Work Unit Overview: The District Court is court of general jurisdiction that handles criminal, civil, domestic relations, juvenile, probate, mental health, and water cases. The county District Court provides the citizens of the County an open , fair , efficient, and independent jurdiciary for the advancement of justice under the law as prescribed by Montana Statute.
Job Summary: The District Court Deputy Clerk is the official keeper of all District Court records for the County and is responsible for performing a multitude of considerably difficult, wide -ranging clerical duties with accuracy, timeliness and with respect to confidentiality. These records include Adoption, Civil, Criminal,Dependent Neglect , Domestic Relations, Guardianship, Juvenile, Paternity, Probate and Sanity Cases. The Clerk also issues, files and records all county marriage license applications and licenses.
Essential Functions (Major Duties or Responsibilities): These duties are the essential functions and are not all inclusive of all duties that the incumbent performs.
? Perform routine administrative work to ensure District Court operates with efficiency, accuracy, confidentiality and in accordance with standard operating procedures and laws. This includes answering phones, receiving the public, providing customer assistance, cashiering, performing data entry and word processing, bookkeeping, picking up mail, and processing outgoing mail
? File and maintain all court and legal documents, papers and related documents appropriately in accordance with applicable statutes and procedures established by the judge. Assign case numbers to new cases (civil and criminal), maintain indexes, and keep register filings current. Transfer cases as directed and presents orders to the Judge. Certify documents as requested.
? Maintain court calendar, document & be present for all court hearings and trials. Maintain records for all District Court proceedings including adoption, civil, criminal, dependent neglect, domestic relations, guardianship, juvenile, paternity, probate, and sanity cases.
? Act as a custodian of District court documents, proceedings, and records by establishing and maintaining filing systems to ensure records and indexes are controlled according to legal guidelines. Provide ease of access to records for authorized interested parties and the public. Ensure proper security and confidentiality of all court documents and records. Photocopy and scan documents as necessary.
? Provide tactful and courteous customer service to the citizens of the County by greeting and assisting the public in a professional manner that reflects the proper respect and impartiality, of the judicial system. Provide proper legal forms and accurate instructions to the public. Maintain strict confidentiality of information. Keep informed of legislative changes necessary to assist the public.
? Process all monetary transactions efficiently in accordance with established court guidelines. This includes but is not limited to; writing and properly filing receipts for filing fees, depositing collected fees and moneys, issuing receipts for marriage licenses, collecting and processing all monies received through fines, fees, and bond; disbursing funds for bonds; recording payments; and preparing monthly deposits.
? Issue a wide variety of official court documents including but not limited to subpoenas, summonses, writs of execution, and notices per state statutes. Mail and/or distribute documents as directed. Assist pro se litigants when filing documents. Prepare and sign certain orders per state statutes. Send copies to appropriate parties and out of town judges.
? Perform searches of court records for criminal and civil requests to ensure accurate, up-to-date records are available for title companies, credit agencies, investigative agencies, and the public to search as appropriate. Search court records for genealogy requests. Ensure all searches and file requests are paid fo according to established fee collecting procedures.
? Conduct necessary research via voter registration list, computer, databases, indexes, files and dockets, to maintain a list of qualified juror attendance, and related forms to ensure that the District Court is prepared to handle caseloads, pull individual jury panels for the District Court Judges upon request.
? Perform all civil case administration duties including but not limited to; checking original documents for proper signatures and notarizations, filing all pleadings, placing court seal on proper court documents, issuing summons, docketing, and filing records and judgements, noting motions for Judges; ensure security of all court files and sending certified mailing when required to appropriate parties.
? Ensure confidentiality of juvenile, dependent neglect, insanity, and adoption cases. Send files Supreme Court and other district courts when necessary. Tickle dates for annual accountings and reviews, determine if cases can be closed and determine if files need to be sealed.
? Perform all criminal case administration duties including but not limited to, distributing attorney reports, providing timely notifications to the Sheriffs Office criminal calendar, collecting bonds and issuing receipts, preparing sentence review packets, completing packets for the Driver Improvement Bureau, and sending court files to the Sentence Review Committee and Supreme Court when necessary.
? Issue child support withholding orders when required. Complete timely and accurate records and necessary forms for the Child Support Enforcement Division.
? Maintain the jury selection list for each jury trial and determined the numbers of jurors needed to ensure proceedings are lawful. Notify jury pool possible impending service to the court and follow up as necessary. Maintain master file of juries listing who served for each trial. Prepare supplies for jurors and prepare jury room.
? Prepare documents, orders, and correspondence for the court as required by law or by the judge. Prepare monthly financial reports for internal and external purposes.
? Mark exhibits and maintain an accurate list of exhibits for each case according to legal guidelines. Maintain a tickler system to return or destroy exhibits. Give oaths to parties testifying in court and to parties signing documents.
? Issue and file marriage licenses according to the law and established procedures. Distribute applications for passports to the public.
? Maintain records in statewide database (FullCourt) to ensure uniformity and ease of access to all district court personnel in Montana and the public too.
? May sit in on and take minutes of all court proceedings in the absence of the Clerk or as scheduled.
Non-Essential Functions:
? Attend workshops, seminars, and educational sessions to keep updated on clerk of court procedures, guidelines, and changes in the law.
? Perform other duties as assigned including assisting in establishing office routines, managing special projects, attending meetings and conferences, providing backup for other staff, participating in training, etc.
Physical Demands and Working Conditions: The demands and conditions described here are representative of those the employee must meet to perform the essential functions of the job.
? Intermittent periods of standing, sitting, and walking
? Required to reach with hands or arms, stoop, kneel, crouch, and some light occasional lifting in the file storage area for research purposes.
? Occasionally required to climb or balance
? Occasionally required to lift up to 50 pounds
? Working on a computer and communicating with others
? Subject to frequent interruptions
? Work in an office and court facility environment with a moderate noise level
Supervision Exercised: List jobs reporting to the subject position and level of supervisory authority. This position does not regularly supervise other County Employees.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
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