Judicial Support Specialist - Houston

U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas•Houston, TX

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The U. S. District and Bankruptcy Courts for the Southern District of Texas are seeking qualified applicants for its Judicial Support Specialist Program. This is a developmental program designed for individuals interested in a career with the federal judiciary. A fully certified Judicial Support Specialist (JSS) performs a variety of critical duties for the Court, including opening of cases; summarizing case events on the automated docket; assisting with the selection of juries; recording court proceedings electronically; certifying court records; ensuring data quality; and closing cases. The Southern District of Texas consists of seven divisional offices: Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Galveston, Houston, Laredo, McAllen, and Victoria.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Two years of general and progressively responsible clerical, office, or other work experience that indicates the possession of, or the ability to acquire, the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position.
One to three years of experience requiring the application of clerical procedures, the routine use of keyboard skills, use of specialized terminology, and demonstrated ability to apply a body of rules, regulations, directives, or laws.
Ability to handle a large volume of work.
Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and manage one's own workload.
Excellent customer service skills.
Excellent communication skills.
Excellent organizational skills.
Must be a United States citizen or able to meet the citizenship requirements.

Nice To Haves

Four-year college degree in related fields.
Experience and judgment with legal documents such as those that might be found in a law office or in another court of any jurisdiction.
Prior paralegal experience.
Experience in both civil and criminal law.

Responsibilities

Assisting customers with the use of publicly designated computer terminals and providing basic non-legal information to the public, bar, and the Court.
Performing limited cashiering duties associated with the collection of fines and fees, as well as mail processing.
Attending court hearings and producing clear electronic recordings and logs of proceedings as an Electronic Court Recording Operator (ERO).
Monitoring and processing requests for transcripts and CDs of recorded hearings.
Making summary entries of all documents and proceedings on the docket and closing cases upon receipt of terminating documents.
Receiving, reviewing, and filing incoming documents; collecting appropriate fees; verifying attorneys' authority to practice before the Court; and furnishing information to a wide variety of people.
Assisting in Jury Administration under direct supervision.
Receiving documents pertaining to a variety of case types and referring them to appropriate personnel.
Serving as back-up to case managers, preparing statistical summaries on case status, and serving as a primary source of information on scheduling and case processes.
Administering oaths and assisting with the orderly flow of court proceedings, including setting up courtrooms, assuring the presence of all necessary participants, and managing exhibits.
Ensuring that the record reflects any actions taken by the judge.