Court Counselor Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $116,064.00 - $134,355.00 Annually
Location : San Rafael, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 2026-0003
Department: Courtroom Support
Opening Date: 03/24/2026
Closing Date: Continuous
THE COURT
**New Hires will receive $17,000 SIGNING BONUS**
SALARY INCREASES: Salary steps are presented as a range from lowest to highest and are allocated into four (4) steps. Progression from a step is after completing a year of service in the current step.
SIGNING INCENTIVE:
*Upon hire, a sign-on bonus of $17,000 shall be offered to all new bargaining unit employees, to be paid out as follows: $10,000 one-time payment paid in the first paycheck; $5,000 one-time payment paid in the paycheck after 6 month anniversary of employment; $2,000 one-time payment paid in the paycheck after 12 month anniversary of employment.
*Relocation Reimbursement - Up to $5,000 for in-state moves (100+ miles from the Marin Courthouse) or $10,000 for out-of-state relocations (100+ miles from the Marin Courthouse).
POSITIONS AVAILABLE: FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME
DEFINITION
Under general supervision this specialized clerical level position records and transcribes verbatim stenographic accounts of assigned official court proceedings and furnishes transcripts of such records.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
This classification is distinguished from all other clerical classes in that it must be licensed by the Court Reporters Board of California as a Certified Shorthand Reporter. In addition, court reporters are required to provide their own equipment, computer and supplies, and are paid separately for transcripts.
This class reports to the Court Operations Manager or designee.
DUTIES
Positions in this class may perform any or all of the below listed duties. These should be interpreted as examples of the work, and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
1. Provides court-reporting services to the trial court; attends sessions of the Court as assigned and compiles a verbatim official record of courtroom proceedings in machine shorthand using Computer-Aided Transcription (CAT) and/or Real-time reporting equipment.
2. Reads back all or portions of the official court proceedings upon instruction from the judicial officer.
3. Prepares timely printed or magnetic media transcripts of all or part of the court record, in format prescribed by the Court upon proper request of the parties or order of the Court.
4. Reviews and certifies printed transcripts of the court.
5. Maintains reporting and transcription equipment and supplies.
6. Maintains records of transcript production and related income and expenses for inspection and auditing; maintains records and reports related to work performed.
7. Maintains, stores and delivers notes as official records of the Court in accordance with Government Code § 69955.
8. Prepares daily transcripts as needed, and provides transcripts of proceedings on request of parties or by order of the Court; proofreads, collates, binds and delivers transcripts as required.
9. Prepares excerpts of testimony in typed form as requested, and researches and prepares transcripts from past proceedings at the request of the Court, counsel, governmental agencies and litigants.
10. Performs basic legal and office file research to ensure appropriate case documentation of names, quotations and similar information.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills and abilities would be the equivalent of:
Education: Equivalent to graduation from the twelfth grade
Experience: Ability to utilize Real-time Reporting and two years' experience as a court reporter in a Trial Court.
Certification and Licenses: Possession and maintenance of a license to practice as certified shorthand reporter from the Court Reporters Board of California per Government Code § 69442.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Knowledge of: California Statutes relating to court reporting services; legal, medical and other technical terminology used in the course of court proceedings; courtroom practices and procedures; computer equipment and related programs; correct English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary and punctuation.
Skill in: Operating a computer and court reporting equipment.
Ability to: Take verbatim dictation of courtroom and related proceedings; use Computer-Aided Transcription and Real-time Reporting equipment; hear and distinguish words spoken in varying tones and volumes; read back the court record in open court; transcribe information accurately and in a timely manner; conduct basic legal and related research to verify transcribed information; maintain attention to detail; organize and prioritize work and meet critical deadlines; adjust and maintain stenographic and other similar equipment used in course of work; maintain confidential information where legal standards require; communicate orally and in written form in a clear and concise manner; deal tactfully and courteously with the public; establish and maintain effective work relationships with judicial officers, court personnel, governmental agencies and members of the public.
COUNTY OF MARIN
The County of Marin has a population of approximately 257,000 and covers 521 square miles. One of the nine Bay Area counties, Marin County is linked to San Francisco by the Golden Gate Bridge and to the East Bay by the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. The county is recognized as one of the most enjoyable living areas in the country and has many state, county and city operated parks and recreational facilities, including China Camp State Park, Mt. Tamalpais State Park, Point Reyes National Seashore, and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The Court is housed in the historic Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Marin County Civic Center.
THE COURT AS EMPLOYER
The Court employs approximately 105 people in 30 job classifications, ranging from clerical support to professional level positions. Court employees support a total of 14 judicial officers. Court employment is governed by the Trial Court Employment Protection and Governance Act and is not covered by Civil Service Rules.
The Court is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from all persons regardless of their race, ethnic background, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age or disability.
EXAMINATION AND SELECTION
All completed application materials will be reviewed after the final filing date to determine if each applicant meets the stated desirable qualifications for the position. Applicants should take note that possession of the desirable qualifications is not necessarily a guarantee of further advancement in the employment process.
Based upon the information provided in application materials, the most qualified applicants will be invited for further examination. Depending upon the number of applications received, the examination may consist of application screening, written test, performance or practical exam, oral interview, or any combination thereof.
An eligibility list is then established by ranking candidates according to their overall score in the examination process. The eligibility list generally remains valid for up to six months and appointments are made from this list to fill all vacant positions in that classification.
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Health Benefits
The Court offers medical, dental and vision insurance coverage to employees and their dependents. There are Kaiser and Blue Cross medical plans to choose from, a dental plan provided by Delta Dental, and a vision plan provided by Vision Services Plan. Full-time employees receive a generous contribution to health insurance benefits while regularly scheduled part-time employees receive a prorated amount of the benefit contribution.
Life and Disability Insurance
The Court provides a mandatory, basic term life insurance plan in the amount of $10,000, payable to a designated beneficiary. The Court also offers optional supplemental term life insurance, dependent life insurance and long-term disability insurance. For some employee groups, there is mandatory participation in the State Disability Insurance program.
Holidays and Paid Time Off
Full-time employees receive fourteen (14) paid holidays per year and, depending on the position, earn paid time off at a minimum rate of fourteen days per year for the first two years, with increases at designated intervals in subsequent years, based on employment longevity. Eligible employees are also entitled to two (2) Professional Development Days per year that may be prorated based on date of hire. Employees also receive one (1) Wellness Day annually.
Sick Leave
Full-time employees accrue twelve (12) days of sick leave per year, which may accumulate on an unlimited basis. Upon retirement, eligible employees may convert 75% of their unused, accrued sick leave balance to retirement service credit.
Flexible Spending Plans
All employees are eligible to participate in a voluntary flexible spending plan which reimburses up to $5,000 per year for qualifying dependent care expenses and $2,750 per year for qualifying medical expenses.
Carpool/Biking Incentive
Join a carpool to go further, or jump on a bike to boost your health and your wallet. You can receive a $240 taxable carpool/bike incentive once every 6 months for carpooling or biking to work at least 60 days within each 6-month reporting period. This incentive is paid out twice a year if you meet all the requirements. That's up to $480 a year! The 60 days can be achieved through a combination of biking and/or carpooling.
Marin County Retirement Plan
Court employees participate in the County of Marin's defined benefit retirement plan under the 1937 County Retirement Act. The specific plan depends on the employee's hire date and provisions of the Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA). All full-time employees and part-time employees who work a minimum of three-fourths time are enrolled in the plan. Plan benefits are based on age at time of retirement, years of service and compensation. The county retirement plan has reciprocity with other 1937 Act Retirement System organizations and California Public Employee Retirement System (Cal PERS.) Neither the Court nor the employee contributes to the federal Social Security system, but employees are required to withhold Medicare contributions.
Deferred Compensation Plan
All court employees may participate in a voluntary Internal Revenue Code Section 457 deferred compensation plan paid 100% by the employee.
Tuition Reimbursement Program
The Court offers a Tuition Reimbursement Program to employees who enroll in approved training courses or classes that directly relate to their present positions with the Court, or which may make employees more upwardly mobile in the Court. The Court's reimbursement program pays up to 50% of registration fees and materials, provided employees are pre-approved for their educational expenses and there are sufficient funds available in the Court's budget.
Employee Training and Development Program
The Court is committed to a continuous learning environment where employees are encouraged to improve their knowledge and skills throughout their careers with the Court. Onsite programs are offered in such areas as Customer Service, Safety and Ergonomics in the Workplace and Using Microsoft Office Applications. The Court also is involved in regional and statewide training networks with other courts and professional organizations, making it possible for staff to participate in enriched training in particular functional areas of court processing.
Social Security
The Court does not contribute to Social Security except for a mandatory Medicare contribution of 1.45%.
State Disability Insurance (SD)
This program provides weekly benefits in the event of short-term disability. Premiums are automatically deducted from your pay.
Worker's Compensation
Court pays into the judicial branch administered insurance fund.
Bilingual Pay
Is available for selected positions.
This Benefit Summary is informational only, and cannot modify or affect your benefits in any way, nor shall you accrue any rights because of a statement or omission from this Summary. Please contact a Human Resources representative for further details.