ADMINISTRATIVE COURT CLERK - JP7

Job Title

Maintains and ensures accuracy and integrity of the Courts' electronic and paper files. Records, researches, and process orders of the Court and ensure timely completion. Serves as a liaison between the Judges, attorneys, other County departments, and the general public. Maintains specialized knowledge of the Rules of Court and all statutes governing processes handled by these Courts by creating and maintaining written instructions and implementing required changes as directed by changes in rules and statutes. Prioritizes daily activities to ensure the judicial process maintains efficiency.

Tarrant County employees enjoy superior health, retirement, and insurance benefits.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Makes complex decisions based on verbal instruction, established Court procedures, Rules of Court, and legal statutes. Prepares and researches civil, criminal, and administrative proceedings for court dockets and hearings by ensuring accuracy, integrity, and completeness of cases.

Reviews and accepts paper and electronic filings and enters case information into the case management system. Reviews, accepts, or returns for correction electronic and paper filings, for both new and existing cases. Provides statute-mandated documents to relevant case parties and agencies.

Detailed reading and comprehension of a multitude of legal instruments including interpreting them in order to determine what further action is required and expediting those that are time sensitive.

Prepares a diverse range of legal documents such as judgments, writs, warrants of arrest and citations, judicial orders, exemplified and certified copies, and other documents from court actions. Reviews documents and data entry of peers in order to ensure accuracy of work product.

Performs general administrative duties such as copying, faxing, and mailing. Performs complex clerical duties such as classifying, consolidating, summarizing, and sorting.

Regularly assists Court staff, attorneys, general public, and other agencies with inquiries. Assists other staff with problematic issues or questions. Assists customers via phone or in person with questions concerning cases and filings. Receives verbal instruction from judiciary and court staff and determines what further action is required.

Sets court dockets and reviews and prepares case files to ensure necessary documents are in order before trials.

Attends court hearings and trials to assist Judge, process court evidence and exhibits by inputting data into the court management system, and draft judgments as trials are being conducted.

Performs cashier duties and balances till as required. May prepare deposits.

Analyzes and updates court policies and procedures, seeking management input as needed. Identifies and implements best practices in area of responsibility.

Conducts training of new staff and monitors work product as required by management staff.

Produces bills of cost and reviews cases for accurate assessment of court costs, filing fees, and fines.

Utilizes advanced knowledge to determine what kind of service document is required, what type of service is requested, whether documentation meets requirements, and if all applicable fees have been assessed and paid prior to issuance. Verifies judge's signature on orders before issuing to ensure proper execution.

Responsible for processing, inputting, and recording subsequent filings and filings fees into the case management system. Maintains court records from the initiation of the case through final disposition by routinely reviewing case files to ensure accuracy.

Prioritizes, schedules, delegates, and monitors departmental workloads.

Processes surety and cash bonds for criminal, civil, and administrative cases and personal bonds for criminal cases. Reviews and verifies bonds conform to statutes.

Scans court documents into the case management system. Organizes records in compliance with County procedures and State Law and retrieves records as needed.

Compiles legal notices and demands related to eviction appeals if filed by Statement of Inability to Pay.

Processes occupational licenses from filing to disposition and monitors compliance.

Establishes, monitors, and reconfigures payment plans as required by law. Corresponds by mail and phone to address payment plan delinquencies.

Records, maintains, and reports court-ordered community service, driver's license suspensions, alcohol convictions by minors, and TXDPS Omnibase cases as needed.

Compiles content lists of case file boxes for archival. Maintains and retains records for retrieval, delivery, and refile cycle of closed files.

Performs all other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

Associate's degree or equivalent.

Two (2) years of legal or office experience.

Years of education at an accredited college, university, or law school can substitute for required experience on a year-to-year basis.

Must obtain State Certification for Justice Court Personnel within two (2) years and attend continuing education seminars annually as required by Judge.

Must be bondable.

Must have the ability to develop unique correspondence and documents and follow complex verbal and written instructions.

Must have detailed knowledge of departmental procedures and exhibit good verbal and written communication skills with the ability to articulate important information and positively influence other people such as court staff, co-workers, or other internal and external groups.

Must maintain an appropriate professional demeanor both in and out of court.

Must have knowledge of relevant legal statutes.

Must be familiar with the use of a computer and be proficient in data entry, keyboarding, and navigating computer applications.

Possess good organizational skills and the ability to work with a numeric filing system and to handle a stressful environment.

Physical Demands and Work Environment & Other Requirements

While performing the duties of this position, the incumbent is regularly required to bend, carry, climb stairs, grasp/squeeze, use hand tools, hear, keyboard, kneel, lift below the waist, lift between waist and shoulder, lift overhead, lift to the side/twist, tolerate noise, tolerate hot and cold outside temperatures, pull, push, reach, reach overhead, perform repetitive tasks, see color, see far and near, sit, squat, stand, stoop, talk, twist, use his/her hands, drive a vehicle, walk, and work alone and with others.