Municipal Court Assistant

Job Title

Performs a variety of highly responsible, confidential, cash management, and administrative tasks, for Municipal Court and Management, to keep the department running efficiently and effectively. Maintains accurate, confidential records regarding reports, arrests, and court activities, which requires a working knowledge of local, state, and federal laws with an understanding of the Georgia Department of Drivers Services traffic regulations. Answers telephones and assist the public with questions and concerns; provides information and direction while maintaining all records related to the court system. Assists with training other employees.

Job Duties

As related to Customer Service function: Assists the public, officers, and attorneys with routine, confidential and complex telephone and face to face inquiries regarding open records, case/bench warrant information, drivers and criminal histories, payments, rescheduling, probation, violations, and the Georgia Department of Drivers Services related issues. Maintains current knowledge and awareness of policies, procedures and laws in order to provide appropriate responses to customer inquiries and or complaints. As related to Payment Processing and Collections functions: Prepares daily deposits, posts cash receipts, and balances financial accounts manually and via computer; maintains monthly spreadsheets and files; assists with the administration of accounting procedures. Calculates and receives payments and cash bonds for citations and prepares receipts; balances receipts against cash register reports and prepares deposits; requests and process refunds for cash bonds and bond forfeitures in accordance with accounting guidelines and Judge's requirements if needed. Processes payments with disposition changes or reductions; speed, violation code, and or judgment amount; verifies for accuracy, makes changes, accepts payments; before adjudicating or closing the case to ensure the accurate disposition is reported to other agencies. Processes payments received through the City's website; uploads citation information for payment via the internet, downloads payment information daily to the electronic case file, and reconciles transactions daily and monthly, investigates and correct discrepancies. Imports probation payments into the electronic case file (court software), reconciles probation reports with bank deposits, generates reports needed for recording financial transactions, and investigates discrepancies. After a court session, processes and examines failure to appear cases, makes necessary changes: violations, fine amounts, resets, and transfers. Prints and mails late notices giving 30 days to appear in court or settle the case before completing the license suspension or bench warrant process. Prepares bench warrants and processes case files for individuals who have failed to appear in court; assists with bench warrant and DDS license suspension audits. As related to Preparing Court Docket and Maintaining Case Records functions: Prepares, maintains, and monitors the arraignment court calendar and or jail docket; ensures case accuracy, verifies the violation count on the criminal and driver histories, encloses court and DDS forms that pertain to the charging violation for the Solicitor and Judge to render sentencing. Assists Deputy Court Clerk with preparing cases for trial: orders reports, traffic videos, and lab results, coordinates court date with police officers, issues subpoenas, and processes attorney filings and record requests. Ensures case accuracy, verifies the violation count, and updates criminal and driver history before the court session. Assist Clerk of Court with monitoring the monthly caseload calendar to ensure the total caseload number meets the minimum and maximum capacity for a court session and makes necessary adjustments if needed. Maintains manual and electronic filing systems by cross-indexing documents and correspondence alphabetically, numerically, or by any other established classification; enters citations, DUI results, driver's license suspensions, and final dispositions following city and state court record retention policy. Enters confidential numerical and narrative data from numerous reports and sources, using independent judgment in determining relevant information when assisting with writing dispositions and or orders for the Judge. As related to Processing Citations function: Receives, processes, examines, corrects (as necessary) citations submitted from officers and other agencies having the ability to understand and apply Georgia Traffic Laws, Georgia Department of Drivers Services regulations to verify violation codes and descriptions are correct; at times making independent judgment decisions and using critical thinking in a timely matter with citations, transfers to high courts, and resets. Ability to run and read criminal and driver's histories for pertinent information; checks tag, vehicle identification, insurance validation and serial numbers, warrants status, and tabulates violation counts. Performs monthly open ticket reconciliation, navigating between two computer systems, importing and merging data to resolve open issues, monitors for accuracy and completion. Assists Management with administrative details; compiles and pulls ticket information for annual audit. Other Related Duties: Maintains, processes, and monitors the Pretrial Division Program cases within the Solicitor and Judge's guidelines. Assists with monthly reconciliations, revenue, case management, court stats, bench warrant audit, DDS license suspension and CCH dispositions records. Assists Court Manager with monitoring active probation, non-disbursed, and court cases monthly; closing and making adjusting entries to ensure the two agencies are in balance. Processes open records and record restriction requests outside of the discovery process, requiring working knowledge, ability to apply, and make independent judgment decisions within agency policy and state law. Processes requests from the City's open records department promptly to ensure the court is meeting the three day turn around requirement per state law. Prepares the court calendar and appropriate forms for cases transferred to higher courts; disseminates required information for the transfer; monitors and reconciles transferred cases to assure proper handling by the jail staff and other courts. Performs or assists management with various administrative tasks including employee time record keeping, petty cash custodian, capital asset tracking, purchasing, and training other court assistants. Assumes routine projects to relieve Court Manager, Judge, and Solicitor of administrative details; monitors projects to completion to assure accuracy and completion. Assists with various court procedures, including, but not limited to, resetting and transferring cases, payment acceptance, assisting public with court proceedings, and writing dispositions for the Judge. Performs other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: High School Diploma or G.E.D. Associates Degree Preferred. Three years clerical experience or coursework in accounting or clerical accounting experience. Any equivalent combination of education and experience which provides the minimum level of qualifications stated above. Licenses and Certifications: Valid Class C Driver's License and a satisfactory Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) desirable. Must be able to attain and maintain State and National Crime Information Center (GCIC and NCIC) Certification within 30 days of hire date. Must be able to attain and maintain Security and Integrity certification within 30 days of hire date. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluations of customer satisfaction. Knowledge of modern clerical procedures and systems such as managing files and records, designing forms, spreadsheets, and other office procedures (MS Office Suite) and terminology. Knowledge of some bookkeeping, accounting principles, practices, methods and procedures. Knowledge and ability to interpret and disseminate, Departmental, Local, State and Federal laws and regulations, legal codes, court procedures, government regulations, Judge's orders, and agency rules in order to provide accurate and complete information in the correct manner and format. Major areas include; traffic codes, open records (Privacy Act), record restriction requests, Department of Drivers Services regulations and legal terminology. Strong organizational abilities and attention to details, court proceedings, communication, clerical duties and overall court operations. Learning Strategies- selecting and using training and instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning and teaching new things. Active Learning- understanding the implications of new information and laws on both current and future problem-solving and decision-making matters. Ability to use critical thinking and flexibility to identify the strengths and weaknesses for alternative solutions and approaches to problems. Ability to use deductive and inductive reasoning to apply laws, polices and general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. Use initiative and sound judgement within established guidelines to solve problems. Ability to make relatively complex mathematical computations with speed and accuracy. Ability to collect, compile, analyze, and maintain data and create spreadsheets. Ability to complete deadline driven assignments on time even during instances of short notice. Ability to work productively in an independent setting and as well as in team setting with minimal supervision. Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions. Ability to exercise tact and courtesy in dealing with others, including the general public, law enforcement personnel, and court officials. Ability to keep information confidential.

Supplemental Information

The incumbent can qualify for automatic promotion to Senior Municipal Court Assistant if the following conditions are met:

• Two years as Municipal Court Assistant for the City of Gainesville
• Mastery of all required skills
• Ability to meet the Senior Municipal Court Assistant job specifications
• Municipal Court Manager recommendation

This class specification should not be interpreted as all inclusive. It is intended to identify the major responsibilities and requirements of this job. The incumbents may be required to perform job-related responsibilities and tasks other than those stated in this specification.

The City of Gainesville is an equal opportunity employer. The City of Gainesville prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. The City of Gainesville conforms to the spirit as well as to the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.