Judicial Assistant to Comm. Gaxiola

Maricopa County; United States; On-site; USD 50,000 - 59,000; Full time

Job summary

Maricopa County Superior Court seeks a Judicial Assistant to support the Early Disposition Court (EDC) unit in the Criminal Court department. The role requires organizing high-volume calendars, coordinating hearings, and handling sensitive issues with diplomacy to keep cases moving smoothly.

Ideal candidates will have strong communication, attention to detail, teamwork, and familiarity with court procedures, MS Office, and court systems.

Qualifications

• Education: High School diploma or GED required.
• Three years of administrative experience or equivalent substitutions accepted.
• Experience with court procedures, legal terminology, and document processing preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support to assigned Commissioner or Division Administration.
• Maintain and revise daily court calendars, hearings, and trial dates.
• Arrange interpreters, court reporters, and special assignments as needed.
• Review case files for completeness and contact parties for missing information.
• Assist in calendar flow, case flow management, and hearing outcomes data entry.

Skills

Communication

Organization

Diplomacy

Attention to detail

Multitasking

Verbal communication

Education

High School diploma or GED

Tools

MS Outlook

Word

Excel

iCIS

OnBase

eFile

OneDrive

SharePoint

Job description

Pay Range Min - Mid - Max $23.00 - $30.25 - $37.50 The expected ENTRY pay range for this position based on experience and equity within the Judicial Branch is $24.07 to $28.25 per hour. This position is Non-Exempt under the FLSA.

Job Type Unclassified - Judicial Department D800 Superior Court

About the Position

Commissioner Esmeralda Gaxiola seeks a Judicial Assistant who is a highly skilled problem solver who can juggle competing priorities, demonstrate exceptional organization skills, and navigate sensitive issues with diplomacy all in support of the day-to-day activities of the Criminal Court department. Specifically, the Early Disposition Court (EDC) unit in the Criminal Court department, it consists of 5 high volume pretrial calendars designed for cases to be resolved quickly, most often with the defendant taking a plea from the state or defendants can waive their preliminary hearing and move towards prepping for trial. Defendants may choose to have a preliminary hearing, requiring an EDC commissioner to determine if the case will go to trial or be dismissed. Cases heard in EDC are low-end felony matters. EDC divisions are considered critical calendars and must run Monday through Friday excluding holidays. The ideal candidate has excellent communication skills, attention to detail, a positive attitude, and a willingness to contribute to the overall success of the Judicial Branch.

What We Offer

We offer generous paid time off, paid sick leave, and 10 paid holidays! We have affordable medical, dental, and vision insurance, and our employees are entitled to coverage by one of several State-sponsored retirement pension plans, our employee assistance program, and wellness incentives. Additionally, our employees have the option of life insurance, disability, a group legal plan, and pet insurance. Under the current guidelines for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program, the Maricopa County Superior Court is a qualifying employer. Therefore, any full time Judicial Branch employee, who meets other eligibility criteria may be eligible for loan forgiveness under this program. Click here to learn more!

Position Qualifications

Education: High School diploma or GED

Experience: Three (3) years of administrative experience OR Combined Education And Experience Qualifications: Experience as a Bailiff/Courtroom Assistant or Judicial Clerk Senior within the Maricopa County Superior Court may substitute for the experience requirement. Completion of an accredited legal secretary or paralegal training program or certification, may substitute for two (2) years of experience. An equivalent combination of post-secondary education may substitute on a year-for-year basis.

Our Preferred Candidate Has: Experience working in a court system, law office, or other legal setting. Experience with court procedures, legal terminology, and the legal requirements for processing court documents. Experience interacting with judges, commissioners, or attorneys. Experience with Microsoft Teams and Go-To Meetings virtual platforms.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

Knowledge Of: Court policies and procedures, legal terminology, office procedures and practices, and the legal requirements for processing court documents. Principles and processes for customer service standards and procedures.

Skill In: Verbally communicating with others to convey information effectively. Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. The use of computer applications and software such as MS Outlook, Word, Excel, iCIS, OnBase, and eFile., OneDrive, SharePoint Standard office equipment such as: multi-line telephone system, fax machine, and copier.

Ability To: Understand and follow quickly and accurately brief oral and written instructions. Make sound decisions in accordance with regulations, policies and procedures. Maintain a court calendar and work effectively with judges, commissioners, attorneys, court personnel, and the public.

Essential Job Tasks

Provides all administrative support to assigned Commissioner or Division Administration as a Judicial Assistant and/or Courtroom Assistant. Prepares, maintains, and revises daily court calendars, including: setting hearings/trial dates and processing motions. Arranges for interpreters, court reporters, and special assignments as necessary. Reviews case files for completeness; contacts interested parties for missing information. Prepares information for Judge's or Commissioner's review prior to hearings. Prepares courtroom, gathers all parties for hearings, directs when cases will proceed to courtroom, and manages calendar flow. Assists in case flow management with daily input of hearing outcomes into the court database. Handles a variety of requests, inquiries, and complaints from litigants, the public, lawyers, judges and other court personnel. Provides administrative support for Court Administration, including providing coverage, customer assistance, answering phone calls, and reviewing Cal-Acti reports.

Working Conditions

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may need to communicate clearly, perceive details of objects that are close by, and maintain various physical positions for extended periods, such as sitting, standing, or walking. The job may involve using hands for tasks such as typing, handling objects, or operating tools, as well as reaching with hands and arms. Occasionally, the employee may be required to move or lift objects weighing up to 20 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

Additional Information

Judicial Branch Human Resources reserves the right to move forward candidates based on the information provided directly on the application. The hiring authority will select the successful candidate based on departmental needs. Typically, successful candidates are hired at a salary rate up to the midpoint of the range, based on applicable experience, internal equity, and budgetary allowances. All Judicial Branch offers of employment and continued employment are contingent upon passing a thorough background and/or fingerprint check. Applicants must completely and fully answer any questions regarding felony and misdemeanor convictions including any convictions that have been expunged or set aside. Failure to include criminal history information is grounds for termination of an offer and employment. A conviction may not automatically disqualify an applicant. The Judicial Branch of Arizona in Maricopa County participates in the State Retirement systems ASRS or PSPRS. As such, mandatory membership for all full-time employees includes payroll deducted contributions consistent with each retirement system's requirements. The current contribution rate for ASRS is 12.27% and the current contribution rate for PSPRS is 5.84% and up for the defined contribution plan and 8.82% for the defined benefit plan. For more information about contributions and benefits of these plans visit https://www.azasrs.gov/ or https://www.psprs.com/corrections-officer/ Judicial Branch facilities are located throughout Maricopa County. This position may be reassigned to other locations. Assignments will be made based upon the needs of the department. The Judicial Branch in Maricopa County is an EEO/ADA Reasonable Accommodation Employer.

Our Mission

The Judicial Branch of Arizona in Maricopa County is comprised of Superior Court, Adult Probation and Juvenile Probation, which includes juvenile detention. The Judicial Branch in Maricopa County is the fourth largest trial court system in the nation and, along with its 3,200 employees, is dedicated to providing a safe, fair and impartial forum for resolving disputes, enhancing access to services, and providing innovative, evidence-based practices that improve the safety of the community and ensure the public’s trust and confidence in the Judicial Branch. Our mission is clear and simple: We are dedicated to providing a safe, fair and impartial forum for resolving disputes, enhancing access to our services, and providing innovative, evidence-based practices that improve the safety of our community and ensure the public’s trust and confidence in the Judicial Branch. In pursuit of this mission, our employees are reminded to keep our vision as part of their daily work—committing themselves to excellence and the principles inherent in the Rule of Law… every person, every day, every time. For more information, visit www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov