CMS) and ensures compliance with state law, and state and local court rules; facilitates the proper preparation and processing of court documents; examines court records to ensure statutorily confidential and sealed documents and records are not disclosed to the public; verifies to ensure accuracy.
Determines and transmits specific court documents and court orders to law enforcement pursuant to state laws; transmits specific court documents, court orders and information to government agencies pursuant to state laws.
Issues summons and writs; reviews and issues material bench warrants and warrants of arrest as ordered by Superior Court; reviews, issues and maintains search warrants, and enters and manages special inquiries and intercepts as ordered by Superior Court.
Reviews and complies with court orders in the issuance of in-state subpoenas and issues foreign subpoenas under Clerk’s statutory authority; prepares certified and/or exemplified legal court documents and records, tenders fees, and transmits to agencies and the public as required.
Assists attorneys, legal staff, Superior Court employees and the Judiciary, other government agencies, and the public in conducting complex court record searches; determines access to confidential and sealed court records; collects fees, prepares certified search results, and maintains audit trail of written search requests.
Assists the general public, attorneys/legal staff, Superior Court employees and the Judiciary, government and commercial agencies in person, by telephone or in writing; provides technical information about court document and record processing and indexing; evaluates and diffuses sensitive and/or potentially volatile people and situations and reacts appropriately including contacting security when necessary.
Determines appropriate fees based on statutory requirements and receipts a high volume of complex Superior Court fees, fines and restitution from a variety of sources into the Clerk’s CMS.
Maintains accounting for all legal tender collected; maintains, balances, and closes cash registers on a daily basis; recommends and maintains accounting controls in an environment that includes a high volume of customer transactions.
Provides ex parte services via mail to law firms and the public; researches and provides filed documents to the judiciary to facilitate the processing and entry of court orders; facilitates completion of ex parte transactions.
Prepares complex and detailed contemporaneous minutes and exhibit indices on high-volume court hearing calendars and trials in a Superior Courtroom setting for criminal and civil matters and a variety of legal hearings.
Receives and creates a record of all court documents, exhibits and depositions used during trials; identifies, numbers, categorizes and maintains security of exhibits offered during court proceedings; maintains confidential records and/or information as directed by state law and court rules.
Administers jury oaths in open court; maintains records of jurors excused or impaneled during court proceedings; creates record of witnesses called and sword; provides jurors with all admitted exhibits for deliberation; reads jury verdict in open court and polls each juror for verification of verdict.
Obtains signatures of attorneys and litigants on pertinent documents before submission to the judge/commissioner; reviews documents, records, and exhibits for accuracy and compliance prior to filing.
Assists the general public, attorneys, legal staff, Superior court employees, Judges and Commissioners, and government agencies in person, by telephone or in writing by providing technical assistance and information; explains procedures and schedules; locates and provides information from Superior Court records while maintaining security and confidentiality as required; evaluates and diffuses sensitive and/or potentially volatile people and situations and reacts appropriately.
Acts as liaison on behalf of the Clerk’s Office to Judges, Commissioners, law clerks, members of the legal community and the public.
Performs related duties of a bailiff in his/her absence including coordinating changes to Judge’s schedule, opening and closing court, and acting as liaison between the court, attorneys, public and jurors.
Maintains electronic record keeping systems to ensure complex databases are accurate; reviews court documents, records and digital recordings for accuracy sufficient to prepare records groups for permanent archival preservation or destruction in accordance with Secretary of State Clerk Retention Schedules and generally accepted recordkeeping principles.
Recommends and assists in writing and updating procedures; collects, analyzes and reports division productivity data; designs and recommends new forms, information systems, and reports as appropriate.
Performs select duties of Judicial Process Assistant Lead/Supervisor as assigned; provides back up and peak work load coverage for co-workers; performs Judicial Operations Assistant and Judicial Accounting Assistant duties as assigned.
Testifies in court cases as a subject matter expert regarding Clerk’s Office policies and procedures and statutory responsibilities as required.
Trains and/or checks work of Judicial Process Assistant trainees and support staff; when conducting training, meets with trainees on a weekly basis to discuss training status; prepares reports for the manager, supervisor and lead on trainees' progress; prepares and updates training manuals; recommends and assists in updating procedures as necessary.
Collects, analyzes and reports division productivity data; designs and recommends new forms, information systems, and reports as appropriate.
Serves on a variety of teams and committees as needed; may perform other related duties as assigned.