Court Clerk - Magistrate II

Sdsoybean; Watertown (SD); On-site; USD 57,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

11-13 paid holidays per year

Extensive sick and vacation leave

Health benefits and retirement plan

Job summary

Watertown, SD-based Unified Judicial System is hiring for a full-time court operations position. You will supervise staff, organize workloads, and ensure case processing aligns with state rules and court procedures. The role includes handling money disbursement, delivering public service, and supporting magistrate duties to aid civil actions.

Requirements include a high school diploma or GED with 3 years of relevant experience; CMP/CEDP preferred. Applicants must be U.S.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED with at least 3 years of applicable experience.
• CMP or CEDP certification preferred but not required.
• U.S. citizenship, SD residency, and voting residency within the circuit.

Responsibilities

• Supervise staff, assign workloads, and coordinate staff meetings.
• Manage processing of criminal, civil, family, and other case types per rules.
• Perform administrative tasks to support court operations and compliance.
• Handle receipt and disbursement of money per procedures and protocols.
• Provide customer service to diverse stakeholders and maintain relations.
• Perform clerk magistrate duties to assist circuit court proceedings.
• Implement jury management and prepare master/grand/ petit lists.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Data entry

Critical thinking

Prioritization

Time management

Perseverance

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

Watertown, SD | Unified Judicial System | Full-Time 40 Hours Weekly

31.19 - 31.19 US per hour

Posted 2 days ago | Apply before October 23, 2026

Description

Job ID: 38091
Agency: Unified Judicial System, Third Judicial Circuit
Location: Watertown, SD
Salary:$31.19 per hour
Closing date: October 23, 2026

The Unified Judicial System (UJS) is dedicated to providing a fair, impartial, and accessible court system that upholds the rule of law and is worthy of the public’s trust and confidence. Our vision is justice for all.

Our employees are our most valuable resource and crucial to accomplishing our mission. We seek talented and motivated individuals to be the face of the court system and help ensure that the Court and all the people that come before it receives the highest level of service. Our dedicated staff work to enhance community safety and ensure victims’ rights while treating all individuals with dignity and respect.

The UJS offers a comprehensive benefits package consisting of 11-13 paid holidays every year, extensive sick and vacation leave, paid family leave, military training leave, health and flexible benefits, regular working hours, continuing education opportunities, retirement benefits, a great working environment, and more.

Position Purpose:
This position manages office operations associated with circuit and magistrate court cases filed with the court by planning, organizing, and directing procedures; and supervising personnel assigned to the court clerk magistrate's office to ensure compliance with rules and regulations set by the Unified Judicial System (UJS) and South Dakota statutes. Duties may include:

• Supervising staff, ensuring completion of workloads, organizing staff meetings, and communicating via telephone, video conferencing, and email.
• Managing processing of case types, e.g., criminal, juvenile, traffic ticket, civil, child support, divorce, probate, protection order, guardianship, trust, adoption, mental illness, involuntary commitment, small claim, pardon, expungement, pro se, etc., according to procedural guidelines and rules, and ensuring files are correct and complete.
• Performing administrative tasks to ensure the work of the unit and the court is accomplished according to applicable procedural guidelines and protocols.
• Managing receipt and disbursement of money collected by the court, e.g., bonds, alimony, child support, prepaid attorneys’ fees, scram, drug testing, fines, costs, restitutions, filing fees, etc., according to established accounting and collections procedures and protocols.
• Providing customer service by answering questions from and maintaining working relationships with a wide variety of sources, including public, county officials and personnel, collection agencies, law enforcement, abstract offices, attorneys, media, lending institutions, defendants and their families, judges, and other staff to assist them with court functions and to facilitate positive public relations.
• Performing clerk magistrate duties as assigned to assist the circuit court in disposing of civil actions and to provide direct court contact for average citizens.
• Implementing jury management procedures by preparing a master jury list, grand jury list, and petit trial lists to ensure an adequate number of jurors are available for scheduled and pending hearings.
• Performing other work as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

High school diploma or possession of a GED certificate. Three years of applicable experience; supervisory experience preferred but not required; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Certification in a Court Management Program (CMP) or Court Executive Development Program (CEDP) through the National Center for State Courts is preferred.

Upon hire, the successful applicant must meet the following requirements before beginning employment:

1. MUST BE A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES,
2. RESIDENT OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA, AND
3. A VOTING RESIDENT WITHIN THE CIRCUIT. (SD CONST. ART. V, SECTION 6)

If you already meet these requirements, please note them on your application details or on your resume.

Successful completion of a criminal background investigation is required for employment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• the organization, rules, and procedures of the UJS;
• South Dakota Codified Laws;
• policies and procedures of circuit districts and local circuit courts;
• principles and practices of case management and processing;
• computer codes and software programs used by the UJS;
• civil fees and costs required or authorized by the law;
• policies and practices of human resources management;
• general office practices;
• accounting principles and practices;
• policies governing legal information and legal advice;
• legal terminology.

Skill in:

• data entry and word processing;
• critical thinking;
• organizing and prioritizing work;
• time management;
• perseverance.

Ability to:

• remain neutral and objective while providing information and assistance to a wide variety of agencies and individuals;
• work with irate and unhappy litigants and recognize and defuse unacceptable behaviors;
• adapt and work effectively in changing situations and with varying individuals;
• acquire and analyze information from various sources and draw conclusions;
• assess procedures and recommend improvements;
• pay attention to details and recognize and resolve errors;
• speak in public.

The State of South Dakota, Unified Judicial System does not sponsor work visas for new or existing employees. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete an Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9. The Unified Judicial System as an employer will be using E-Verify to complete employment eligibility verification upon hire.