Court Clerk - Justice of the Peace Precinct 4 (Port Aransas)

Justice Of The Peace Assistant

Assists a Justice of the Peace by greeting the public, answering telephones, and handling a variety of clerical and bookkeeping functions, in order to free the Justice of the Peace to attend to judicial responsibilities.

Essential duties and responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Enters all tickets, hot checks, juvenile complaints, mental health commitments, barber, and cosmetology complaints, plumbing complaints, administrative hearings, civil, small claims, and forcible detainer actions in the appropriate docket.

Assigns numbers to each case, indexes cases, files all cases by number including truancy cases and delinquent tax suits.

Waits on customers. Determines the problem and/or assists with filing procedures.

Refers customers to Judge, proper agency, or proper court.

Copes with difficult customers as necessary.

Issues warrants, subpoenas, summonses, citations, abstracts of Judgment, executions, sequestrations, garnishments, and capias pro fine.

Assembles judgments for signature and enters all papers issued in docket and refiles.

Enters all returned papers including warrants, etc. in docket and refiles.

Collects all fees, fines and filing fees in proper ledger for all agencies who file in this precinct.

Issues receipts for all fines or fees and enters in the proper docket.

Separates reports to Parks and Wildlife and issues checks to the proper agency.

Makes monthly statistical report to the Judicial Council of all cases filed, dismissed, paid, etc.

Prepares bank deposits.

Makes monthly reports on civil and small claims, dismissals, etc.

Sets cases for hearing or trial after defendant has entered plea. Notifies all parties of trial or hearing either in person or by mail.

Makes copies of citations for attorneys.

Resets cases for trail depending on papers filed by defendant or attorneys.

Keeps inventory of all materials and orders materials when needed.

Sends warrants, summonses, capias, etc. to proper agency for execution.

Enter all occurrences in dockets daily.

Keeps record of all mail received and dates and stamps mail.

Keep files up to date with all entries.

Makes certifications on records for Judge to sign.

Types correspondence at request of Judge.

Takes wedding appointments, type certificate and returns licenses to County Clerk.

Accepts appeals on all cases when properly applied.

Makes transcripts and copies to send to the County Clerk.

Qualifications to perform this job successfully include the ability to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or experience: High school diploma or general education degree (GED plus one year of clerical experience, at least six months of which have been in a legal/judicial setting. Any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities, may be considered for current Nueces County employees only.

Language skills: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization. Employee makes regular notations on jackets, citations, complaints, judgements, etc.

Mathematical skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs. Employee calculates judgments, fines, and court costs. Employee performs bookkeeping and cashiering functions.

Reasoning ability: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Certificates, licenses, registrations: May be required to be a notary public.

Other skills and abilities: Knowledge of courtroom procedures and associated clerical functions. Ability to apply legal terminology. Ability to use independent judgment regarding release of confidential information. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other county employees, attorneys, judges and the general public. Ability to remain calm and courteous in high stress situations with people who are very upset. Ability to establish appropriate priorities and to work independently. Demonstrated ability to utilize computer in the performance of duties. Ability to communicate effectively in both English and Spanish is desirable.

Physical demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee frequently is required to talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Work environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.