Generalist Clerk
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The United States District Court and the Probation and Pretrial Services Office for the Central District of California is recruiting for a Generalist Clerk in the Southern Division. The position involves providing relief assistance for district judge and magistrate judge courtroom deputies, office services including, civil intake, criminal intake, quality control, case reassignments, docketing, records, procurement, processing mail, cashier and jury duties. The individual hired for this position must have excellent customer service skills, be organized, detail-oriented, and highly motivated. This fast-paced and challenging position requires the individual to present a professional demeanor at all times. This position offers limited telework opportunities. Travel to the Western division for training will be required. Occasional travel to divisional offices may also be necessary.
The Generalist Clerk is responsible for the following:
Criminal Intake: Calendars criminal matters on the criminal duty calendar and secures deputy federal public defender and CJA attorneys for appointment by the duty magistrate judge. Monitors the criminal intake email in-box and attaches PDF images to the docket entry, processes transfers-of-jurisdiction, grand jury returns, search and seizure warrants, arrest warrants and release memorandums. Performs quality control on criminal documents. Prepares bonds for approval by verifying that all bond conditions set have been satisfied.
Civil Intake: Receives and reviews incoming documents to determine conformity with appropriate rules, practice and/or other court requirements. Performs research and responds to inquiries and requests from judges, judicial staff, clerk’s office staff, other agencies, prisoners and the public in written or oral format. Processes new civil actions and subsequent documents from the Court’s Electronic Document Submission System (EDSS) by assigning case numbers and judges and routing documents to proper offices or persons.
Docketing: Makes summary entries of all documents and proceedings on the docket ensuring that all automated entries are appropriately linked for case management. Reviews and performs quality control of the daily docket activity report. Responsible for processing proposed related and identical case orders and docketing when orders are signed.
Customer Service: Answers help desk calls, as well as questions in person, relating to filings and other matters.
Events: Assists with the coordination, conduction, set-up and breakdown of court events.
Finance: Receives funds and performs cashier duties for new cases, appeals, copy costs, criminal penalties, and performs end of day cash out procedures.
Jury: Conducts petit juror orientation and checks jurors in electronically on the Court’s Jury Management System (JMS). Prepares and sends jury panels for trial. Assists jurors with parking and employment attendance certificates, provides refreshments, etc. Maintains Jury Assembly Room. Assists with the annual grand jury impanelment.
Records: Assists the records department with copy requests, various mail correspondence, archive files, scanning documents, and other duties as assigned. Requests case files and documents from archive facilities. Retrieve case files for the public, court staff, 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and federal agencies. Certify court documents. Prepare and ship records to the appropriate Federal Records Center. Maintain accurate records for the retention and disposition of court files. Update Records Management System (RMS). Prepares exemplifications, certified and non-certified copies, apostilles and certificates of search.
Scanning: Prepares documents prior to scanning, scan documents, ensure quality image of scanned documents, and verify documents have been docketed to the correct case and the image is attached with the proper restrictions.
Courtroom Duties: Performs relief courtroom duties for courtroom deputies for District Judges and Magistrate Judges. Coverage assignments may be for more than one judge.
- Attends court proceedings, when needed or assigned. Assists with the orderly flow of proceedings including, but not limited to, setting up courtrooms, scheduling, conducting and troubleshooting court hearings in person, by video and telephone using platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams and telephonic technology, assuring presence of all necessary participants, managing exhibits, opening court, and issuing oaths. Takes notes of proceedings and rulings, and prepares minute orders/entries and electronically files the same.
- Maintains control of the cases and examines all documents filed in an action, assigned to the judicial officer for conformity with the rules of practice; calendars and regulates the movement of cases by fixing dates and times for hearings on motions, pre-trial hearings, trials and conferences. Keeps judge and chambers staff informed of case progress. Answers procedural questions and acts as a source of information to attorneys and pro se litigants.
- Prepares the calendar daily; confers with attorneys acting as liaison between the judicial officer and counsel; calls the court calendar; and notes the appearance of counsel in matters before the Court.
- Informs jury department of upcoming trials, need for jurors, etc. Impanels and administers oaths to jurors; acts as a liaison between the judge and the jury clerk for ordering and cancellation of juries; maintains records of jury selection and attendance; swears witnesses and interpreters. Marks, stores and returns exhibits.
- Composes substantive minute orders to carry out expressed intentions of the judge; provide support for district judge and magistrate judge courtroom deputies, drafts judgments, verdict forms, and orders for judicial approval.
- Advises the financial section of fines and orders of restitution by the judge in all cases.
- Performs data quality control on attorney docketed entries of all documents and entries of all documents and proceedings on the docket; performs docket functions in the Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) system; checks ECF ready folders; and assists in ensuring all automated entries are appropriately linked for proper case management.
- Assists in the accurate statistical reporting requirements of the Administrative Office.
- Candidates must be a high school graduate or equivalent.
- One year of specialized experience equivalent to classification level (CL) 24 or CL 25.
- Possess excellent customer service and time management skills.
- Possess skill in paying attention to detail.
- Possess the ability to prioritize tasks and work assignments effectively and rapidly.
- Capability to learn a wide range of duties and tasks of several types of positions.
- The successful candidate must be a team player and exhibit the highest standards of excellence and integrity, and display always and to all persons, a courteous, professional and cooperative attitude.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and work with a variety of individuals and agencies.
- Must be a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident of the United States currently seeking citizenship or intending to become a citizen after meeting the eligibility requirements.
PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
- Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong leadership and organization skills.
- Ability to adjust to irregular work hours as necessary to accommodate court schedules.
- Knowledge of the Federal Rules of Civil, Criminal, and Appellate Procedures and federal and local rules is desired.
- Knowledge of courtroom or legal administrative procedures associated with litigation pending in federal courts.
- Computer literacy in the following areas:
Software/Videoconferencing- Proficiency with Word, Excel, Power Point, SharePoint, Adobe Acrobat, Outlook, Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Ability to organize and maintain electronic files in a web-based environment.
Hardware - Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones, multifunction printers, telephonic recorders, and Electronic Visual Evidence Presenters. Experience with CM/ECF, the electronic case filing system used in federal courts.
The physical demands of the job involves lifting boxes, shifting exhibits and court records that require a person to perform moderate to semi heavy physical activity; requires trouble shooting courtroom equipment; ability to stoop, bend, pull and push carts or portable luggage carriers to deliver voluminous documents to the judge’s chambers weighing up to 40 pounds, with or without accommodation; ability to sit in court at a computer terminal during court hearings entering information into the databases, sitting from two to three hours at a time. Work is performed in an office setting or a courtroom on a daily basis overseeing the general clerical duties.
Federal employees are entitled to federal benefits such as health, dental, vision, life insurance, long-term disability insurance, long-term care insurance and flexible spending accounts. Participation in a defined benefit plan the Federal Employees Retirement System-Further Revised Annuity Employee (FERS-FRAE), and up to 5% matching contributions on retirement savings through the Thrift Savings Plan (401k equivalent). Generous accrual of paid time vacation and sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year. Commuter subsidies for public transportation to and from work. Extensive online training options and in-person training and professional conferences, funds permitting.
Must be a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident with authorization to work in the United States who is currently seeking U.S. citizenship or intending to become a U.S. citizen immediately after meeting the eligibility requirements. As a condition of employment, the successful candidate is required to undergo an FBI background check. The Federal Financial Reform Act requires direct deposit of federal wages for employees. The United States District Court and the Probation and Pretrial Services Office requires employees to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Federal Judicial Employees, which is available on the Court’s website: www.cacd.uscourts.gov.
HOW TO APPLY:
Applications should be submitted electronically to apply_CACD@cacd.uscourts.gov. Documents must be in Microsoft Word or PDF format, and the email should reference the vacancy number. Complete applications must include the following:
- a cover letter;
- a resume; and
- an application for Federal Branch Employment (visit the court’s website at www.cacd.uscourts.gov to download the job application).
- Applicants must submit a narrative statement addressing each factor listed below or the application will be rejected. Each factor should be addressed separately and include a description of the demonstrated experience that is directly related to the duties, responsibilities, and supplemental factors for this position.
- Describe your progressive responsible clerical or administrative experience which demonstrates your knowledge of legal procedure and/or legal pleadings.
- Describe your abilities and work experiences to professionally represent the court verbally and in writing.
- Describe your work-related experience in managing multiple priorities and a high volume of work.
- What significant contributions have you made to your current or most recent employer in the past twelve months?
Applicants scheduled to interview should advise the Human Resources staff if any accommodation will be necessary to interview.
As a condition of employment, the successful candidate will be subject to an FBI background check. The United States District Court requires employees to adhere to a code of conduct which is available on the Court’s web site at http://www.cacd.uscourts.gov.
The Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this announcement, commence interviews immediately, withdraw the announcement, or fill the position at any time, any of which actions may occur without notice.
The Federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer