Courtroom Clerk I/II (Open and Promotional)

About the role

The Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Courtroom Clerk I/II. Courtroom Clerks provide direct administrative assistance to their supervisors, the Judges, and Commissioners; interact with attorneys, the public, and other County agencies; process a variety of legal documents, provide data entry support, maintain accurate and timely records of court proceedings, and provide support services to the Clerk's Office.

Responsibilities

• Attend all court proceedings and record and transcribe minutes of legal actions and proceedings such as disposition of pleas, trial settings, motions, continuances, and all findings and rulings made by the court.
• Maintain a judge's daily court calendar and inform appropriate individuals of changes, record assignment of cases, and confer with attorneys to set hearing dates.
• Screen visitors and attend confidential hearings in the judge's chambers and prepare and process appropriate documentation resulting from such hearings.
• Impel and poll jurors, record challenges, administer oaths or affirmations to witnesses and jurors, and record jury service and compensation due.
• Provide general, non-legal information regarding courtroom policies and procedures to courtroom participants.
• Receive, mark, and maintain records of evidence and exhibits and ensure the safekeeping of such materials during the proceedings.
• Read charges, read and record verdicts and sentences, and prepare abstracts of judgments for sentencing purposes.
• Notify involved parties of various court matters by telephone, in person, or by preparing correspondence.
• Answer routine inquiries and correspondence regarding court matters such as court orders, hearing and filing dates, and the judge's decisions.
• Provide varied office and administrative assistance to the judge.
• Enter and retrieve data and prepare reports using a personal or on-line computer system and create new databases and report formats using preprogrammed software for case management.
• Organize work, set priorities, and ensure that critical deadlines are met.
• Organize and maintain varied general and departmental files, initiate new filing systems, purge outdated materials as required, maintain tickler files, and independently follow up on matters as necessary.
• Operate standard office equipment such as a remote appearance audio/video portable unit and public access hardware, including electronic recording equipment, computer, copier, facsimile machine, calculator, or telephone.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Knowledge of computers and Microsoft Office Suite programs.
• Effective interpersonal skills and ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality and professionalism while working with a diverse group, including the judicial officers, attorneys, law enforcement agencies, and the public.
• Ability to take initiative, problem-solve, and adapt in a challenging work environment with shifting priorities and multiple deadlines.
• Ability to work as a member of a team and independently.
• Excellent public speaking, listening, and written communication skills.
• At least two years of experience in the legal field and a working knowledge of court documents, procedures, and legal terminology.
• The ability to operate remote appearance technology and equipment (e.g., Zoom).
• Work in any court department and must be able to travel to any court location in the county (Redwood City, San Mateo, South San Francisco).

Qualifications

• Education and Experience: Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is two years of experience receiving, filing, and processing a variety of legal documents such as are found in the court.
• Knowledge of Court and courtroom policies, procedures, practices, and terminology.
• Applicable codes, rules of court and proceedings, and general legal terminology, processes, and format.
• Office and administrative practices and procedures, including filing and the operation of standard office equipment.
• Records management practices and procedures, including indexing and cross-indexing.
• Business letter writing and the proper form for typed material.
• Correct English usage, including grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Principles and techniques for dealing with the public, often when relations may be strained.
• Basic business data processing principles and practices.
• Business arithmetic.

Skills/Abilities

• To understand and apply Court, courtroom, and basic legal policies, practices, procedures, and terminology and explain them to court participants.
• To perform detailed, complex, and difficult courtroom support work quickly and accurately.
• To organize and prioritize work, meet critical time deadlines, and coordinate multiple activities.
• To deal tactfully and effectively with a variety of individuals.
• To exercise initiative and sound independent judgment within established guidelines.
• To compose correspondence independently or from brief instruction.
• To use standard office equipment, including a remote appearance audio/video portable unit, public access hardware, and computer.
• To organize and maintain accurate files and records.
• To understand and carry out oral and written instructions.
• To type at a rate of 40 net words per minute from printed copy.

Benefits

The County of San Mateo offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to eligible employees. This includes health and wellness benefits, financial security, and more. For a detailed overview, please visit our Benefits-at-a-Glance page.