85thDISTRICT COURT DISTRICT COURT CIVIL/ACCOUNTING CLERK
Under the direct supervision of the District Court Administrator, the District Court Civil/Accounting Clerk is primarily responsible for processing general civil, small claims, and landlord/tenant cases files from start to finish. The Civil/Accounting Clerk provides assistance in criminal and traffic cases, including reviewing, processing, scheduling and filing all documents related to such cases. Provides counter service which Includes receiving and receipting money and providing assistance on court matters to attorneys, law enforcement officers, and the public. Types a variety of court documents, enters case information to the computer system and performs a variety of related tasks. Responsible for maintaining and balancing a number of accounts, coordinating the bookkeeping activities with the data processing system, preparing financial summaries, and making financial transmittals and disbursements.
1. Opens and processes a variety of civil matters Including general civil, small claims, landlord/tenant cases and garnishments. This Includes typing forms, correspondence and legal documents, filing papers, collecting fees, and ensuring scheduling of matters and the service of process. Schedules no progress hearings on civil cases.
2. Reviews legal documents such as writs of garnishment and restitution, stipulations, orders and briefs, petitions for installment payments, and others for timeliness, completeness and compliance with the court rules. Examines and enters judgments on civil and small claims cases that are adjudicated.
3. Schedules hearings, pre-trials and trials and prepares and distributes notices.
4. Reviews court flies to determine readiness for hearings, trials, default judgments, dismissals, and other court proceedings, Includes checking for service and completeness of documentation for the Judge's review.
5. Processes garnishments, including receipting fees, ensuring service, receiving balancing and disbursing monies, and helping employers compute calculation sheets.
6. Prepares bench warrants for nonappearance on civil discovery matters.
7. Receipts monies for the filing of civil cases.
8. Maintains cases histories for civil cases and closes cases by recording disposition in case file and on the computer. Notifies parties of disposition and files closed cases.
9. Oversees the activities of other staff. Assists with training new staff.
10. Provides counter and telephone assistance to attorneys and the public regarding fines and costs due, court procedures, civil procedures, schedules, and specific case information.
11. Reviews and processes payments for tickets, court costs, civil filing fees and other matters, ensures that the proper case file Is credited, and Issues receipts.
12. Assists with opening criminal files. Includes typing forms, filing papers, entering case information on the computer, collecting fines and costs, scheduling hearings etc.
13. Assists with opening civil Infraction cases, schedules hearing dates, enters citations to computer and ensures noticing to parties.
14. Enters case file information, answers, scheduling Information, adjournments, dispositions, civil judgments, and other information to computer system. Operates terminal to prepare notices, abstracts of conviction, and other documents.
15. Sends notices, prepares bench warrants, and suspends driver license as authorized. Notifies agency Issuing warrant after defendant appears and recalls warrant as appropriate.
16. Processes summary proceeding cases, includes receipting fees, scheduling hearings, ensuring service, and preparing and distributing judgments.
17. Conducts the dally balancing of court accounts for fines, costs, bond deposits, and other monies. Maintains the court's bank accounts.
18. Prepares jury panels for quarter, sends out summons for jury dates. Checks status of jury trials for dispositions, records message for jurors. Prepares Juror vouchers and compensation report biannually.
19. Forfeits bonds after proper notification of defendant or bonding agency. Processes bond transfer to other courts.
20. Types correspondence, notices, orders, and legal documents and performs a variety of support tasks such as copying records.
21. Checks the printout to ensure proper distribution of monies and ensures that any operator errors or discrepancies are corrected.
22. Disburses trust monies, prepares checks and trust account vouchers. Consolidates financial reports from the court divisions and prepares and signs the daily transmittals to the County Treasurer and prepares the deposit slips for the bank trust account.
23. Responsible for monitoring data processing procedures related to the accounting system and coordinating such activities with other staff.
24. Maintains records on bond accounts. May refund bonds, process forfeitures, and apply bonds to fines and costs. Receives and verifies bond money from the Sheriff Department.
25. Records fees for the Secretary of State, Department of Natural Resources, Crime Victim's Rights Fund, and the Highway Safety Fund and reconciles against summary reports.
26. Processes non-sufficient fund checks, making account adjustments and notifying parties of check status.
27. Provides assistance to other support areas of the court, includes responding to telephone Inquiries or transferring to appropriate party, assisting people at the counter, ordering supplies, and assisting in other divisions of the court.
28. Works closely with auditors. Pulls and provides Information as requested.
29. Delivers flies and paperwork to various county offices and delivers deposits to bank.
30. Does updates from Judicial Management onto the computer.
31. Searches for files in closed file area and lifts and moves boxes in order to locate files.
32. Performs monthly balancing and transmittal report to County Treasurer and balancing with the monthly statement.
33. Acts as court recorder for Attorney-Magistrate and occasionally for Judge.
34. This list may not be inclusive of the total scope of the Job functions to be performed. Duties and responsibilities may be added, deleted or modified at any time.
Employment Qualifications:
Education: High school diploma or equivalent. Prefer some coursework or experience in data processing and some advanced coursework or training related to processing of court cases, civil procedure and bookkeeping.
Experience: Two years of experience in a court or related legal setting providing some exposure to the processing of civil and criminal files. One year of general clerical experience, preferably in a court or related legal setting providing familiarity with data processing systems and bookkeeping.
Other Requirements: May be required to be a Certified Electronic Operator. Familiarization with office and financial computer software.
The qualifications listed above are Intended to represent the minimum skill and experience levels associated with performing the duties and responsibilities contained in this job description. The qualifications should not be viewed as expressing absolute employment or promotional standards, but as general guidelines that should be considered along with other job-related selection or promotional criteria.
Working Conditions:
- Works in office conditions.
- Prolonged periods of sitting to enter data in computer.
- Exposure to persons charged or convicted of criminal offenses or at risk for criminal contempt, also persons in conflict situations.
Physical Requirements:
This job requires the ability to perform the essential functions contained in this description. These include, but are not limited to, the following requirements. Reasonable accommodations will be made for otherwise qualified applicants unable to fulfill one or more of these requirements:
- Ability to enter and retrieve information from a computer.
- Ability to access departmental files.
- Ability to operatecopy and fax machines.
- Ability to climb ladders and stoop low to place and retrieve files and books.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $19.75 - $25.67 per hour
Expected hours: 37.5 per week
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Schedule:
- Monday to Friday
- Weekends as needed
People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply
Work Location: In person
