Court Stenographer 3/Clerk of Judicial Records, Criminal Division

COURT STENOGRAPHER 3

Clerk of Judicial Records, Criminal Division

County of Lehigh

Status: Full-Time | Wage: $24.42

GENERAL DEFINITION:

This is specialized clerical work, performing substantive court processing work. A position in this class takes verbatim notes of judges court orders and other court proceedings for immediate transcription and processing and independently carries out assigned processes and functions that are integral parts of the organizations mission. Work includes duties that require some subject matter knowledge beyond those of terminology, format or information sources. Work may include the oversight of other clerical positions and/or the performance of higher or lower-level duties on an incidental basis, but the primary emphasis is on the personal performance of verbatim notes and substantive processing work. A position in this class is differentiated from those in related classes by the incumbents individual responsibility for independently accomplishing and accounting for assigned processes and actions and deputized to perform limited legal acts. A position in this class reports directly to a higher-level administrative position.

TYPICAL EXAMPLES OF WORK: (Illustrative Only)

Attends criminal court hearings, sentencings, de novo trials, trials without jury, jury trials and arraignments; administers oaths to jurors, witnesses, interpreters and tipstaves; monitors progress of trial from beginning to end; takes notes of judges' orders in open court; transcribes, in longhand, onto legal forms necessary for specific actions such as sentencings, A.R.D. orders, bail orders, etc.; types verdict form for approval by court and submission to jury; reads verdict in open court and polls jurors when requested; answers questions regarding bail; notifies affected parties of any bail modification orders; follows up on post-trial motions by notifying court of such filings; transcribes other court orders and motions and develops minutes of proceedings; types minutes, orders, summaries, etc. into permanent case docket book; enters through judicial computer system.

Initiates, administers and controls assigned functions, programs or systems, including independently making decisions and/or taking definitive action on assignments, such as processing and accepting bail surety, reviewing and processing appeals to higher courts, calculating and assessing court costs, preparing and certifying writs, judgments and similar documents, and conducting and summarizing legal research; works with County and/or Court management personnel, affected individuals both within and outside of the County government, and others such as attorneys, social service personnel, and/or parties to court cases; provides information governing assigned program and explains need for different or additional information, action or assistance; describes affect of alternative choices on individuals part; puts such choices into effect, including any related justifications, documentation or other processing; maintains confidentiality and/or control of these and related records, including statutory or other basis for that status; determines need for initiating, documenting or otherwise taking action with assigned program; writes regular and special reports of such activities, including analysis and recommendations for improvement in operational or program practices; provides functional program information, needs, analyses, etc., for use by computer personnel in developing and/or implementing automated data- processing systems.

Maintains records of activities; determines when action, such as purchase of office supplies, is required and initiates same; assembles information from such records for own or others use in budget and other administrative planning efforts; establishes and maintains files on various bases; signs, date-stamps or otherwise identifies and/or controls records; may instruct and/or review the work of other clerical positions.

Answers telephone and/or receives visitors to office; answers questions about services and/or provides assistance; composes answers to correspondence about assigned functions or programs; may open, sort, and distribute mail; may receive and issue receipts for payments, posting that and other information to records; operates office equipment such as computer terminals, copiers, microfiche equipment, calculators and adding machines.

Performs related work as required.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Comprehensive knowledge of clerical practices and procedures commonly employed in judicial offices.
• Comprehensive knowledge of English usage, grammar, spelling, and punctuation as used in clerical- processing assignments in judicial offices.
• Thorough knowledge of clerical legal principles, practices, methods and techniques used in effecting decisions and actions governing criminal procedures.
• Thorough knowledge of terminology and research techniques commonly used in criminal legal procedures.
• Thorough knowledge of the organizational and functional relationships within the County, the Court, and related organizations.
• Skill in gathering information from and explaining substantive processing requirements to visitors, callers, clients, attorneys, members of the public and representatives from other offices both within and outside of the County and/or Court.
• Skill in organizing workload, establishing priorities and completing substantive processing requirements.
• Ability to take notes, in open court and transcribe in both verbatim and summary form.
• Ability to use spreadsheet, database, word-processing, graphics and/or similar computer programs, as well as office equipment, when required by work assignment.
• Ability to document and control filing and other recordkeeping systems.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, callers, visitors, clients, representatives of other offices and members of the public.

Schedule:
M-F 8:30am-4:30pm

Bargaining Unit:
NO

Crime Check:
YES

Experience:

• Three to four years clerical experience in a judicial setting, two years which shall have been at the full performance level, including substantive assignments for verbatim work.
• Or any equivalent combination of acceptable training and experience which has provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities cited above.

Education:

G.E.D. or High School Diploma

Interested applicants must submit a completed County application, resume and cover letter for consideration. Applicants can check the status of this posting via the County's Job Posting Status web page to learn if the position is open, pending, or has been closed. The appointing Authority will directly contact those applicants they are interested in potential candidates for this position.

Testing required.

Employee must provide own transportation.