Administrative Assistant

Luzerne County; Wilkes-Barre (Luzerne County); On-site; USD 38,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office seeks an Administrative Assistant to oversee daily functions within its units. The role involves entering, tracking, typing and filing documents for the Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County.

You will assist attorneys across trial phases, coordinate schedules, prepare pre-trial materials, and support witnesses while maintaining meticulous case records and ensuring smooth courthouse operations.

Qualifications

• Thorough knowledge of the criminal justice system.
• Ability to multitask in a fast paced environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Experience with dictation devices and transcribers.
• Ability to gather, organize and analyze information.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of standard office procedures and filing systems.
• Ability to make duty-oriented decisions based on established standards.

Responsibilities

• Assist attorneys through all trial phases from investigation to sentencing and support crime victims.
• Coordinate scheduling, subpoenas, and file organization for trials.
• Liaise with officers/detectives, draft pre-trial documents and locate witnesses as needed.
• Prepare trial binders, exhibits, witness lists and ensure essential court documents are ready.
• Maintain case logs, verify records, and manage document filing in Court/Prothonotary offices.

Skills

Criminal justice knowledge

Multitasking in fast-paced environment

Microsoft Office Suite

Dictation devices / transcriber

Information gathering & analysis

Oral & written communication

Office procedures & filing

Decision making under standards

Education

Bachelor of Science degree

High school diploma + 3 years government/general office experience

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Dictation/ transcription equipment

Scanners

Job description

Description

This position oversees the daily functions as the Administrative Assistant for units within the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. The Administrative Assistant is responsible for entering, tracking, typing and filing of documents in the Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist and Support Attorneys at all phases of Trial including initial investigation, lodging charges, preliminary hearing, trial preparation, continuous discovery, sentencing, revocations and failure to comply with sentence, notify and support victims of crime, and assist as directed by supervisors to ensure efficient processing of cases in the office.
• Investigation Phase: Liaison between attorney and officer/detective, provide assistance to officer/detective with research, criminal histories, prepare search warrants, reports, complaints/affidavits; Assist in locating witnesses/ phone numbers/addresses; Drafting pre-trial documents (such as Material Witness Orders, Motion for Disclosure of Records/Wiretap, etc.)
• Preliminary Hearing: Arrange date w/officer/detective and attorneys and coordinate with victim’s unit representative; attend hearings, request continuances and notify all parties, prepare files/questions for attorneys; prep witnesses; request transcripts; prepare writs/transport orders for local magistrates for preliminary arraignments and hearings for prisoners held out of Luzerne County.
• Trial Preparation: Review file, create and organize trial binder or sub-files for courtroom, prepare witness lists, prepare exhibit lists, pre-trial motions, draft trial briefs, coordinate experts, and provide them with files for review, coordinate with victim unit, assist with preparing evidence/exhibits*, prep and verify service of subpoenas/record subpoenas (sometimes w/individual cover letter), prep witnesses, schedule interviews, coordinate witnesses for trial, prepare jury instructions, prepare verdict slip, courtroom assistance, courtroom attendance for all hearings/trial, prepare documents/correspondence re: any issues that arise in trial; locate and schedule interpreters for hearings and trials; Certified records – Clerk of Court’s Office, Records Search in Prothonotary’s Office; Courtroom accessories ready (such as: easels, PowerPoint Screen, audio/video capability, etc.) (*e.g - taking exhibits to be enlarged/mounted and picking them up on a routine basis during trial terms)
• Sentence: Prepare any motions, correspondence (see: sexual assessment), contact victim regarding restitution information,
• Post-Sentence: Communicate with victim, officer/detective, probation regarding violation, draft revocations, obtain transcripts for PCRA and review for hearings; Upon request, review Megan Law violators for charges of Failure to Register and coordinate w/PSP Megan’s Law Division in Harrisburg, Tpr. Anderson and SOAB if necessary, Prepare IAD Form 9
• Discovery: Upon request of Attorney/Defense Attorney, as result of the call of the list, and on homicide or high profile cases: (locate file) file review, number pages, prepare copies, prepare typewritten acknowledgement noting the number of pages to be given in discovery, return files upon completion.
• Disposition Entry:Entry of Court Dispositions for Guilty Pleas/Sentencings.
• On a daily basis assist/meet/speak with officers, attorneys and the public/walk-ins regarding various issues.
• Maintaining a log of attorney(s) assigned to each individual case.
• As with all positions in the District Attorney’s Office, an Administrative Assistant must complete any and all additional duties as assigned by the District Attorney.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of the criminal justice system;
• Must have the ability to work in a fast paced environment with the ability to multitask;
• Knowledge of office technology: Microsoft Office Products-Word, Excel, PowerPoint, dictation for both microcassettes and CD transcriber machine, copy machine, scanners;
• Ability to gather, organize and analyze information;
• Ability to understand and carry out complex oral and written instructions;
• Ability to express oneself clearly and concisely both orally and in writing;
• Ability to reprioritize work in order to resolve problems;
• Thorough knowledge of standard office procedures and practices such as types, organization, and use of standard office files, logs, forms and legal letter formats; Ability to collect and organize material for reports by determining what available information should be included and presenting the information in a prescribed organized format; and
• Ability to make duty oriented decisions on the basis of well-defined standards and procedures.

Minimum Qualifications

• Possession of the required knowledge, skills and abilities;
• Graduate of an accredited college or university with a Bachelor of Science degree;

or

• Graduate of high school or possession of a high school equivalent diploma and possesses three (3) years of full time, paid general office experience in a governmental agency setting or law enforcement setting. Must be willing to undergo a criminal background check.

No application will be accepted in instances where the applicant has any pending criminal charges filed against him/her, other than minor traffic violations, or domestic violence complaints and/or PFAs in this or any other jurisdiction. An applicant is obligated to disclose any prior criminal charges and convictions, other than minor traffic violations.

The County of Luzerne is an EEO/ADA Employer