Trial Court Administrative Assistant (U) #00000391-23200, Full-Time, At-Will in Albuquerque, NM

General Statement of Duties

The Second Judicial District Court is recruiting for a full-time, at-will Trial Court Administrative Assistant (U) #00000391-23200, for the Family Court Division XXIV in Albuquerque, NM.

Duties

• Manages, e-files, and researches cases in the case management system.
• Calendars and schedules hearings for a judge, including but not limited to motions, scheduling conferences, temporary restraining orders, preliminary and permanent injunctions, and orders to show cause, pre-trial conferences, jury trials, and bench trials.
• Prepares bond and release orders, dockets court orders to process warrants, and checks jail logs.
• Researches, drafts, and prepares documents, orders, agendas, and correspondence for Judge’s review and approval.
• Prepares legal pleadings and drafts correspondence and orders to assist a Judge (i.e. pre-trials, temporary restraining, show cause, Rule 1-016 Scheduling Orders, permanent restraining transport, and competency orders name change, warrants and custom orders).
• Calls bond notices on arraignments and domestic violence hearings.
• Aids pro se litigants, provides legal forms, and procedural information, manages cases, composes legal correspondence, and prepares statistical reports.
• Oversees jury certificates, trial-seating charts, and edits jury instructions and questionnaires.
• Coordinates court reporters, monitors, bailiffs, litigants, attorneys, interpreters and security for court proceedings.
• Manages general office duties including answering phones, responding to emails, filing, calling court clients, assisting court clients with virtual settings, and assisting with identifying data in reports to improve office and court operations.
• Prepares and maintains comprehensive logs of all pending guardianship and conservatorship cases, which requires review and updating on a continual basis.
• Creates yearly jury and bench docket calendars, in advance, for a judge.
• Reviews case event reports and takes action where indicated including drafting correspondence, generating draft orders, and setting status hearings.
• Checks jail logs and facilitates inmate appearances in person or by audio/video.
• Provides public case information to parties, attorneys, law enforcement agencies, and other outside agencies.
• Affords assistance and coordination with other judge offices to accommodate judges and staff on leave, including assistance in managing and conducting jury trials, bench trials, hearings, and other matters.
• Coordinates with other agencies and departments within the judiciary and court staff to manage cases and case documents, case filings, and case status.
• Researches and corrects errors found in the electronic case management system.
• Evaluates and assesses all proposed-text emails to a judge email account, including the attachments, to ensure parties and counsel follow proper court and filing procedures before forwarding to a judge for review.
• Coordinates and conducts pre-trial meetings with counsel and parties prior to trial to give instruction on technology and any other logistics needed prior to and during trial.
• Tracks and prepares travel or other reimbursement requests.
• Coordinates the timely processing of documents.
• Answers telephones and provides information as needed.
• Manages office files and records.
• Coordinates with other agencies and court staff to manage cases and case documents.

Competencies/Qualifications

• Knowledge of legal terminology, citations and procedures; court rules and operations; case management systems; legal research, including electronic databases such as Westlaw Next, Lexis, and New Mexico One Source of Law; legal materials such as New Mexico Statutes Annotated (NMSA); legal citation/use and English writing style such as The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation and other legal reference materials; Supreme Court and Appellate Court Rules; Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR); rules and statues of Notary Public; assigned court(s) and procedures (i.e., civil, criminal, drug, mental health, homeless, domestic violence, student loans, guardianships, conservatorships, abuse and neglect, probate, lower court appeals and DWI cases); electronic rules and filing procedures; court procedural information versus legal advice; cultural diversity; calendaring and case file scanning; court case management system and applied programs; organizational management; conflict resolution; research methodology; filings in magistrate court; journal docket; dictation and transcription as required by the Judge, and court monitoring equipment.
• Extensive customer service information to public, parties, attorneys, and law enforcement agencies and communicates case information with court staff, judges and other governmental entities.
• Manages office files and records.
• Coordinates with other agencies and court staff to manage cases and case documents.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

Work is performed in an office or court setting. A valid drivers license and travel may be required. The assigned work schedule may include nights, weekends, holidays, and overtime. The employee must regularly interact positively with co-workers, clients, the public, judges and justices. Extended periods of sitting and computer use.

Qualifications

• Education: Associate’s degree in any field.
• Experience: Three (3) years of court case processing, professional legal secretarial or office management experience.
• Additional relevant education may substitute for up to one (1) year of experience.
• Thirty (30) semester hours equals one year of experience.
• Court Monitor Certification must be obtained within three (3) months for district courts without pools of court monitors, or if required by the Judge or by the Court Executive Officer.

Benefits

• Medical/Dental/Vision/Rx, Short, and Long Term Disability Insurance Programs, employee assistance program (EAP)
• State paid life insurance, supplemental and dependent life insurance
• Optional flexible spending accounts for medical, day-care, and travel expenses
• Paid vacation and sick leave up to eight (8) weeks
• Eleven (11) paid holidays
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• Deferred Compensation 457(b) plan
• Lifetime Defined Benefits Retirement Plan
• Flexible work schedules and alternative work locations
• Free health care, Rx, and lab work at the facility (Stay Well Health Center) in Santa Fe, NM
• Bilingual compensation
• Training and career development opportunities
• Higher education opportunities, educational leave, and tuition reimbursement
• May qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)
• May receive overtime holiday or shift differential pay

Equal Opportunity Employer