Title of Immediate Supervisor:  Varies
Accountable For (Job Titles):  None
FLSA Status:  Non-Exempt

The Judicial Support Specialist-District Court is responsible for performing administrative and secretarial support to a judicial officer. Independently carries out administrative assignments, initiating contacts with judges, referees, attorneys, other officials, and court staff and makes a verbatium record of district and juvenile court trials, proceedings, and other matters using audio recording equipment, writing court logs, and noting appearances and essential events during the proceeding.

Employees assigned to this classification establish certain routines and processes as well as follow routines and processes established by others.

• Edits and proofreads judicial orders and other legal and non-legal documents for accuracy and clarity.  Types, edits, and scans orders and documents for inclusion in the case management system, including completing the forms for the judicial officer to sign following hearings.  Assists with reviewing and proofing jury instructions, and after discussion of potential corrections with the judicial officer or legal staff, forwards final instructions to attorneys before trial.
• Serves as a primary contact and liaison between the judicial officer and others in the system.  Receives, reviews, and processes all incoming and outgoing communications, requests for information, and correspondence.  Acts or responds to the judicial officer orally or in writing as authorized.  Responsibility also requires coordinating communications from attorneys, detention facilities, and others in conjunction with court staff regarding conflict hearings and directing attorneys and others where and when to appear when double-booked with other courtrooms and other judicial officers.
• Provides administrative support and organization within the judicial officer's chambers by performing such duties as:
  • Coordinates and implements special projects or activities.  Keeps the judicial officer informed on project status and activities;
  • Updates and maintains the judicial officer's calendar; makes appointments; handles arrangements for meetings or speaking engagements; prepares expense/travel vouchers; prepares materials needed for meetings;
  • Maintains justice's records and case files for court proceedings and organizes files and records for jury and court trials.  Archives files and disposes other case files in accordance with procedures of the court.
• Proofreads and assists as instructed in the preparation of reports, speeches, presentations, or other correspondence for the judicial officer.
• Provides assistance and information to new legal staff regarding chambers operational questions, judicial officer preferences, and procedures and assists them in accomplishing work activities within the chamber.
• Performs various administrative clerking duties in the case management system, results hearings, sets time standards in cases, updates overdue case notes, places and removes cases under advisement, and pulls documents in from the case management system when requested by the judicial officer.   Monitors judicial dashboard for case details as needed.
• Prepares courtroom duties: 
  • Performs sound check for all microphones in the courtroom, and performs test recording prior to court.
  •  Manages the software for hearings as co-host, admitting participants, renaming participants, muting participants, requesting participants to un-mute, and creating and monitoring break-out rooms during hearings.
  • Ensures interpreters and participants are present and connected for hearings as needed. 
  • Troubleshoots and resolves any issues with courtroom technology. 
  • Performs clerk duties, administers oaths, marks documents, maintains logs and other forms, and transfers storage devices, files, and records to the clerk of district court for reference.
  • Accurately records court and jury trial proceedings. Takes court notes during hearings to identify appearances and to note significant events during the hearing and to locate and present prior testimony.  
  • Requires travel to other counties within and outside of the district for court proceedings assigned to the judicial officer.
• Performs other duties of a comparable level or type or as assigned.

Requires a high school diploma and two years of related experience.  Any combination of education, training, or experience which demonstrates the ability to successfully complete the major responsibilities and essential functions may be substituted for the experience requirement.

Valid driver’s license or evidence of equivalent mobility.

Requires AAERT (American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers) CER (certified electronic court reporter) certification or ability to obtain within six months of job entry.  A comparable certification by another state court or federal court may be substituted for the AAERT certification