Court Clerk/Juvenile Case Manager

City-of-Wataug; Watauga (TX); On-site; USD 38,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Watauga is seeking a Municipal Court Clerk to provide a range of court services to the public. The role involves answering inquiries by phone, email and in person, processing payments, setting court dates, and entering data into court software.

The ideal candidate will have a high school diploma and at least two years of customer service experience, with knowledge of court procedures. CJIS background check will be required, and notary certification must be obtained within six months.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent; AND two (2) years of customer service experience; OR an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide customer service to citizens, defendants, parents of defendants, and other parties by phone, email, and in person, including answering questions, taking payments, setting court dates, data entry, preparing payment plans, receiving documents, and filing appropriately.
• Receive payments and provide receipts for court fines and fees, as well as cash bonds, in cash, check, money order, credit card; in person, by mail, online, or by phone; balance cash drawer daily.
• Prepare and maintain all court records and related files; enter case information into court software; prepare court documents and dispositions.
• Maintain Court dockets; review court files for compliance with judge’s orders; generate correspondence for defendants (summons, notices, letters).
• Upload/import/process new citations from Police, Animal Control, and Code Enforcement staff; respond to inquiries and complaints; review work for accuracy.

Skills

Customer service

Data entry

Payment processing

Court procedures

Communication

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Court software

Job description

Under general supervision, provides a variety of municipal court services to the general public.

• Provide customer service to citizens, defendants, parents of defendants, and other parties by phone, email, and in person, including but not limited to: answering questions, taking payments, setting court dates, data entry, preparing payment plans, receiving documents, and filing appropriately.
• Receive payments and provide receipts for court fines and fees, as well as cash bond payments, in the form of cash, check money order, and credit card in person, by mail, online, or by phone. Balance cash drawer daily.
• Prepares and maintains all court records, both paper and electronic, and related files by preparing documents for court, processing judgments and dispositions, and entering case information into a court software system.
• Prepares and maintains Court dockets, as needed.
• Review court files for compliance with the judge’s orders.
• Generate correspondence and documents for defendants related to court case files, including court summons, letters, hearing notices, etc.
• Uploads, imports, and processes new citations/complaints from the Police, Animal Control, and Code Enforcement staff, as needed.
• Responds to customer inquiries and complaints.
• Regularly review work for accuracy and completeness.
• Advises defendants of their rights and basic judicial procedures.
• Processes incoming/outgoing mail, including payments, bonds, time-served requests, and other correspondence.
• Assist judge, prosecutor, attorneys/lawyers, and court personnel, as needed.
• Prepares, compiles, and maintains various public resources, such as the Municipal Court webpage.
• Provides work guidance to Court volunteers and at City special events.
• May serve in the absence of the Senior Court Clerk.
• Responsible for all juvenile and minor court records. Additional duties include, but are not limited to:
  • Provides a pre-sentence assessment of the juvenile’s needs and risk levels by gathering information relating to education, and social and family histories and provides the information to the Municipal Judge.
  • Schedule and prepare juvenile cases for hearings and maintain all records of the court, including DPS suspension records.
  • Educates and informs juvenile defendants and their parents with referrals for needed services such as counseling or treatment centers.
  • Monitors programs and compliance of juveniles and minors in programs.
  • Maintains all school violations including truancy, failure to attend school, and parental non-compliance violations.
  • Maintains all community service contacts and mandatory classes for drug, tobacco, and alcohol defendants.
  • Serves as the liaison between the Watauga Municipal Court and The North Tarrant Teen Court for all cases sent to Teen Court. Manages the case flow between the two entities.
• May perform other duties as assigned.

SCOPE OF SUPERVISION

• Works under the general supervision of the Municipal Court Administrator.

Education, Training, and Experience Guidelines

High school diploma or equivalent; AND two (2) years of customer service experience; OR an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

LICENSE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Certified Level I Court Clerk, preferred. Must possess certification as a Certified Level Court Clerk within two (2) years of employment and maintain that level of certification or higher for the duration of employment in this position. Must be able to obtain a commission as a Notary Public within six (6) months of initial employment.

Applicant must pass a Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS) fingerprint-based background check and maintain CJIS eligibility. Due to CJIS requirements related to system access, the following will result in being disqualified for this position: Felony Convictions, Felony Deferred Adjudication, Class A & B Misdemeanor Deferred Adjudication, Class B Misdemeanor Convictions, an Open Arrest for Any Criminal Offense (Felony or Misdemeanor), and Family Violence Convictions.

Knowledge of:

• City organization, operations, policies, and procedures.
• Applicable local, state, and federal laws, rules, regulations, and guidelines.
• Legal system.
• Code of Judicial Conduct.
• Transportation Code.
• Penal Codes.
• Principles and practices of effective customer service.
• Texas Local Government Codes.
• Applicable policies, procedures, and regulations covering specific areas of assignment.
• Business and personal computers, and spreadsheet software applications.

Skill in:

• Handling situations requiring diplomacy, fairness, firmness, and sound judgment.
• Understanding, and applying relevant policies and procedures.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with various City departments, external government agencies, attorneys, schools, suppliers, vendors, and the general public.
• Operating a personal computer and financial software programs.
• Communicating effectively both verbally and in writing.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

Work is performed in an office work environment. May be required to lift and carry items weighing up to 25 pounds.