21999 - Crown Court Clerk

Ministry of Justice; Taunton; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 31,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual Leave

Pension

Training

Hybrid working

Professional networks

Job summary

The Ministry of Justice in Taunton is seeking Crown Court Clerks to ensure hearings run smoothly, with the authority to speak in court and produce accurate court documents. This permanent role offers flexible working with hybrid arrangements and a Civil Service grade EO, with a salary in the £29k–£31k band and opportunities for training and development.

You will work with a clerking team to manage daily court sittings, liaise with judges and prosecution, and deliver timely outcomes.

Qualifications

• High emotional resilience is required.
• Active listener with clear, confident communication.
• Ability to liaise with Judge, defence, prosecution and media.
• Ability to produce accurate, time-critical court documents.

Responsibilities

• Speak publicly in court and liaise with the Judge and others.
• Ensure smooth running of Crown Court sittings and intervening when required.
• Lead and support the clerking team to meet deadlines and protect judicial sitting time.
• Produce accurate court orders and record hearing outcomes efficiently.

Skills

Motivate team

Public speaking

Communication

Documentation

IT proficiency

Job description

General Information

Salary £29,303 - £31,061

Working Pattern Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working

Vacancy Approach External

Location Taunton

Region South West

Closing Date 24-Sep-2026

Post Type Permanent

Civil Service Grade EO

Number of jobs available 2

Reserve List 12 Months

Job ID 21999

Descriptions & requirements

Proud to Serve. Proud to keep justice going.

Our Crown Court Clerks are essential to ensure Crown Court hearings run smoothly. They have the self-assurance to speak in court, communicate confidently with the Judge and all participants and the skill to produce accurate and timely Court documents. Our Crown Court Clerk training programme provides a structured yet flexible approach to building the skills required to perform this vital role. This position includes line management responsibility.

About us

HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family Courts and Tribunals in England and Wales. Our roles support our service users and colleagues within HMCTS, where people and businesses access potentially life-changing justice. We’re looking for individuals who are committed to public service and making a difference in people’s lives to deliver justice. If you are interested in developing a career with a real purpose, please apply.

About you

This is a unique position at the heart of justice. It requires high emotional resilience, along with the ability to understand and be sensitive to many, sometime difficult, issues and take a non-judgemental approach to our service users.

You’re an active listener, confident communicator; able to speak publicly in court, with the self-assurance to confidently liaise with the Judge, the defence, prosecution, media, members of the public and more, regarding complex and sensitive matters in a calm and professional manner.

A real team player, working with the clerking team, you’ll ensure the smooth running of all the Crown Courts sitting daily, able to intervene in Court when required and maximise judicial sitting time. With experience in producing exact and time critical documentation, your ability to focus will be key in taking verdicts, conducting arraignments, producing Court orders and recording hearing outcomes accurately and efficiently.

You recognise the importance of the team’s overall wellbeing and meet objectives by setting clear direction and measuring through team and individual meetings.

Resilient, keen to learn and able to multi-task, you’re familiar with working within process and have the IT skills to adapt to new systems and technologies as we’re constantly investing in digital solutions to improve the way we deliver the justice people deserve in today’s world.

Your skills and experience

• Ability to motivate and support your team to deliver excellent customer service and achieve effective performance.


• Able to speak publicly and within a court room environment.


• Excellent communication, organisational and prioritisation skills.


• Ability to complete documents accurately and to deadlines.


• IT proficient with the ability to learn and adapt to different technologies and software packages.

This role gives you the opportunity to make a difference in delivery Justice and gives you the benefits developing your career in the Civil Service.

Please refer to the job description attachment for more information.

We also have more information on our website about the role Crown court clerks - HM Courts & Tribunals service

Further details:

New recruits to the Civil Service joining MoJ are expected to join at the band minimum.

These operational roles are customer facing, requiring successful applicants to be office based to provide HMCTS services to the public. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. HMCTS welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs and are agreed prior to appointment. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy, but this role cannot accommodate Mondays or Fridays as non-working days.

Travel to other courts

This role is based at Taunton Combined Courts (TA1 4EU). However, due to current building works and site closure, the post will temporarily be based at Taunton Crown Court sitting at Worle (BS22 7BB). Once Taunton Combined Courts reopens, the successful candidate will be required to work across both locations.

Skilled Worker Visa

This role is not eligible for new Skilled Worker visas in accordance with the current immigration rules.

From 22 July 2025, the Government introduced changes to the Skilled Worker visa route. The department cannot consider sponsoring you for this role unless you have held a Skilled Worker visa prior to the 22 July 2025 changes. If you have held a Skilled Worker visa continuously, please raise this during your vetting checks and eligibility will be assessed in accordance with the immigration rules and transitional provisions in place.

If you are applying for this role and you have not held a Skilled Worker visa prior to the 22 July 2025 changes, you will need to consider your options for obtaining and/or maintaining your right to work in the UK in light of these changes. Successful applicants must ensure they have and maintain the legal right to live and work in the Civil Service and in the United Kingdom.

The Department will continue to comply with UK Immigration Rules applied in the UK and Civil Service. You can read more about Skilled Worker visas and the eligibility criteria here.

Additional Information

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.

Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised role: all successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) – See Map. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.

For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.

All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.

Flexible working hours

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.

Benefits

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual Leave

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.

There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Pension

The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

Support

• A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.


• Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.


• For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www.GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.


• Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.


• Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

• To Transformative Business Services (0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail [e-mail]);


• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team ([e-mail]);


• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent