CHIEF COURT CLERK

Code: 01109 Local Competitive

Official job specification

The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.

Definition

Under direction plans, organizes, directs, and coordinates all courtroom related clerical activities concerned with judicial proceedings instituted in courts of law; does other related duties as required.

Examples of work

• Supervises the keeping of official minutes of court proceedings including motions, pleas, trials, verdicts, bails, sentences/judgments, and other pertinent information coming before the courts.
• May administer oaths to jury members, witnesses, court officers, and others during trials or other proceedings.
• Directs the issuing of certificates of discharge to the sheriff for release of prisoners upon a judge's orders.
• Maintains records and files.
• Makes changes in organization of work or assignment of functions to positions to improve workflow and services rendered, promote job satisfaction, and increase productivity.
• Recommends and justifies to higher authority organizational changes that may increase costs or jeopardize the status of employees= tenure, limit services rendered, or affect work outside of the unit.
• Prepares plans to meet substantial changes in workload and proposes/justifies revisions in staffing levels, work priorities, and deadlines.
• Coordinates unit activities with representatives of other units to work out changes/problems that affect outside organizations.
• Develops plans for and reports to higher levels of supervision on anticipated workload and production capability of the unit.
• Assigns work to employees or to units or assigns employees to positions based on a selective consideration of such factors as difficulty/requirements of assignments, availability, capability, employees= special qualifications , and other resources available.
• Sets or participates in setting performance standards.
• Reviews work in progress or on completion production reports or other data to ascertain problems in accuracy, adequacy, and adherence to procedures of individuals/units and takes corrective action as necessary or reviews/accepts or amends/rejects work for which quality standards have not been established or which may have had a lower level review.
• Keeps employees informed of management goals/objectives and higher level supervisors informed of employees= participation/concerns.
• Prepares requests to Deputy Clerk of Superior Court for filling vacancies or for additional personnel to meet workload requirements.
• Participates in the selection of employees from lists of eligibles.
• Forwards formal grievances to Deputy Clerk of Superior Court, resolving those that cannot be resolved at the first full supervisory level.
• Takes disciplinary action as necessary and proposes to higher authority a specific disciplinary action consistent with the problem and facts such as suspension, demotion, letter of warning, or removal.
• Formulates training plans for assigned employees with the approval of Deputy Clerk of Superior Court.
• Conducts informal training to broaden employee skills and to provide backup skills by cross-training.
• Recommends formal training when need is apparent and recommends employees for same.
• Informs employees of all aspects of the organization's personnel programs, either answering their questions on such matters or obtaining information from specialists when more technical answers are required.
• When required by Deputy Clerk of Superior Court, maintains a cause book as to status of all cases.
• Reviews new pleadings daily and records changes as to status of cases; for example, closes out cases, reinstates cases, and notes change of attorneys.
• Prepares Statistical Reports for the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) such as bimonthly/monthly report, Title 59 report, time-interval report, and other reports on request of higher authority.
• Prepares lists of certain types of open cases as to status on request from the Deputy Clerk of the Superior Court.
• Keeps a record as to what courts are open from day-to-day to ensure that all open courts have a court clerk at all times.
• Assigns floating court clerk to courts daily to fill in for regular clerks when absent and for other special assignments.
• Assigns clerical work to court clerks when they are not needed in court.
• Reviews minute sheets for accuracy; amends/rejects work if necessary; gives instructions as to any changes to be made on sheet; if trial closes case, marks in case book and keeps a record for AOC reports; when there is a judgment in a case, prepares written instructions for typist to prepare judgment form.
• Prepares memos as to certain clerical procedures or other information on request of higher authority.
• Answers telephone inquiries as to status of cases, filing procedures, and so forth.
• Researches cases for attorneys when there is a problem, and takes necessary steps to correct problems.
• Orders transcripts from transcribing agency when appeals are made on cases that are recorded by machine.
• Refers correspondence from attorneys regarding cases to Deputy Clerk of the Superior Court.

Experience

Six (6) years of clerical experience in a court of law, two (2) years of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity.

License

Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential duties of the position.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of rules, regulations, standards, and procedures relating to court work and of their application to specific cases.
• Knowledge of methods used in giving assignments/instructions to staff and in supervising their work.
• Knowledge of office practices and procedures.
• Knowledge of office appliances and their care/use.
• Knowledge of various legal papers/documents used in court work.
• Knowledge of the form used in administering oaths to jury members, witnesses, court officers, and others during trials or other proceedings.
• Knowledge of the preparation of correspondence relating to court activities.
• Knowledge of the preparation of clear, sound, accurate, and informative reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
• Knowledge of methods used in maintaining records and files.
• Knowledge of sound recording equipment.
• Ability to analyze and interpret laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures relating to court work and to apply them to specific cases.
• Ability to give assignments/instructions to staff, supervise their work, and evaluate their performance.
• Ability to maintain official records of the court in a neat, orderly condition.
• Ability to administer oaths.
• Ability to prepare and supervise preparation of legal papers used in court proceedings.
• Ability to prepare and supervise preparation of correspondence.
• Ability to prepare clear, sound, accurate, and informative reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
• Ability to plan and develop operating procedures and work performance standards.
• Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units. Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
• Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.