Tribal Court - Court Clerk Level II

Puyallup Tribe; Tacoma (WA); On-site; USD 43,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

The Puyallup Tribe is looking for a Clerical Support role within their Tribal Court, tasked with record management, assisting judicial personnel, and maintaining confidentiality. This full-time position offers a competitive salary and benefits in a supportive work environment focused on tribal rights and cultural integrity.

Benefits

Employer paid medical, dental, vision, life insurance

Retirement/401(k) plan with profit sharing

Paid holidays and time off including birthday leave

Qualifications

• Prefer experience in legal procedures, particularly in Tribal Courts.
• Intermediate to advanced experience in word processing and spreadsheets required.
• Ability to interact positively with Tribal members and staff.

Responsibilities

• Provides clerical support for the Tribal Court operations.
• Maintains court records, ensuring accuracy and conformity.
• Assists the public and attorneys with filing procedures.

Skills

Confidentiality

Strong work ethic

Attention to detail

Effective communication

Customer service

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Associate’s Degree

Tools

Word for Windows

Excel

Access

Job description

Posted Thursday, May 22, 2025 at 10:00 AM | Expires Tuesday, June 10, 2025 at 9:59 AM

The Puyallup Tribe of Indians is committed to protecting and exercising the inherent inalienable sovereign rights of the Tribe and Individuals in the interest of the Medicine Creek Treat Territories, as stewards to ensure preservation of our cultural and environmental integrity for common good and prosperity for all.

Open: May 22, 2025

Department: Tribal Court

Reports To: Court Administrator

Hours: 40 Hrs/Wk – Full Time

Salary: Based on Salary Matrix+Benefits

Requisition: 674

* Salaries are market competitive. For accurate salary information, call [phone] or email [e-mail] . The Puyallup Tribe of Indians provides a generous benefits package that includes employer paid medical, dental, vision, life insurance, a retirement/401(k) plan with profit sharing, paid holidays, and paid time off including birthday leave.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Provides clerical support and records management for operation of the Tribal Court, and support services for the Chief Court Clerk, Court Administrator, Chief Judge, Associate Judges, and Pro Tempore Judges.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality and to maintain impartial as personnel of the Court.
• Maintains court records, files, and other records.
• Accurately records details of all court room proceedings.
• Maintains court calendar and ensures that the docket is prepared one week in advance for the presiding Judge.
• Oversees issuance of summons, subpoenas, orders, and other necessary documents.
• Receives and reviews court filings for completeness and conformity to requirements and determines whether each document should be accepted or denied. Correctly completes data- entry and record keeping.
• Receives and reviews fines and fees. Correctly completes accounting, data-entry, and record keeping.
• Assists the public, attorneys, law enforcement, social services, and other agencies to submit a filing and, if applicable, explain without providing legal advice how to amend the filing so that it may be accepted by the Court.
• Affixes stamps and appropriate seals to accepted filings, provides appropriate copies to the filer, files the original filings in the Court file, takes appropriate notes detailing their actions in the Court file, and ensures the filings are presented to the presiding judge.
• Verifies, enters, retrieves, corrects, and updates information in manual and/or automated record keeping systems.
• Organizes own work responsibilities, sets specific priorities, and ensures critical deadlines are met.
• Knowledge of the Puyallup Tribal Code and functions of the Tribal judicial system and the ability to learn and apply legal terminology.
• Per the presiding judge’s direction, prepares and reviews for format and content in a variety of court documentation, including orders after hearings.
• Per the presiding judge’s direction, may contact, by telephone or e-mail, all those required in the court session, such as attorneys and witnesses, for various purposes.
• Per the presiding judge’s direction, assists as necessary with the legal and administrative needs of a jury trial.
• Attends and participates in trainings and meetings.
• Upholds all Court policies and procedures.
• Operates copiers, computer, Zoom audio/video functions, phones, and fax machine.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Chief Court Clerk, Court Administrator, Chief Judge, Associate Judges, and Pro Tempore Judges.

Level II: must perform all of the Level I duties and the following:

• In the absence of the Chief Court Clerk or a Level III Court Clerk, serves as a resource to Level I positions to guide and train.
• Will be assigned cases that may be more complex than other cases.
• Assists in the deposit of funds to accounting for Tribal Court fines and fees.
• Assists in drafting the Court’s standard operating procedures.

Level III: must perform all of the Level I and II duties and the following:

• Provides back up support for the Chief Court Clerk. May assist the Chief Court Clerk with duties, as assigned.
• Completes research and projects for Court Clerks, such as assisting with development and implementation of the Full Court system.
• Acts a subject matter expert in the Court Clerk field.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Level I has no supervisory responsibilities . Level II and III may serve as a resource to others within the department. Level III may act as Chief Court Clerk in the absence of Chief Court Clerk.

Qualifications and Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

• Prefer experience in the areas of legal procedure for criminal and civil cases, included but not limited to fishing/hunting, juvenile, probate, child welfare, guardianship, and child support, or must demonstrate an ability to learn Court processes quickly to produce accurate work.
• Prefer experience with Tribal Courts and/or tribal communities.
• High School Diploma or GED required; and one year Court Clerk experience or Associate’s Degree or equivalent combination or related experience or education. Must have two years of related experience to qualify, if experience is not as a Court Clerk. .
• Intermediate to Advanced experience and knowledge using word processing and spreadsheets is required (i.e. Word for Windows, Excel, Access, etc.)

Employees must meet the following criteria to move to the Level II:

• Must be able to demonstrate the skills and ability of the higher level duties;
• Performance evaluation completed within the last six months at a contributory or higher level; and
• Must be recommended by the Supervisor, Tribal Court Judges and management staff within the Tribal Court.
• High School Diploma or GED required; two years Court Clerk experience. A Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited university and two years of court related experience may qualify. Or satisfactory equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Advanced experience and knowledge using word processing and spreadsheets is required (i.e. Word for Windows, Excel, Access, etc.)
• Advanced experience with Court automated processing servers, such as Full Court Enterprise.

Employees must meet the following criteria to move to the Level III:

• Must be able to demonstrate the skills and ability of the higher level duties;
• Must qualify and be approved for a promotion under the Promotion Policy, 325.01; and
• Must be recommended by the Supervisor, Tribal Court Judges and management staff within the Tribal Court.
• High School Diploma or GED required; six years Court Clerk experience. A Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited university and six years of court related experience may qualify. Or satisfactory equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Advanced experience and knowledge using word processing and spreadsheets is required (i.e. Word for Windows, Excel, Access, etc.)
• Advanced experience with Court automated processing servers, such as Full Court Enterprise.

Note: Part-time work is prorated in crediting experience (e.g., if you work 20 hours per week for a 12-month period, you will be credited with six months of experience).

Language Skills

• Employee must demonstrate the ability to interact tactfully and positively with Tribal members, all levels of staff, and management.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to write routine reports and professional correspondence.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions.
• Ability to speak effectively before groups or co-workers.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Reasoning Ability

• Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of variables in situations where limited standardization exists.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to interpret and follow instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Certificates, Licenses, and Registrations:

• Related course and/or training certification preferred.

Other Skills and Abilities

• Strong work ethic and personal responsibility.
• Ability to take initiative on individual duties and team responsibilities.
• Punctual with good time management, attention to detail, and personal responsibility.
• Active learners, adaptive, reliable, and action oriented.
• General office experience performing a variety of complex duties at moderate difficulty, in positions which involve individual judgment and knowledge of policies, procedures, and responsibilities of an office environment.
• Ability to organize work, set priorities, and meet deadlines.
• Ability to explain Tribal Court filing procedures.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to last minute assignment changes.
• Ability to work both independently and as a team.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with demonstrated intellect and decision making skills.
• Ability to maintain composure in high stress situations and while dealing with distraught parties and/or members of the public.
• Strong customer service skills to work with the parties and the public.
• Strong computer skills, including data entry and typing experience.

Other Requirements

Must be able to acceptably pass a background check prior to and periodically throughout employment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear.
• The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• Must be able to lift and carry up to 25 pounds frequently.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• Work is performed in an office setting.

The Puyallup Tribe of Indians reserves the right to revise or change job duties and responsibilities as the need arises. This position description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.

INDIAN PREFERENCE EMPLOYER AS REQUIRED BY LAW

Online Application Tips:

1. If you are using a PC, use Chrome. If you are using a MAC, use Safari.

2. Upload additional documents (resume, cover letter, letters of recommendation, proof of Indian blood, etc.) to the resume tab as one (1) PDF file or email documents to [e-mail] and we can add them to your online application. Please send in copies of any degrees or certificates that you have been awarded.

3. Indian Hiring Preference – send in the appropriate documentation for the category you select. If you have any questions about the hiring preference policy or what document to send in, email us at [e-mail] or call [phone].

4. Provide 3+ references (we cannot obtain references from direct family members – mother, father, grandparents, sisters, brothers, or children and this includes in laws). One reference must be your most recent supervisor. We prefer the rest of your references to include co-workers, subordinates, or other supervisors, but we can accept a personal reference from someone who is familiar with your work ethic, habits, and attendance. You can send in letters of recommendation to [e-mail]

5. To add more employment, education, references, etc., click on the small + sign at the top right corner of the page.

6. When entering salaries, only use numbers. Do not use any other characters (such as , . or $)

7. After you submit your application, you will receive an email confirmation. If you do not receive an email, please call the office to confirm submission.

*Please do not wear perfumes, colognes, or strong scents to your interview. Some employees are allergic.

If you have any questions about the positions or the online application, please call [phone]

Native American preference applies and job placements are given on a competitive basis, using job related factors. Because of the large number of applications received and limited job positions, your application will not guarantee employment.