Judicial Administrative Assistant

Job Title

Performs highly skilled administrative and secretarial support work for a Judge or Commissioner in Superior Court and Juvenile Court and involves knowledge of legal procedures, principles, forms and terminology.

Essential Functions

• Exercises considerable initiative, latitude and independent judgment, with limited supervision, making decisions in regard to case flow management for the division, such as requests to calendar and/or vacate hearings or trials and calendar additions.
• Serves as the judicial liaison for the division by answering, directing and responding to incoming calls from the legal community, the public and court staff.
• Performs research necessary to answer inquiries or resolve problems and/or complaints.
• Reviews incoming documents, mail and pleadings to ensure compliance with court rules, local rules, Rules of Criminal and Civil Procedure and Arizona Revised Statutes.
• Sets priorities for incoming documents and requests from the Judge or Commissioner, court staff, legal community and/or the public.
• Monitors, coordinates and manages the division's calendar by entering data into an automated or manual division calendar from minute entries, court documents and pleadings.
• Assigns hearing dates and trials for the division and enters hearing dates and trials into the court's automated tracking system.
• Coordinates the division calendar with the calendar of others.
• Organizes and verifies that legal files are prepared for the Judge or Commissioner's court calendar, which may include identifying key documents or obtaining additional records or exhibits.
• Reviews all minute entries, under advisement rulings, orders, notices and other documents to ensure accuracy in the proceeding or document and verifies that all pertinent hearing dates and results have been entered into the court's tracking system.
• Prepares, drafts and finalizes all in chambers orders, notices and under advisement rulings generated outside of the courtroom setting, as well as correspondence and memoranda.
• Reviews all settlement conference disposition information sheets on a weekly basis to determine if trial dates presently scheduled shall remain on the date/time assigned or should be rescheduled based on a calendar conflict.
• Schedules and coordinates the appearance of attorneys, interpreters, reporters and/or professional experts as needed.
• Schedules and maintains the division calendar of non-trial related events.
• Conducts periodic in chamber reviews of inactive files for future hearing dates, fiduciary compliance (probate only), for preparing inactive notices and for overall compliance with court orders.
• Processes all petitions for post-conviction relief and the on-going management of the petition calendar.
• Drafts confidential legal documents, memoranda, forms and correspondence using a desktop computer.
• Prepares preliminary and final jury instructions and the jury verdict forms, if directed by the Judge.
• Maintains chamber files for cases assigned to the division, maintains office files, suspense files for hearings and division reference publications.
• Prepares and completes travel arrangements and forms for the Judge or Commissioner and submits necessary forms for reimbursement of expenses.
• Prepares annual financial disclosure statements for signature and distribution.
• Takes and transcribes dictation.
• Explains and monitors compliance with rules and procedures for the court.

Minimum Qualifications

A high school diploma or equivalent GED Certificate and four years of progressive administrative and secretarial experience working in a court system or legal office environment processing legal documents, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. (Relevant administrative experience may substitute for up to two years of secretarial/clerical experience.) (Relevant education may substitute, on a one for one basis, for up to two years of the experience.)

Benefits

We offer exceptional benefits:

• Retirement Plan
• Vacation, holidays, and sick leave
• 100% paid parental leave
• Employer-paid Short -term Disability
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Health Wellness discount program
• Mental and Behavioral Health Benefits
• Paid Training with Advancement Opportunities
• Upon yearly anniversary, 56 hours of sick time accrued, less usage, may be rolled over to vacation time.