Judicial Assistant I

Madera Superior Court; Madera (CA); On-site; USD 38,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

CalPERS retirement

Health benefits

13 paid holidays

Life/retirement options

Job summary

Madera County Superior Court is seeking a Judicial Assistant I to support court operations, manage calendars, and handle a variety of documents and records for court proceedings. The position involves filing, issuing legal documents, and providing information on court procedures.

Strong organizational and communication skills are essential. Responsibilities include maintaining calendars, processing filings across civil, criminal, and family law, preparing subpoenas and reports, and assisting the

Qualifications

• Experience with recordkeeping and filing systems.
• Familiarity with modern office equipment and computer use.
• Ability to perform basic math and data entry.
• Strong English spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Ability to manage calendars and prepare court documents.

Responsibilities

• Process and file court documents across civil, criminal, juvenile, probate, small claims and family law.
• Maintain and update court calendars and records; docket cases and arraignments.
• Prepare subpoenas, abstracts and reports; handle exhibits and custody.
• Assist the public; answer questions and help with completing forms.
• Conform and file orders signed by judges; revise forms as needed.
• Perform complex record searches; ensure secure storage of exhibits.

Skills

Basic record keeping

Filing and retrieval systems

Modern office practices

English usage

Basic mathematical principles

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Two years of college coursework (criminal justice/related)

Sixty college units with 12 units in related study

Job description

SUPERIOR COURT

COUNTY OF MADERA, STATE OF CALIFORNIA

ANNOUNCEMENT OF EXAMINATION

JUDICIAL ASSISTANT I

Monthly Salary: $3,364 - $4,089*

Final Filing Date: September 11, 2026

The Madera County Superior Court encourages a positive work-life balance and offers a

competitive benefits package:

• Experienced Judicial Assistant’s with years of service are encouraged to apply.
• The Madera County Superior Court offers membership into CalPERS and for Classic Members a 2.7% at 55 retirement benefit formula for individuals in a California Government Retirement System on or before 12/31/2012, or new employees a 2% at 62 retirement benefit formula.
• Retirement from Madera County Superior Court includes lifelong employer contributions towards health benefit plans.
• *The Madera County Superior Court CEO may consider hiring above the entry level A step based on years of experience.

____________________________________

THE POSITION

Under supervision the Judicial Assistant I performs a wide variety of work involved in the preparation and maintenance of documents and records for court proceedings; to perform a wide variety of assignments in accepting, filing and issuing legal documents; to provide information concerning current calendar status, functions and procedures of the court and the office of the Clerk of the Court; and to do related work as required.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

Exercises no supervision.

IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Processes, counts, indexes, and collects bail for citations.
• Accepts court-ordered fine payments and prepares overdue violator cases for referral to collection agencies.
• Prepares subpoenas for witnesses to appear in court.
• Prepares abstracts and reports depicting the disposition of court cases.
• Maintains accounting records.
• Establishes calendars for all case types as needed.
• Dockets cases and calendars arraignments.
• Issues papers for the collection of judgments.
• Prepares papers for the transfer of cases to other courts.
• Prepares failure to appear and arrest warrants.
• Maintains and updates court calendars and records, indicating the status and disposition of cases.
• Retrieves files and information from files, searches for missing files, delivers files and documents to court or appropriate parties.
• Types a variety of documents including memoranda, abstracts, judgments and decisions.
• Prepares records for submission to other courts.
• Receives, verifies and receipts all court exhibits for custody, safekeeping, release and disposal.
• Stores and records the location of exhibits and maintains their security and integrity; arranges for transportation of exhibits to court trial departments or subpoenaing authority.
• Makes exhibits available, under surveillance, for inspection by legally authorized persons.
• Releases to authorized persons property no longer used as evidence.
• Reviews case files to determine destruction eligibility and maintains required records of disposition of exhibits.
• Waits on the counter and answers the telephone, providing information on the functions and procedures of the court, the status of cases and requirements for filing documents.
• Assists individuals with completing documents and forms.
• Accepts documents for filing in all levels of civil, criminal and juvenile cases, probates, small claims and family law.
• Conforms and files orders signed by judges.
• Prepares and conforms documents and information for court case files.
• Revises forms and ensures proper availability of forms for legal and other filings.
• Receives confidential reports and makes them available to appropriate persons.
• Conducts complex record searches.
• Affixes seals and stamps to endorse, certify, or file documents.
• Maintains filing systems for documents, making changes and adjustments as necessary.
• Maintains a variety of account records related to the collection of document fees.
• Assists with public access to court records, if appropriate.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of

• Basic record keeping.
• Filing and retrieval systems.
• Modern office practices, methods and computer equipment.
• English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Basic mathematical principles.

Skill to

• Operate modern office equipment including computer equipment.
• Type and enter data at a speed necessary for successful job performance.
• Take and transcribe notes accurately.

Ability to

• Learn the functions, policies and procedures of the Madera County Superior Court System.
• Learn the pertinent codes, statutes and regulations governing court operations.
• Learn, interpret and apply policies, procedures, laws, codes and regulations including those affecting public access and use of information and records maintained in the office of the Clerk of the Court.
• Learn the pertinent legal procedures and documents used in court cases.
• Learn the principles and procedures of court calendar preparation and maintenance.
• Learn, interpret and apply the policies, procedures, laws, codes and regulations related to evidence custody, storage, disposition and destruction.
• Handle and provide for the custody of evidence in a legal, professional manner.
• Maintain, retrieve, and destroy evidence and records.
• Learn legal terminology.
• Learn, interpret and apply statutes and instructions related to court proceedings.
• Perform a wide variety of office support work.
• Make arithmetical calculations.
• Prepare clear and concise correspondence and reports.
• Deal tactfully and courteously with the public and legal representatives in providing information about court functions and proceedings.
• Deal tactfully and courteously with the public in explaining the functions, procedures and laws governing the activities of the office of the Clerk of the Court.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Establish, maintain and foster positive and harmonious working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

OTHER JOB RELATED DUTIES

Performs related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Any combination equivalent to experience and training that would provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities would be qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills and abilities would be:

Experience:

Six (6) months of full time or part time, paid or unpaid, work experience working for Madera Superior Court in a clerical capacity. Qualifying experience must by verified by the assigned Supervisor or Human Resources, with input from the appropriate Senior Judicial Assistant or Trainer.

OR

Two (2) yearsof responsible office support experience in a position requiring extensive public contact.

OR

The completion of sixty (60) semester college units with at least twelve (12) units in the areas of study such asCriminal Justice, Criminology, Sociology, Political Science, Public Administration, Business Administration or a field of study that provides for the understanding of or ability to learn the knowledge skills and abilities of the position.

EDUCATION:

Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Essential duties require the following physical skills and work environment:

Ability to work in a standard office environment.

LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE

Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate, valid driver’s license or must be able to provide

self-arranged transportation.

BACKGROUND CHECK REQUIREMENTS

The final candidate will be required to submit to Live Scan Fingerprinting as a condition of employment should an offer be made. In addition, the final candidate will be required to submit verification of identity, citizenship, or legal right to work in the United States.

EXAMINATION PROCESS

A qualifications appraisal for the purpose of appraising the candidate’s education, experience, and personal qualifications will be scheduled for those candidates who meet the minimum qualifications, and may be administered either by a written examination, oral interview, evaluation of education and experience, or any combination of qualifications appraisal determined by the Superior Court Human Resources Division to be appropriate. The Human Resources Division may limit the number of qualified applicants eligible to participate in the examination process. The Superior Court Human Resources Division will make reasonable accommodations in the examination process for disabled applicants. Madera County Superior Court does not discriminate on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, sex, or age in any of its programs or activities.

BENEFITS

Benefits of employment with the Superior Court, County of Madera include 13 paid holidays, 1 floating holiday per year, and 1 sick leave day per month (unlimited accrual); Appointed to a permanent position shall be granted 5 days credit for vacation following the completion of 6 calendar months of continuous paid full-time service and following the completion of 12 calendar months of continuous paid full-time service will be credited 5 additional vacation days, vacation accrual increasing thereafter with years of service (50 days max accrual); Membership in the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) pursuant to the provisions of California’s 2013 Pension Reform Act (Act) and CalPERS Regulations. For those individuals with current or prior CalPERS membership status or defined as a “classic member”, will be eligible for an enhanced 2.7% @ 55 retirement formula; employee contributes 8%. Individuals with no current or prior CalPERS membership status and who are defined as “new members” or new employees under the Act, will be eligible for the 2% @ 62 retirement benefit formula; employee contributes 7.75%. Superior Court participates in the CalPERS Health Benefit Program, and for certain selected health plans, the Superior Court pays 100% of the health insurance premium for employee and 50% for either two-party or family coverage.

ADA ACCOMMODATIONS

If you are a person with a disability and need accommodations during the interview process, please contact our office at [phone].

THE PROVISIONS OF THIS JOB BULLETIN DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED CONTRACT. THE MADERA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MAKE NECESSARY MODIFICATIONS TO THE EXAMINATION PLAN. SUCH REVISIONS WILL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH MADERA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT PERSONNEL POLICIES AND STANDARDS. QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MAY BE DIRECTED TO THE MADERA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT, HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION.