Legal Secretary (Judicial Assistant)

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If you are interested in applying for this position, an Official Application must be received in the Court Administrator’s Personnel Office by mail, hand delivery, or submitted electronically to HR@17th.flcourts.org. Application and additional information may be obtained from the Court Administrator’s Office, Broward County Courthouse, 201 S.E. 6th Street, Room 20140, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301 or visiting our website at http://www.17th.flcourts.org/the-employment-opportunities/

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Circuit Court Judicial Assistant

Distinguishing Characteristics of Work

The essential function of the position within the organization is to provide responsible

administrative, secretarial, and clerical support to the assigned circuit court judge’s office. The position is responsible for administrative, secretarial, and clerical tasks of high responsibility. The position works independently under general supervision according to some procedures developing work methods and sequences.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

(See examples of typical essential functions for this position listed below. Employees with this classification title may perform some or similar but not necessarily all the functions listed; employees with this title may also perform other assigned functions not listed here.)

 Prepares and maintains the judge’s court and professional calendar; schedules and

coordinates motions, hearings, and conferences; and assists attorneys with procedures on filing motions and hearing dates.

 Attends pretrial and case management conferences to assist with scheduling of trials, scheduling of hearings, and managing docket.

 Provides organizational support for the judge’s caseload, including preparing orders;

docketing jury instructions and a list of pending cases; ordering jurors; coordinating inhouse services, such as interpreters; and reviewing case files for accuracy, format

compliance, and completeness prior to submitting files to the judge.

 Screens telephone calls and visitors to the judge’s office; provides information; resolves issues; directs caller/visitor to proper personnel or agency; or takes messages.

 Composes and/or edits correspondence, memoranda, directives, notices, orders, e-mails, and other documents observing strict confidentiality.

 Prepares yearly financial disclosure forms; makes travel arrangements and processes

travel reimbursement vouchers for conferences and meetings; tracks CLE/CJE credits for assigned judge.

 Researches information on hearing dates for other agencies; prepares notices of hearings for cases put on the calendar by the judge.

 Interacts with attorneys and litigants and their family members to resolve problems such as scheduling conflicts or other case-related issues.

 Coordinates with Department of Corrections to ensure inmates appear at scheduled

hearings/court events, as requested by attorney or judge.

 Performs routine clerical tasks such as reviewing, distributing, and responding to incoming mail; performing data entry; ordering office supplies; maintaining files/records; faxing; scanning; or photocopying.

 Handles motions and pleadings, including contacting parties to set hearings where

necessary and preparing necessary orders; prepares draft orders; and edits and

proofreads final orders, and assures that appropriate attachments are incorporated as

exhibits when necessary.

 May conduct limited case law research using an electronic database

 Attends staff and other professional meetings to exchange information.

 Attends technical or professional workshops or seminars to improve professional skills.

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE GUIDELINES

Education

Refers to job specific training and education that is recommended for entry into the position.

Additional relevant experience may substitute for the recommended educational level on a year-for-year basis.

High school diploma or GED and two years of college or vocational school education in paralegal, secretarial skills, computer operations, or a closely related field.

Experience

Refers to the amount of related work experience that is recommended for entry into the position that would result in reasonable expectation that the person can perform the required tasks.

Additional relevant education may substitute for the recommended experience on a year-for-year basis, excluding supervisory experience.

Four years of related work experience.

CERTIFICATION, LICENSE, AND SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

(Refers to professional, state, or federal licenses, certifications, or registrations

required/desired to enter the position.)

N/A

COMPETENCIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Data Responsibility

Refers to information, knowledge, and conceptions obtained by observation, investigation,

interpretation, visualization, and mental creation. Data are intangible and include numbers,

words, symbols, ideas, concepts, and oral verbalizations.

Copies, transcribes, enters, or posts data or information; compiles, examines, or evaluates data or information and possibly recommends actions based on results.

People Responsibility

Refers to individuals who have contact with or are influenced by the position.

Gives information, guidance, or assistance to people who directly facilitate task

accomplishment; may give instructions or assignments to helpers or assistants.

Assets Responsibility

Refers to the responsibility for achieving economies or preventing loss within the organization.

Requires minimum responsibility for only small quantities of low cost items or supplies where opportunities for achieving economies or preventing loss are negligible.

Mathematical Requirements

Deals with quantities, magnitudes, and forms and their relationships and attributes by the use of numbers and symbols.

Uses addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; may compute ratios, rates, and

percentages.

Communications Requirements

Involves the ability to read, write, and speak.

Reads journals and manuals; composes specialized reports and business letters using proper format and grammar; speaks to groups of coworkers and people outside the organization.

Complexity of Work

Addresses the analysis, initiative, ingenuity, creativity, and concentration required by the position and the presence of any unusual pressures.

Performs coordinating work involving guidelines and rules with constant problem solving; requires continuous, close attention for accurate results or frequent exposure to unusual pressure.

Impact of Decisions/Errors

Refers to consequences such as damage to property, loss of data or property, exposure of the organization to legal liability, or injury or death to individuals.

Makes decisions with moderate impact – affects those in work unit.

Equipment Usage

Refers to inanimate objects such as substances, materials, machines, tools, equipment, work aids, or products. A thing is tangible and has shape, form, and other physical characteristics.

Handles machines, tools, equipment, or work aids involving some latitude for judgment regarding attainment of standard or in selecting appropriate items, such as computer, peripherals, or software programs.

The duties listed are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties and responsibilities.

The Florida State Courts System has the right to revise this class specification at any

time. This description does not represent in any way a contract of employment.

Job Type: Temporary

Pay: $47,746.68 per year

Work Location: In person