Standing Master

State of Montana • Great Falls, MT

16h • Onsite

About The Position

This is legal and administrative office support and judicial process coordination work for the Honorable Judge Kutzman, District Court Judge for Cascade County District Court in Great Falls, Montana. This is a highly responsible professional legal work in adjudicating a variety of cases in the 8th Judicial District Court of Great Falls, Montana. Work includes responsibility for hearing and ruling on proceedings, researching issues, and writing findings of fact, conclusions of law, and orders. The Standing Master may require the production of evidence, rule on the admissibility of evidence, put witnesses on oath and examine them, call the parties to the action and examine them on oath, and issue temporary orders. The Standing Master must interpret and apply statutes, case law, and regulations applicable to each case as it is heard or briefed. The primary case types include family law, orders of protection, and other cases as assigned. Work is reviewed by a judge only when specific objections to findings of fact and conclusions of law are filed with the District Court. Work assignments are carried out with a substantial degree of discretion and independent judgment within the framework of state laws and rules of procedure.

Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited law school, with 3 years of practicing law in Montana prior to the date of appointment.
• Possession of a current Certificate of Admission to the Bar of the State of Montana; eligibility to practice law before the courts of the State of Montana.
• Completion of required continuing legal education courses.
• Extensive knowledge of federal and state laws and court rulings as they pertain to the area of assignment.
• Extensive knowledge of established precedents, and sources of legal reference.
• Extensive knowledge of court procedures, rules of evidence, and courtroom procedures.
• Ability to apply legal principles and specialized knowledge to individual cases and problems.
• Ability to prepare for hearings and hear difficult cases and present material clearly and logically in oral and written form.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to deal with unhappy, unstable litigants.
• Ability to counsel persons on sensitive problems.
• Skill in the operation of a personal computer.

Responsibilities

• Conducts temporary and final hearings as well as modification hearings in domestic relations matters including parenting plans, property distribution, maintenance, and family support.
• Mediates and conducts settlement conferences in civil matters; conducts discovery conferences, and rules on discovery motions; conducts civil trials and renders judgments.
• Conducts preliminary proceedings in criminal cases, including arraignments, initial appearances on warrant, probation revocation hearings, and bail hearings; conducts plea change hearings.
• Sets and revokes bail and determines release conditions; orders persons detained pending trial.
• Conducts preliminary and detention hearings in juvenile matters, hearings on delinquent youth petitions, preliminary hearings in abuse and neglect cases and civil commitment proceedings; conducts trials in child abuse and neglect matters.
• Conducts contested hearings in domestic relations cases and dependent neglect proceedings; calculates child support amounts in original proceedings and in modification proceedings; may conduct adoption proceedings, and sanity hearings.
• Conducts status conferences, scheduling conferences, modification hearings, and intervention proceedings.
• Performs legal research and writes findings of fact and conclusions of law.
• Performs administrative work as required by the area of assignment.
• Supervises one administrative support person.

Benefits

• Work/life balance
• Family friendly policies
• Dedicated and caring colleagues
• Health coverage
• Retirement plans
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and Holidays (combination of up to 38 per year)
• Opportunities and room for professional growth
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness - Employment with the State of Montana may qualify you to receive student loan forgiveness under the PSLF

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees