Job Specification
CHIEF COURT CLERK
DEFINITION
Under direction plans, organizes, directs, and coordinates all
courtroom related clerical activities concerned with judicial
proceedings instituted in courts of law; does other related
duties as required.
NOTE: The examples of work for this title are for illustrative
purposes only. A particular position using this title may not
perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely,
all duties performed on the job may not be listed.
EXAMPLES OF WORK:
Supervises the keeping of official minutes of court proceedings
including motions, pleas, trials, verdicts, bails,
sentences/judgments, and other pertinent information coming
before the courts.
May administer oaths to jury members, witnesses, court officers,
and others during trials or other proceedings.
Directs the issuing of certificates of discharge to the sheriff
for release of prisoners upon a judge=s orders.
Maintains records and files.
Makes changes in organization of work or assignment of functions
to positions to improve workflow and services rendered, promote
job satisfaction, and increase productivity.
Recommends and justifies to higher authority organizational
changes that may increase costs or jeopardize the status of
employees= tenure, limit services rendered, or affect work
outside of the unit.
Prepares plans to meet substantial changes in workload and
proposes/justifies revisions in staffing levels, work priorities,
and deadlines.
Coordinates unit activities with representatives of other units
to work out changes/problems that affect outside organizations.
Develops plans for and reports to higher levels of supervision on
anticipated workload and production capability of the unit.
Assigns work to employees or to units or assigns employees to
positions based on a selective consideration of such factors as
difficulty/requirements of assignments, availability, capability,
employees= special qualifications , and other resources
available.
Sets or participates in setting performance standards.
Reviews work in progress or on completion production reports or
other data to ascertain problems in accuracy, adequacy, and
adherence to procedures of individuals/units and takes corrective
action as necessary or reviews/accepts or amends/rejects work for
which quality standards have not been established or which may
have had a lower level review.
Keeps employees informed of management goals/objectives and
higher level supervisors informed of employees=
participation/concerns.
Prepares requests to Deputy Clerk of Superior Court for filling
vacancies or for additional personnel to meet workload
requirements.
Participates in the selection of employees from lists of
eligibles.
Forwards formal grievances to Deputy Clerk of Superior Court,
resolving those that cannot be resolved at the first full
supervisory level.
Takes disciplinary action as necessary and proposes to higher
authority a specific disciplinary action consistent with the
problem and facts such as suspension, demotion, letter of
warning, or removal.
Formulates training plans for assigned employees with the
approval of Deputy Clerk of Superior Court.
Conducts informal training to broaden employee skills and to
provide backup skills by cross-training.
Recommends formal training when need is apparent and recommends
employees for same.
Informs employees of all aspects of the organization=s personnel
programs, either answering their questions on such matters or
obtaining information from specialists when more technical
answers are required.
When required by Deputy Clerk of Superior Court, maintains a
cause book as to status of all cases.
Reviews new pleadings daily and records changes as to status of
cases; for example, closes out cases, reinstates cases, and notes
change of attorneys.
Prepares Statistical Reports for the Administrative Office of the
Courts (AOC) such as bimonthly/monthly report, Title 59 report,
time-interval report, and other reports on request of higher
authority.
Prepares lists of certain types of open cases as to status on
request from the Deputy Clerk of the Superior Court.
Keeps a record as to what courts are open from day-to-day to
ensure that all open courts have a court clerk at all times.
Assigns floating court clerk to courts daily to fill in for
regular clerks when absent and for other special assignments.
Assigns clerical work to court clerks when they are not needed in
court.
Reviews minute sheets for accuracy; amends/rejects work if
necessary; gives instructions as to any changes to be made on
sheet; if trial closes case, marks in case book and keeps a
record for AOC reports; when there is a judgment in a case,
prepares written instructions for typist to prepare judgment
form.
Prepares memos as to certain clerical procedures or other
information on request of higher authority.
Answers telephone inquiries as to status of cases, filing
procedures, and so forth.
Researches cases for attorneys when there is a problem, and takes
necessary steps to correct problems.
Orders transcripts from transcribing agency when appeals are made
on cases that are recorded by machine.
Refers correspondence from attorneys regarding cases to Deputy
Clerk of the Superior Court.
REQUIREMENTS:
EXPERIENCE:
Six (6) years of clerical experience in a court of law, two
(2) years of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity.
LICENSE:
Appointees will be required to possess a driver=s license
valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather
than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential duties
of the position.
KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:
Knowledge of rules, regulations, standards, and procedures
relating to court work and of their application to specific
cases.
Knowledge of methods used in giving assignments/instructions to
staff and in supervising their work.
Knowledge of office practices and procedures.
Knowledge of office appliances and their care/use.
Knowledge of various legal papers/documents used in court work.
Knowledge of the form used in administering oaths to jury
members, witnesses, court officers, and others during trials or
other proceedings.
Knowledge of the preparation of correspondence relating to court
activities.
Knowledge of the preparation of clear, sound, accurate, and
informative reports containing findings, conclusions, and
recommendations.
Knowledge of methods used in maintaining records and files.
Knowledge of sound recording equipment.
Ability to analyze and interpret laws, rules, regulations,
standards, policies, and procedures relating to court work and to
apply them to specific cases.
Ability to give assignments/instructions to staff, supervise
their work, and evaluate their performance.
Ability to maintain official records of the court in a neat,
orderly condition.
Ability to administer oaths.
Ability to prepare and supervise preparation of legal papers used
in court proceedings.
Ability to prepare and supervise preparation of correspondence.
Ability to prepare clear, sound, accurate, and informative
reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
Ability to plan and develop operating procedures and work
performance standards.
Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual
recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or
related units.
Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in
English sufficiently to perform duties of this position.
American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as
acceptable forms of communication.
Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long
as they can perform essential functions of the job after
reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If
the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the
employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
This job specification is applicable to the following title code: | | Job
Spec
Code | Variant | State,
Local or
Common | Class of
Service | Work
Week | State
Class
Code | Local
Class
Code | Salary
Range | Note | | 01109 | | L | C | | N/A | 11 | | - |
This job specification is for local government use only.
Salary range is only applicable to state government.
Local salaries are established by individual local jurisdictions.
6/26/1998 |
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