JUSTICE OF THE PEACE COURT CLERK CHIEF

Position Summary

The Chief Court Clerk is responsible for daily operations of the Justice of the Peace Office including docket coordination, department budget oversight, the department calendar and coordination of tasks and deliverables in response to legal inquiries. This position is accountable for timely, accurate and complete responses, within required deadlines. The Chief Court Clerk must be professional, well organized, and maintain a high level of confidentiality, while frequently working under short deadlines. The ideal candidate for this position should be one who is flexible with work assignments and thrives in a fast-paced environment. This position requires expert-level written and verbal communication skills, strong decision-making ability, time management skills, computer skills, and attention to detail.

Essential Functions

• Responsible for upholding supervision of the office by checking work for accuracy, maintaining supplies, training employees, getting and implementing office procedures and coordinating docket procedures
• Controls department’s financial information by filing reports, making copies, maintaining financial reports and interfacing with the County Auditor and the County Treasurer’s Offices
• Receives payments by collecting fees, issuing receipts, and entering information into computer, handling hot-checks, processing payments by mail, and preparing bank statements
• Assists the general-public by answering questions, providing information, taking payments, and other various duties.
• Processes criminal and civil suits by typing forms, filing and dating documents, logging information in docket books, issuing warrants, and processing various forms and certificates
• Maintains court docket by setting court dates and hearings, notifying appropriate parties, processing documents, and issuing summons
• Communicates the updates and the changes in the law by attending seminars and schools, reading newsletters, and notifying appropriate parties
• Prepares and maintains documents for civil and criminal cases; reviews case files to ensure all documentation is done correctly; reviews civil cases and approves on behalf of Judge Writs of Possessions
• Maintains personnel records, including vacation, sick and overtime/comp time
• Oversees bond accounting duties in the specialized software
• Supervises and manages the work of Court Clerks; trains personnel as needed; approves time off and other employee requests as necessary
• Prepares and makes recommendations to the annual budget as well as ensures all expenses are within the allocated amount; orders supplies as necessary
• Calculates and processes exact fines and filing fee amounts; receives and processes payment for fees and fines; handles receipts for money; reconciles all monies received; creates related financial reports; completes bank deposits as necessary
• Prepares a variety of reports related to court issues
• Performs clerical and data entry work relate to criminal, civil, traffic, and other types of cases; processes and maintains a variety of files and records; enters, stores, sorts, and retrieves information as requested
• Answers the telephone and assists the public with inquiries; refers callers to appropriate office, department, or person; or takes appropriate messages for unavailable personnel
• Oversees department calendar; schedules and conducts monthly staff meetings and travel arrangements
• Regular attendance and timeliness is required

Minimum Requirements

EDUCATION:
Required:

• Associate’s Degree in Paralegal, Criminal Justice, Social Work or related field, in lieu of degree minimum 3 years’ experience in legal support, criminal justice or other related experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, Social Work or related field, in lieu of degree minimum of 5 years of experience in legal support, criminal justice other related experience
• Justice of the Peace Court Clerk Certification as well as Clerk of the Court designation

• Type accurately at a speed of at least 45 words per minute
• Knowledge of McLennan County Justice Court regulations, policies, and procedures
• Knowledge of federal, state and local laws related to traffic, criminal procedure, civil procedure, family code, penal code juvenile laws
• Good knowledge of court clerk procedures and processes
• Knowledge of leadership and supervisory principles, practices, and techniques
• Ability to exhibit a high level of confidentiality and integrity while handling sensitive matters
• Strong organizational skills and proven ability to maintain accurate, detailed records
• Ability to accurately sort, file, and retrieve material using alphabetical, numerical, or chronological systems
• Keen attention to detail; careful and accurate data entry
• Knowledge of basic arithmetic, algebra and statistics including add, subtract, multiply, divide, interest, decimals and percentages
• Exceptional skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with County employees and officials, judges, attorneys, representatives of outside agencies, and the general public
• General skill in operating standard office equipment such as personal computers, calculators, and telephones
• General knowledge of basic hardware and software and uses of a variety of different computer operating systems such as Microsoft Office Work, Excel, Outlook
• Maintain appropriate necessary certifications

• 3 years’ experience in criminal justice administration, legal support or closely related field
• 6 months lead work or supervisory experience
• (BILINGUAL) Fluent Spanish speaking, reading and writing with excellent communication

Supplemental Information

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS: Individual works indoors in a well-lighted office environment, some contact with person’s accused or convicted of crimes.

PHYSICAL DEMAND REQUIREMENTS:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear
• The employee frequently is required to stand. The employee is occasionally required to walk; sit; use hands to find, handle, or feel objects, reach with hands and arms; stoop and kneel
• Must be able to safely lift 20 lbs.

McLennan County will conduct background checks on new hires that will include a criminal background check related to convictions and deferred adjudications in the past seven years and may include credit reports, motor vehicle records, employment records, and educational attainment. A conviction or deferred adjudication is not an automatic bar to employment. Each case is considered individually.