Judicial Secretary

City of Columbus Careers • Columbus, OH

11d • Onsite

About The Position

The Franklin County Municipal Court is the largest and busiest municipal Court in the State of Ohio. The Court has fourteen judges in the General Division and one judge in the Environmental Division. Judges preside over civil, criminal, and traffic cases and conduct both jury and court trials. The Court’s jurisdiction includes traffic cases, misdemeanor criminal cases, and civil cases where the amount at issue is $15,000 or less. The Environmental Division has exclusive jurisdiction to enforce local codes and regulations affecting real property, such as fire and building codes. The geographic jurisdiction of the Court is all of Franklin County and those portions of the City of Columbus that extend beyond the boundaries of Franklin County. Despite its jurisdiction and name, the Franklin County Municipal Court is the judicial branch of the City of Columbus government.

The Court has eight secretaries for the 15 judges. A judge’s secretary works in an office suite consisting of judges and bailiffs. The secretary acts as the office manager, performing all tasks necessary for the efficient, professional operation of the office, including but not limited to typing, filing, answering telephones, taking messages, scheduling meetings, and greeting visitors. A judicial secretary reports daily to the judge or judges in the chambers to which the secretary is assigned and to Court Administration for all administrative matters. The current opening is for a secretary who will be assigned to Judge Andrea Peeples and Judge James O’Grady as of this posting.

Requirements

• One to two years of previous secretarial experience
• Ability to accurately type 55 words per minute
• Knowledge of common office practices, procedures, and equipment, which may include maintaining coffee in the common area
• Proficiency in operating a personal computer and using, or being able to learn, Microsoft Office products such as Word, Outlook, Excel, and CourtView 2000
• Ability to type with speed and accuracy, and take shorthand or speed writing
• Ability to effectively and professionally communicate verbally and in writing in English to diverse audiences
• Pleasant and friendly personality and ability to interact and maintain effective working relationships with judges, employees, and others conducting business with the Court
• Conscious of and sensitive to the diversity within the Court’s jurisdiction and ability to interact professionally with this diverse population of people from many different geographic, socioeconomic, religious, racial, and ethnic backgrounds regularly
• Professional appearance and demeanor appropriate for the position and the work environment expected of a representative of the Court
• Demonstrates dependability, reliability, and an excellent attendance record
• Patience, objectivity, maturity, effectiveness under stress, initiative, adaptability, and the ability to multitask

Nice To Haves

• Paralegal certification or other advanced schooling
• Associate’s degree
• Understanding of legal terminology and procedures
• Previous experience as a legal secretary or in a court system or legal environment
• Knowledge of the functions and locations of other courts and government agencies
• Bilingual
• Proficiency in American Sign Language

Responsibilities

• Acts as the office manager for the assigned suite or office
• Prepares, types, proofreads, and distributes legal documents such as letters, entries, opinions, reports, and other documents from handwritten drafts and other sources
• Answer telephones, take messages, and greet visitors, providing routine information and directing inquiries to the proper office.
• Answers questions from those doing business with the Court
• Maintains supply of Court forms
• Responds to routine correspondence for the Judges
• Operates office machines and acts as key operator for copy and fax machines
• Orders and tracks the use of office supplies
• Picks up and distributes mail daily, prints Judges’ e-mail if requested
• Check in with Judges while on the bench for any specific requests
• Arrange meetings
• Coordinates travel arrangements to seminars and conferences; keeps records of conferences and continuing legal education attendance
• Prepares and submits documentation regarding vacation leave and conference attendance
• Maintains appointment calendar
• Takes minutes at meetings
• Attends secretarial meetings
• Provides secretarial coverage when other secretaries are absent from work, at lunch, or in meetings
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Judges and may be assigned to other departments of the Court if needed.

Benefits

• medical, prescription, vision, dental, and life insurance
• short-term disability
• generous vacation, sick, and personal leave
• 11 paid holidays
• longevity service payments
• sick-leave reciprocity
• employee assistance and deferred-compensation programs
• tuition reimbursement
• credit union membership
• Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) which provides retirement, disability, and survivor benefits
• Court pays the required employer 14 percent of the employee’s salary towards OPERS

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree