Legal Clerk I - Court Listings Unit - Municipal Court, Traffic Division

City of Philadelphia • Philadelphia, PA

19h • Onsite

About The Position

Processes legal documents for purposes of docketing their receipt.
This is entry level clerical legal work. It differs from the non-legal clerical classes by the constant work with legal documents and the degree of consequence of error and accountability involving the abstraction of pertinent information from legal documents in summary form to a docket which may serve as a basis for possible legal activity by counsel and the judiciary. Work is performed according to clearly defined rules and procedures, under direct supervision, in a training mode.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent and one to two years of progressively responsible clerical experience processing legal instruments and documents. OR
• Any equivalent combination of training and experience determined to be acceptable by the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, which also includes a high school diploma or equivalent.
• After meeting minimum standards, successful completion of a panel review and interview process.
• Satisfactory clearance of a criminal background investigation
• Ability to perform the essential functions of a position in this class.
• Must work on site (not remote).
• Knowledge of or ability to learn and effectively utilize MDJS case management system.
• Knowledge of Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code.
• Ability to work with the public.
• Knowledge of the procedures governing the filing and processing of appellate matters related to motor vehicle citations.
• Knowledge of office procedures, methods and equipment with particular reference to receiving and accounting for cash.
• Business arithmetic.
• General knowledge of court system purpose and record keeping processes.
• Ability to write legibly.
• Ability to provide information clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to recognize different types of criminal documents and legal instruments necessary to effectively perform the docketing function.
• Ability to learn to extract and summarize information from legal instruments in order to fulfill the requirements for docketing and indexing legal information.
• Ability to learn and comply with applicable rules, regulations, and procedures as they apply to posting information into dockets and indexes pertinent to the assigned function.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers and the general public.

Responsibilities

• Processes continuance requests submitted by court users.
• Examines legal instruments to determine information for posting to dockets.
• Abstracts, summarizes and records filing dates, types of legal instruments, and in some cases, substance of legal documents into dockets.
• Returns incorrect documents for appropriate action if necessary.
• Processes documents in accordance with standard procedures.
• Examines legal instruments to determine applicability of posting into indexes of judgments and liens.
• Extracts pertinent information onto work sheets for indexing purposes into a variety of registers.
• Searches dockets and indexes in order to serve the public with information.
• Accepts filings from staff, judges, and other interested parties and exemplifies and certifies essential documents for legal or personal transactions.
• Processes incoming official and essential legal documents for inclusion into a system of court records according to procedural rules.
• Checks court documents for errors and serves as a quality control check.
• Performs terminal or PC data entry on legal filing turn-around documents from handwritten or coded material.
• Maintains a court record filing system with adequate controls, standards, and access restrictions.
• Scans plea requests and letters of continuance.
• Resolves and responds to inquiries concerning court documents or actions, especially scheduling.
• Prepares legal documents for dissemination or appropriate legal action by signature.
• Distributes documents to correct destinations and may hand deliver legal documents or records.
• May verify the location of defendants.
• Instructs others on proper procedural steps.
• Answers the telephone or may meet or greet callers.
• Provides general information pertaining to assigned function.
• Replenishes computer printer, copier or fax machine paper supplies.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• City employees get unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program. Employees can ride on SEPTA buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail for their daily commute and more.
• The City offers its employees 8 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available
• As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
• The City of Philadelphia has forged partnerships with over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities in the area, ensuring that our employees have access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships. Experience savings of 10% to 40% on your educational expenses, extending not only to City employees but in some cases, spouse and dependents too!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees