Court Operations Associate, Hennepin County, Ridgedale Criminal Division

Minnesota Judicial Branch; Minnetonka (MN); On-site; USD 27,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

Minnesota Judicial Branch’s Hennepin County District Court seeks a Court Operations Associate for the Ridgedale Criminal Division in Minnetonka, MN. The role focuses on frontline customer service, case processing, payments, calendar management, and coordination with prosecutors, defense attorneys, and law enforcement.

Strong attention to detail and comfort with court technology are essential. The position emphasizes teamwork, independent judgment, and professional conduct in a fast-paced

Qualifications

• Minimum: High school diploma and one year of relevant job experience OR equivalent post-high school education and experience totaling one year.
• Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills including patience and cultural awareness.
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing and verbally; able to de-escalate difficult interactions.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with team members to ensure assignments and case updates are completed efficiently and accurately.
• Process payments, recall warrants, schedule hearings, and direct court customers in a professional manner.
• Assist court customers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, probation officers, and law enforcement to meet needs in-person, over the phone, or electronically.
• Print and mail documents and review court filings for timeliness and compliance.

Skills

Prioritize assignments

Effective written & verbal communicate

MS Office Suite

Financial transactions

Customer service

Inclusive, multicultural teamwork

Education

High school diploma

Job description

Hennepin County District Court welcomes qualified applicants for a Court Operations Associate position in the Ridgedale Criminal Division. The Ridgedale team values and invests in the professional development of staff, commits to providing justice to the public, and continuously strives to evolve.

This is a diverse, inclusive, and professional environment that promotes equity for all court staff and court customers. Court Operations Associates work individually and in teams using independent judgment along with available resources to perform a variety of administrative assignments. This role requires dedication to providing excellent customer service, strong attention to detail, and technological skills to match our high-performance environment. Court Operations Associates interact with a wide variety of court customers and stakeholders including community members, judges, law enforcement officials, and attorneys.

The Ridgedale Courthouse handles misdemeanor criminal and traffic cases for the communities of Deephaven, Eden Prairie, Edina, Excelsior, Greenwood, Hopkins, Independence, Lake Minnetonka Conservation District, Long Lake, Loretto, Maple Plain, Medina, Medicine Lake, Minnetonka, Minnetonka Beach, Minnetrista, Mound, Orono, Plymouth, Shorewood, Spring Park, St. Bonifacius, St. Louis Park, Tonka Bay, Wayzata, and Woodland.

Example of Duties

Court Operations Associates at Ridgedale coordinate with team members to ensure assignments and case updates are completed efficiently and accurately. The following assignments are rotated daily:

Front Counter

• Process payments (cash, credit card, check) for fines, bail, etc.
• Recall warrants
• Schedule hearings with court and hearing officers
• Answer questions and direct court customers in a professional, courteous, and respectful manner

Administrative Tasks

• Assist court customers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, probation officers, and law enforcement to ensure the customer's needs are effectively met in-person, over the phone, or through electronic means.
• Print and mail documents, including reviewing and processing court filings for timeliness, statutory compliance, and proper document security
• Back up the front counter as needed

Lobby

• Check in court customers for court
• Enter minor case updates utilizing court technology systems

Payable Calendars

• Collaborate with prosecutors and defendants to resolve financial cases
• Schedule hearings

Courtroom Clerking

• Chair 2:
  • Assist court users by providing them with case documents and discussing next steps
  • Review case updates entered by Chair 1 and provide assistance as needed
• Chair 1:
  • Accurately call cases, update calendars, and perform high-level case processing and data entry
  • Schedule hearings
  • Act as the judge’s clerk in high-volume, fast-paced courtrooms

Typical Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma and one (1) year of relevant job experience OR equivalent amount of post-high school education and experience totaling one year.
  • Examples of relevant job experience: customer service, administrative work, office, and clerical work.

Preferred Qualifications

• Two years of customer service and/or administrative experience
• Experience in a legal setting such as a courtroom clerk or paralegal
• Experience with document imaging, indexing, and working with cases/documents from electronic workflow queues
• Detail-oriented with the ability to continuously learn and retain new material, concepts, and ongoing procedural changes
• Well-organized and analytical
• Experience handling financial transactions
• Ability to hold a simple conversation in Spanish is a plus (e.g. asking for name, date of birth, address, etc.)

Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to prioritize assignments, work well under pressure in a high-volume, fast-paced environment, and adapt to change
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing and verbally
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and ability to lean other job-related software
• Ability to process financial transactions accurately with an eye for detail
• Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills including patience, cultural awareness, and the ability to de-escalate difficult customer interactions
• Dedication to an inclusive, multicultural environment that values collaborating and learning from one another as a team

Supplemental Information

Logistics

The Ridgedale team is located in Minnetonka, MN at 12601 Ridgedale Drive (third floor). The courthouse has free covered parking available and is located near I-394, making for a convenient commute right across from many shopping and food locations. This position is currently working primarily onsite with potential for occasional remote work, depending on business needs. Typical hours for this position are 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, with some flexibility based on business needs.

Salary Range

The expected starting salary for external candidates is at least $23.50 per hour and may be higher, depending on qualifications. This position is non-exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act and is eligible for State of Minnesota employee benefits.

This AFSCME-represented position is classified as a Court Operations Associate. The position is posted for bidding, internal, and external application simultaneously and will be filled in accordance with the AFSCME contract.

All employment offers are contingent upon satisfactory results of our background check processes.

Please contact Human Resources with questions regarding this posting via email [e-mail]; or phone: [phone].