Arraignment Courtroom Clerk

District of Columbia Courts; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 59,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life insurance

Retirement benefits

Commuter transit benefit

Job summary

District of Columbia Courts in Washington, DC seeks an Arraignment Courtroom Clerk to support the Criminal Division and manage a high-volume calendar with speed and accuracy. The role requires working late hours, holidays, weekends, and during weather-related closures.

Responsibilities include administering oaths, coordinating jury selection, maintaining court records, and preparing orders and notices. The position liaises with the judge and provides technical courtroom support.

Qualifications

• Education must be from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Upload transcript or degree as part of the application.
• Foreign education requires Transcript and Certificate of Foreign Equivalency for credit.
• Not a federal position; DC Courts are an independent branch of government.

Responsibilities

• Manage courtroom operations to ensure parties are present and courtroom is ready for proceedings.
• Administer oaths to jurors, witnesses, and interpreters; maintain court records in the case management system.
• Coordinate the jury selection process: roll calls, strikes, panel lists, and compensation verification.
• Submit requests for language access interpreters and court reporters; maintain official records.
• Prepare judicial orders, warrants, judgments, notices and other court documents; provide copies to parties.

Skills

Attention to detail

Communication

Data entry

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Case management system

Job description

• Hiring Agency: District of Columbia Courts
• Department: Other Agencies and Independent Organizations
• Location: District of Columbia, District of Columbia
• Schedule: Requires evening, weekend and holiday work.

The Arraignment Courtroom Clerk supports the operations of the Criminal Division. This is an essential position that is required to work later hours, holidays, weekends, and when there are weather-related closures. This position covers a high-volume calendar, for which speed and attention to detail are necessary in order to be successful.

Key Responsibilities

The Arraignment Courtroom Clerk will be expected to perform the following duties in a timely and competent manner, exercise sound and professional judgment, work both independently and cooperatively, and communicate clearly and courteously. Provides accurate case information and assistance promptly and courteously.

Manages courtroom operations to ensure that appropriate personnel and parties are present for proceedings and that the courtroom is ready before calling the judge into the courtroom; calls the courtroom to order as needed. Administers oaths to jurors, witnesses, and interpreters; takes notes and generates necessary paperwork in accordance with the rulings of the courts; inputs data as needed to ensure complete and accurate court records.

Coordinates the jury selection process by conducting roll calls of jurors, recording the number of strikes taken by each attorney, maintaining a list of all jurors selected, documenting panel list outcomes of each prospective juror, verifying jury activity for compensation purposes, facilitating the deployment of ADA accommodations, and collaborating with the Juror Office and other stakeholders.

Submits requests and ensures the presence of language access interpreters and court reporters. Accurately maintains the official court record of court proceedings in a timely manner; prepares minutes, and records appearances of court participants. Receives, marks, maintains records and assumes custody of evidence and exhibits. Enters case dispositions, judgments, postponements, fines, and costs ordered by the judge into the court's case management system.

Prepares judicial orders, bench warrants, commitments, judgments, notices and other court documents and forms as required, directed, or pursuant to the court's ruling and provides copies to parties in compliance with the business processes and standard operating procedures. Acts as a primary liaison to the assigned judicial officer for purposes of conducting proceedings, provides technical assistance and serves as an administrative resource in the courtroom.

Participates in training to ensure professional development and competency to provide services in all case types; assists in cross-training co-workers as needed or directed. Provides coverage for courtrooms and calendars in other divisions and offices as needed.

Requirements & Education

To qualify based on education, upload a copy of your college transcript or degree. The transcript must show the name of the college or university, your name, a list of courses with credit hours, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for District of Columbia Courts employment.

You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ Foreign Education: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must upload a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript at the time of application to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications.

This is not a federal position. The District of Columbia Courts is an independent branch of the District of Columbia Government and is not under the authority of the City Mayor or the D. C. Council. DC Courts' appropriation comes directly from Congress. All DC Courts non-judicial employees receive federal benefits for the following programs: Life Insurance, Retirement Benefits, Health Insurance and Workers Compensation.

Most military, federal, and District of Columbia government service counts toward the time required to go into the next higher annual leave category. Employees can carry over no more than 240 hours of annual leave into the next leave year. Sick Leave is used for personal medical needs, care of a family member, or adoption-related purposes. Full-time employees earn four (4) hours of sick leave biweekly. This leave can be accrued without limit.

In addition to the federal health plans, the DC Courts offer employees supplemental vision and dental plans as well as a commuter transit benefit subsidy, for a maximum of $150 a month. There are 26 pay periods in the year.

Which agency is hiring for this position?

This position is with District of Columbia Courts, Other Agencies and Independent Organizations.

What is the salary for this position?

The posted pay range is $59281 – $77068/yr.

What security clearance is required?

This position requires a Other security clearance.

What is the application deadline?

Applications close on 2026-10-16.

What is the work schedule?

This is a Requires evening, weekend and holiday work. position.

Who is eligible to apply?

This position is open under the 'Fed Internal Search' hiring path.