Current job title: Court Services
Supervisor
Industry: Legal, Court System
Department: Court Services
Years worked in this industry: 16
Years worked in this department: 4
Special training or attributes needed or helpful to
get job in this industry (or specific department): Typing was
the only skill I needed to be hired. Although ability to write, good
grammar, typing skills, general computer skills, skills in data entry,
organizational skills, skills in multi-tasking, transcribing skills and
ability to think on your feet are all pluses to anyone interested in this
line of work. In the management area, supervisory skills and communication
skills are a must. Skills not necessary, but nice, are experience in the
legal field, a para-legal certificate, or any working knowledge of State
Statutes and Rules of Court Procedure.
Number of
managers and/or staff supported: Report to two above my
level, supervise 12 and support a total staff of approximately 44.
Typical work hours: 8 - 5pm, Monday
through Friday.
Weekends or overtime hours: Overtime is
a daily event, but we are compensated in comp time. We ARE a county
government after all. (The exception would be for a budgeted project)
General salary range
(Note: This is a general figure or range provided by survey respondent and may
NOT be an exact salary in order to
give survey respondent some privacy. Also you must take into account that
the number of years worked in industry/department may contribute to this
salary as well as criteria such as level of position and person reports
to, required hours and geographical location.): $40,961 to
$66,089 as a Court Supervisor. Courtroom clerks make a salary from $29,305
to $47,282.
Benefits (direct or indirect): Yes.
Adequate, but not great, health insurance, retirement benefits, paid
holiday, sick and vacation leave. Mostly the normal stuff.
Lingo you might hear in this industry:
Pleading = paperwork filed in civil, criminal or domestic cases
Minute entry = an overview generated by the clerk of what happened in each
hearing before the court.
Grand Jury = a group of citizens qualified by the Court to hear cases
presented by the County Attorney, in conjunction with testimony from law
enforcement, to decide if the cases are worthy of prosecution.
A typical day on the job: This one is
hard, as my job is different every day, but I'll try.
As a supervisor in my field:
Checking on clerks, who is here, who is late, sick or on vacation, what
courts need coverage, and assigning and re-assigning clerks for the day.
Checking emails and addressing ongoing problems, projects and issues.
Perhaps getting a call from a Judge, or attorney inquiring about the
status of a case, exhibits, or pleading.
Perhaps inventorying and marking exhibits for an upcoming trial or
hearing.
Reviewing and handling equipment issues, issues with computerized systems.
Perhaps handling inquiries from the public. Etc.
Managing overtime and personnel issues.
As a clerk in my field:
Reporting to assigned court division on time and ready to work. Taking
accurate minutes of each and every hearing. Assisting the Judge with any
and all requests regarding pleadings and filings, data entry and the
upkeep of files. Receiving, marking, and storing all exhibits in hearings
and trials. Swearing in all witnesses, etc.
Positive things about being an administrative
professional in this industry: My work is extremely diverse.
No two days are ever the same. Days fly by as do weeks, months and years.
The learning curve never ends. In the legal field, new ground is broken on
a daily basis and that's interesting. Additionally, the cases are
interesting and diverse from civil lawsuits to criminal cases and domestic
cases.
In my experience (and I have been an administrative professional in some
form of law enforcement for 20 years), this has been the best place to
rise through the ranks, the most potential for earning and the easiest
place to showcase my skills of all of the places I have worked. I have
always been in some government agency, either local, state or federal.
Negative things about being an administrative
professional in this industry: Liability is always in the
back of my mind. When I'm supervising clerks in the courtroom, their
actions reflect directly the Clerk's office and we have to always be
concerned with accountability and making the best effort possible. It can
be overwhelming at times.
The work never ends. The revolving door of the courthouse means that when
you finish today's tasks, tomorrow's tasks will be streaming in. Being
"caught up" is impossible, so if you are one that only rests when you are
"caught up" you would stress yourself into a heart attack in this kind of
a job.
My job is so specific and detail oriented. Additionally, most everything
is governed by statute and we have to be diligent about doing it right and
keeping an accurate record. We are under a microscope all the time and
that can be demanding.
Type of workspace/office:
Office (for supervisor, cubicles for clerks)
Primary responsibilities as an administrative
professional in this position: As a supervisor, I am
responsible for scheduling, problem solving, time keeping, managing
conflicts and complaints, quality control, and workflow.
The clerks who work for me are responsible for taking accurate notes in
each and every hearing in the courtroom of their assigned Judge, for
transcribing those notes into what we call a "minute entry" and for all of
the data entry and filing that is associated with those case files.
Additionally, the clerks are responsible for the marking and maintaining
of all evidence presented in court.
Top thing(s) incumbent admin would require of job
applicants seeking to be her/his position replacement:
#1) Flexibiilty and good people skills
#2) Ability to work independently and take initiative
#3) Excellent time management and organizational skills
#4) A good working knowledge of the legal system.
Office machines or equipment operated regularly:
Dual computer system, multi-line phones, fax machine, copier, scanner,
microfilm viewer and postage metering system.
Technology (hard) skills used regularly:
Mostly typing and data entry skills. Knowledge computer trouble shooting
is helpful and ability to work microphones and telephone conferencing
systems is useful.
Critical soft skills: Communication is
key, staying focused and taking responsibility for mistakes (we all make 'em)
is crucial. Honesty, understanding, professionalism and accuracy are all
critical to a good employee in this field. Attention to details is
imperative.
Pace of this position: Very fast, busy,
we are constantly multi-tasking without much down time.
Geographical region: Southwest U.S.
