Court Clerk III

About the role

The mission of the Nevada County Superior Court is to ensure fair and equal access to justice, inspire trust and confidence in the court, and treat everyone with dignity and respect. To achieve this mission, the court has three guiding pillars:

• Operational Excellence - embracing a mindset of continual improvement, project management, and high standards of work to enhance professionalism, efficiency, and effectiveness.
• Culture of Service - cultivating an environment to support one another and serve the community, fostering a sense of connection and shared commitment.
• Cybersecurity - safeguarding our ability to serve as a trusted organization in the virtual realm, ensuring the security and integrity of our connections with partners and the public.

Classification Definition

Under general supervision, the Court Clerk III performs a variety of complex courtroom clerk duties and serves as a lead worker relative to other employees that provide clerical support to court hearing and courtroom proceedings.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Court Clerk III, at the advanced journey level, serves as a lead to provide guidance, document procedures and perform the most complex clerical tasks of the Court. Advanced Journey level in the Court Clerk series includes lead responsibilities; Assigns work of Court clerical staff; trains staff on Court processes and procedures; Provides technical assistance for complex or difficult assignments; resolves technical and procedural problems related to filing and other aspects of case processing; Proficiently operates the case management system and provides training to staff on its use, ensuring accurate and efficient case processing.

Essential Duties

Researches complex cases and those that pose processing difficulties; takes necessary actions to resolve problems; Serves as floater between Court divisions to meet workload demands of the Court; Receives and processes public documents for judicial departments as assigned; Reviews documents for completeness, timeliness and conformity to legal requirements; Develops and improves Court procedures and documentation to support staff members, attorneys, and the general public regarding Court operations, procedures and requirements. Performs other duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of: Training techniques; considerable knowledge of codes, local rules, procedures and legal terminology related to preparation, acceptance, processing of legal documents, case calendaring, disposition, processing and other Court functions. General principles of federal and state constitutional, administrative, civil, family and criminal law. Case and document processing functions and procedures.

Ability to: Understand and carry out oral instructions, work in an environment that includes frequent interruptions and requires attention to multiple tasks. Perform simultaneous duties. Comprehend and utilize designated software programs. Perform accounting functions accurately. Lead the work of others, plan and coordinate work. Work independently and apply specialized knowledge and understanding of codes and rules, legal terms and procedures in legal document preparation, processing, case calendaring and other Court activities. Research case-related information. Explain Court processes to the public. Organize and prioritize a variety of tasks in an effective and timely manner. Perform official actions that require attention to detail and application codes, rules and specific procedures. Use correct business English, understand and carry out oral and written instructions. Use a computer and various software utilized to create reports and documents. Operate a variety of office machines and equipment including computer systems. Take and transcribe courtroom notes in an accurate and timely manner. Prepare clear and concise correspondence and reports. Establish and maintain effective work relationships and work as a team player. Maintain a variety of manual and computerized record keeping and calendaring. Perform responsible clerical support functions effectively in all operational areas of the Court system. Locate, understand and apply pertinent codes, rules and guidelines. Provide peer training as necessary. Develop and document procedures for internal and external reference.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education and Experience: High School diploma or equivalent GED; Three (3) years of legal, court, or justice system support experience in a Superior Court, or similar organization, where duties require the use of legal terminology, a thorough understanding of trial court procedures and extensive public contact.
• Additional Requirements: Citizenship in the United States. This class description lists the major duties and requirements of the job and is not all-inclusive. Not all duties are necessarily performed by each incumbent. Incumbents may be expected to perform job-related duties other than those contained in this document and may be required to have specific job-related knowledge and skills.
• Candidates are required to pass a fingerprint clearance by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Department of Justice (DOJ).
• Applicants must have a reputation for honesty and trustworthiness. Convictions, depending on the type, number and date, may be disqualifying.