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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSuperior Court Clerk I - Court Facilitator JEFFERSON COUNTY Job Description Job Title: Superior Court Clerk I-Court Facilitator Department: County Clerk's Office Reports To: Chief Deputy Clerk/Office Supervisor FLSA Exempt: No Union: UFCW BBP: No HIPAA: Level 4 Salary Level: Grade 24 �. Approved By: Human Resources Manager � %"- ` `"`" � Approved Date: July 2020 u SUMMARY Provides specialized support for the Clerk's Office as a front desk,docketing,quality assurance,collections or calendar clerk and to the Court as a courtroom clerk. Provides essential information or direction concerning Clerk's Office services and Superior Court operations. Must be familiar with numerous court rules, statutes, case types and causes of action, in addition to complex processes associated with each and with the courtroom, records management, and judgment execution. Must also be comfortable with using multiple technology systems, in addition to standard office software, and be adept at managing telephone traffic. Provides legal assistance as required and outlined in statute. This position acts as Court Facilitator as well as being responsible for providing information and assistance as provided by statute,by performing the following duties. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned. Duties of Superior Court Clerk I: Open and close the office daily. Maintain accuracy of time stamps; maintain paper in printers and copiers; retrieve and process incoming mail,and post outgoing mail daily;bag paper recycling weekly or as needed. Prepare juror qualification forms for mailing. Maintain organized storage of case files and office supplies. Provide customer service in person,by phone or email,to a wide variety of individuals ranging from judicial officers and attorneys to jurors, defendants, victims and pro se litigants. Tact and discretion are required when dealing with difficult personalities, awkward situations or when confidential records are in question. Explain procedures or forms to parties and potential litigants; provide online and computer access to court calendars, case files, rules,pattern forms and credit card payment site. Discern the line between providing procedural information,enforcing court rules, and giving legal advice. Clerks are enjoined from the practice of law but are expected to respectfully assist the public in obtaining access to the justice system to the fullest degree possible. Prepare and provide copies; authenticate,certify and exemplify copies of case documents on file.Prepare and provide copies of audio-visual recordings of court proceedings. Follow procedures and assist pro se litigants in filing Domestic Violence Protection Orders,Anti- Harassment Orders, Stalking and Sexual Assault Protection Orders, and Vulnerable Adult Protection Orders. Jefferson County Job Description: Superior Court Clerk I-Court Facilitator Page 2 of 6 Examine legal documents submitted to court for adherence to procedures or form and follow up with litigants and attorneys to enforce court rules and statutory requirements. Enter case related data into SCOMIS, Washington's case management software application; retrieve data from the system,and apply rules of confidentiality to facilitate full access to public court records and prevent disclosure of sealed or confidential court records and protected personal information of litigants. Issue, sign and process summonses, arrest and bench warrants, executions on judgment, abstracts, attachments, garnishments, subpoenas, and letters of guardianship, administration and testamentary, according to statute. Prepare and maintain legal records in physical and electronic formats. Open case files; assign judgments; process and exonerate bonds; process,digitize,route and index case documents in Laserfiche, an electronic document management system. Use SCOMIS and JIS, Washington's case management software,to prepare and post motion calendars, establish and index cases, criminal charges, litigants,warrants, protection orders, documents, case events, and to access all case-related financial information including accounts receivable and payable. Use the Judicial Receipting System to receipt court fees, fines,cash bail, garnishments and other payments into the Court Registry. Maintain transitory records of payment-pending transactions from State agencies to ensure full reimbursement. Distribute copies of documents by mail, fax or electronic means, to a wide variety of county and state agencies pursuant to statues, court rules and contracts. Serve as clerk of the court in certain trials and hearings,maintaining accurate records and minutes of same. Operate electronic recording software; maintaining complete and accurate recording logs in collaboration with the Court Administrator. Mark, record and retain all exhibits presented during any trial/hearing and preserve the chain of custody of all such exhibits according to court rule, court order, and retention procedures. Attain and maintain proficiency in software applications utilized in this position including: Excel, Word, Outlook,Internet Explorer,Laserfiche, SCOMIS,JIS,JRS and JABS. If multilingual,provide limited interpreter assistance as needed in the performance of job duties. Compile and analyze payment history reports; contact debtors to seek compliance with court-ordered payments; provide documents, calendars, and sworn testimony in court in compliance with office procedure and statutory duties of the Clerk. Review data entry and the digital court case records to assure accuracy and integrity of the permanent case record. Processes documents for purposes of recording. Certifies the completeness and accuracyof vital written P ►P g P documents prior to filing. Receives,approves and files court bonds. Constructs case files according to established procedures. Retrieves files and documents for this purpose as necessary. Collects,receipts and assists in the disbursement of funds received for fees, fines,restitution,judgments and child support payments. Jefferson County Job Description: Superior Court Clerk I-Court Facilitator Page 3 of 6 Conducts limited legal research for supervisors and public. Prepares and assists in issuance of legal documents such as writs, orders, summons, subpoena,warrants, g p , etc. Transcribes moderately complex,technical or specialized legal material by machine. Performs as receptionist by greeting visitors at counter or over the phone, ascertains nature of business, conveys routine information as retrieved from published records or specific directories. Includes answering all incoming telephone lines of department and routing calls to appropriate extensions. Refers difficult situations to individuals of higher classification. Duties of Court Facilitator: Provides a public service by increasing access to justice for unrepresented litigants with the intent to reduce the number and length of hearings;reduce staff time spent answering questions posed by undirected and unrepresented litigants; and expedite the completion of forms. Assists pro se litigants in the identification of applicable forms for desired procedure. Provides limited assistance in filling out the mandatory and county forms; reviews forms for completeness,procedural and technical compliance, but not legal sufficiency; calculates child support based on information provided by litigant. Assists in scheduling of court hearings; instructs as to proper courtroom protocol; provides referrals for needed services to lawyer referral, legal aid and various other public and private agencies. Prepares,edits and maintains instruction kits and mandatory forms with instructions using applicable mandatory forms for the various procedures. Coordinates with Court Administrator for Interpreter Services for non-English speaking litigants. Coordinates with County Clerk to establish policies and procedures related to the functions of the Facilitator Program and other self-help services for pro se litigants. SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES This position has no supervisory responsibilities. COMPETENCY: To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate competency in the following: Customer Service-Manages difficult or emotional customer situations; Responds promptly to customer needs; Solicits customer feedback to improve service;Responds to requests for service and assistance; Meets commitments. Interpersonal Skills-Focuses on solving conflict, not blaming; Maintains confidentiality; Listens to others without interrupting;Keeps emotions under control; Remains open to others' ideas and tries new things. Oral Communication- Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; listens and gets clarification; Responds well to questions; Participates in meetings. Written Communication -Writes clearly and informatively;Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs;Presents numerical data effectively; Able to read and interpret written information. Jefferson County Job Description: Superior Court Clerk I- Court Facilitator Page 4 of 6 Teamwork-Exhibits objectivity and openness to others'views; Contributes to building a positive team spirit; Supports everyone's efforts to succeed. Cost Consciousness-Works within approved budget; Develops and implements cost saving measures; Conserves organizational resources. Diversity-Demonstrates knowledge of EEO policy; Shows respect and sensitivity for cultural differences; Promotes a harassment-free environment. Ethics-Treats people with respect;Keeps commitments; Inspires the trust of others; Works with integrity and ethically; Upholds organizational values. Organizational Support-Follows policies and procedures; Completes administrative tasks correctly and on time; Supports organization's goals and values. Judgement-Displays willingness to make decisions;Exhibits sound and accurate judgment; Supports and explains reasoning for decisions; Includes appropriate people in decision-making process; Makes timely decisions. Motivation-Demonstrates persistence and overcomes obstacles. Planning/Organizing-Prioritize and plans work activities; Uses time efficiently;Plans for additional resources; Sets goals and objectives. Professionalism -Approaches others in a tactful manner; Reacts well under pressure; Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position;Accepts responsibility for own actions; Follows through on commitments. Quality-Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; Monitors own work to ensure quality. Quantity-Meets productivity standards; Completes work in timely manner; Strives to increase productivity; Works quickly. Safety and Security-Observes safety and security procedures; Determines appropriate action beyond guidelines; Reports potentially unsafe conditions; Uses equipment and materials properly. Adaptability-Adapts to changes in the work environment; Manages competing demands; Changes approach or method to best fit the situation;Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events. Attendance/Punctuality-Is consistently at work and on time; Ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; Arrives at meetings and appointments on time. Dependability-Follows instructions, responds to management direction; Takes responsibility for own actions; Keeps commitments; Completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan. QUALIFICATIONS To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE High school diploma or general education degree(GED); and minimum two(2)years related experience in a public or private legal setting in the State of Washington, or equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience in a SCOMIS court setting is desirable. Paralegal or law school training preferred. LANGUAGE SKILLS Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules,operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization. MATHEMATICAL SKILLS Ability to add, subtract,multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw Jefferson County Job Description: Superior Court Clerk I-Court Facilitator Page 5 of 6 and interpret bar graphs. REASONING ABILITY Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written,oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations. CERTIFICATES,LICENSES,REGISTRATIONS Valid Washington State Driver's License OTHER KNOWLEDGE,SKILLS AND ABILITIES Knowledge of legal office practices and procedures and legal terminology, and document formats. Knowledge of formal recording procedures, court proceedings,record keeping, cashiering,bookkeeping and proficiency in legal terminology. Ability to operate personal computer, computer terminal and standard office machines, including a data entry and retrieval terminal, specialized electronic recording equipment,word processing, etc. and legal terminology and citation formats. Required typing skill is 55 to 60 wpm. Proficient knowledge of English grammar and punctuation. Knowledge of the operation of the court and case processing activity. Ability to work independently. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers,public officials and the general public.Must possess a pleasant and professional attitude in person and on the telephone. PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job,the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand,walk, sit, and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 35 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision,distance vision,color vision,peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. WORK ENVIRONMENT The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.