Office Specialist I

Yakima County•Yakima, WA

11d•$21 - $27•Onsite

About The Position

There is one Office Specialist I opening with the Yakima County Clerk's Office. This position is responsible for performing specialized support services both in and outside of the courtroom for the County Clerk. Duties include: Jury management pursuant to state law, Court rules and guidelines and the for the coordination, professional and cordial communication and dissemination of information to many different entities either by speech, or written communication; facilitating jury selection, and preparing Clerk paperwork and calendars for use in Court.

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED PLUS three (3) years general office experience; OR an equivalent combination of education and experience which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the essential duties of the job.
Successful completion of a general employment verification.
The legal system including legal terminology, court rules and procedures;
Computers and word processing software;
Roles and responsibilities of the County Clerk’s Office and other judicial system departments and agencies
Grammar, spelling and punctuation;
File maintenance techniques;
Customer service techniques;
Office practices and procedures;
Data processing system and methods for input;
Modern office procedures and customer service techniques
Critical thinking sufficient to summarize and interpret Court rulings, written opinions and legal documents.
Writing business correspondence, drafting documents, and recording minutes.
Organization, prioritization and time management
Communication of complex and/or sensitive information to a widely diverse population.
Use of office equipment and computer equipment and software.
Making responsible decisions in accordance with Clerk office policies and state statutes
Establishing effective working relationships with co-workers, other agencies and the general public.
Working effectively with constant interruptions.
Communicating and expressing ideas effectively, orally and in writing.

Nice To Haves

Experience related to the law and justice field, such as legal secretary, paralegal or civil or criminal justice work is preferred.
AA in Criminal Justice / Legal Assistant is preferred and may substitute for experience.
Experience working with maintaining complex filing systems both electronic and paper
Computer data entry experience preferred.
Bilingual English/Spanish is preferred.

Responsibilities

Prepares and maintains daily records for all court proceedings by tape recording hearings and takes custody of original documents for entry into Superior Court Document Management System (Odyssey). Marks and secures exhibits per statute concerning release of exhibits. Responsible for notifying security regarding potential violence and hazards and evacuation procedures.
Summarizes court sessions to create Clerk minutes, Court rulings and jury verdicts for entry into Odyssey. Verifies documents signed in court for Judge/Commissioner signatures and file stamps all appropriate pleadings.
Prepares daily and weekly court Clerk calendars and schedules court hearings through proper extraction of dates from legal documents and correct application of identifying calendaring codes.
Coordinates and facilitates jury selection; prepares and maintains appropriate record of jury called; administers oaths, announces jury verdicts; polls jury, records length of proceedings, updates jury time logs, witness records, seating charts.
Enters and scans information into Odyssey, prints reports as required. Provides input for assessment or reassessment as issues related to compliance are identified.
Prioritizes office/desk work to meet Clerk’s duties in timely manner (entering of Public minutes, discharging exhibits, issuing calendars, customer service duties); coordinates with other clerks to balance work load; maintains and releases exhibits admitted at trial/hearings including drugs, weapons, money and biohazardous materials according to statute.
Performs other duties as assigned such as: assisting other Deputy Clerks in duties such as docketing, filing, assisting the public, cashiering, certifying court records, participating in training and planning sessions.