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Court Clerks serve as clerical assistants to court judges, performing the nonlegal tasks involved in court operations.

JOB DUTIES

The duties of Court Clerk vary according to the type and size of the court served and the administrative structure of the court in which they work. Court Clerks may:

Prepare the docket or calendar of cases to be called

Examine legal documents submitted to the court to ensure that they adhere to the law or court procedures

Prepare case folders

Post, file, or route documents such as birth and death certificates or military discharges

Explain procedures and forms to the parties involved in a case

Contact witnesses, attorneys, and litigants to obtain information and to inform them of when to appear in court

Notify the district attorney's office of cases to be prosecuted by the district attorney

Swear in and impanel jurors

Administer the oath to witnesses

Record minutes of the court proceedings

Record case dispositions, court orders, and arrangements for payment of court fees

Collect court fees or fines and record the amounts collected

Enter information on cases into a computer by typing on the keyboard

In small courts, Court Clerks may also type jury lists, prepare and mail jury notices, and assist in other clerical functions. In large courts, assistant Clerks may handle the more routine duties while Court Clerks handle the administrative or legal duties requiring knowledge of court practices and procedures. Examples of specialized types of assistant court clerks include docketing clerks, courtroom deputies, and neutralization clerks (Federal courts only).

The tools, equipment, and materials used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES

243.362-010 COURT CLERKS serve as clerical assistants to court judges, performing the nonlegal tasks involved in court operations.

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following MOIScripts:

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Court Clerks work under the supervision of judges or court administrators. Experienced Court Clerks may supervise a large staff of assistant clerks. Clerks in large courts may oversee the activities of several offices or departments.

Court Clerks spend most of their time in offices and courtrooms that are clean, well lighted and well ventilated. The development of modern office equipment, such as computers, reproduction machines, and microfilm devices, has helped to ease the burden of the more tedious work. The work tends to be more stressful than other clerical work because of the close association with the practice of law.

Court Clerks usually work a 5-day, 40-hour week. Their exact hours may vary according to federal or state laws and rules; rules of town, city, or county boards of commissioners; or the orders of judges or others with the power to regulate hours of work.

Court Clerks may belong to professional associations, such as the Federal Court Clerks Association or The National Association for Court Management. Members of professional associations must usually pay dues.

You Should Prefer:

• Activities concerned with communication of information/ideas to

people

• Activities involving business contact with people

• Activities of a definite, organized nature

You Should Be Able To:

• Perform a variety of duties which may change often

• Deal tactfully with people beyond giving and receiving instructions

• See details/recognize errors in numbers/spelling/punctuation

• Understand meanings of words/ideas, & present information effectively

• Reason/make judgments to understand/deal with complicated court

papers

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

In order to qualify for a raise, your typing speed must increase by 2% each year for your first three years on the job. If you currently type 48 words per minute, how many words per minute will qualify you for a raise?

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

Should be able to read and understand terminology such as summons, subpoena, docket, testimony.

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

Prepare the minutes of a court proceeding.

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

Should be able to demonstrate excellent analytical skills and be detail oriented in assisting court judges with clerical duties.

One to three years of general office experience is usually required. Study at a business school, a background in public relations, a bachelor's degree, and some legal background are all helpful. Administrative skills are a definite advantage because the business of the court is exacting and complex. Some courts require applicants to type 30 to 40 words a minute. To work in courts covered by civil service rules, individuals must usually take and pass a competitive exam. A knowledge of one or more foreign languages may be valuable for Court Clerks employed in areas of the county having large non-english speaking populations. Although nearly all Clerks in federal courts have a bachelor's degree, it is not required. All federal Court Clerks are appointed to office.

EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

NOTE: On-The-Job Training provided by the employer or a High School Diploma or Equivalent or a High School Diploma with specific Vocational Education Classes or a Certificate (program of up to one year of study beyond high school) or an Associate Degree (two years of study beyond high school) may qualify a person for this occupation.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the MOISCRIPT:

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0600 BUSINESS , 0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 1000 COMPUTERS , 1300 ENGLISH , 1600 FOREIGN LANGUAGE , 1700 GOVERNMENT , 2200 MATH , 2800 PUBLIC SPEAKING , 3000 SOCIAL STUDIES

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this MOIScript

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

138 GENERAL OFFICE CLERK TRAINING

Programs in General Office Clerk Training are designed for the individuals who wish to learn the basic clerical skills needed for employment in the various office settings. The programs will prepare students to perform such duties as duplicating data, compiling records and reports, tabulating and posting data in record books, sorting and filing correspondence and records, handling mail, and operating office machines.

Courses vary from school to school but may include:

Search for a College and/or Instructional Program

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this MOIScript

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAM***

Please check the Military web site at http://www.myfuture.com

LEGAL SPECIALISTS AND COURT REPORTERS

The military has its own judicial system for prosecuting lawbreakers and handling disputes. Legal specialists and court reporters assist military lawyers and judges in the performance of legal and judicial work. They perform legal research, prepare legal documents, and record legal proceedings.

What They Do

Legal specialists and court reporters in the military perform some or all of the following duties:

• Research court decisions and military regulations

• Process legal claims and appeals

• Interview clients and take statements

• Prepare trial requests and make arrangements for courtrooms

• Maintain law libraries and trial case files

• Type text from stenotyped records, shorthand notes, or taped records of court proceedings

• Prepare records of hearings, investigations, court-martials, and courts of inquiry

Training Provided

Job training consists of 6 to 10 weeks of instruction. Course content typically includes:

• Legal terminology and research techniques

• How to prepare legal documents

• High speed transcription

• Military judicial processes

Helpful Attributes

Helpful school subjects include business mathematics, typing, speech, and shorthand. Helpful attributes include:

• Interest in the law and legal proceedings

• Ability to keep organized and accurate records

• Ability to listen carefully

Special Requirements

Some specialties require the ability to type at a rate of 25-50 words per minute.

Physical Demands

Good hearing and clear speech are needed to record and read aloud court proceedings. A clear speaking ability is necessary to interview clients.

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian legal specialists and court reporters work for private law firms, banks, insurance companies, government agencies, and local, state, and federal courts. They perform duties similar to military legal specialists and court reporters may also be called legal assistants, clerks, paralegal assistants, and court clerks or recorders.

Work Environment

Legal specialists and court reporters work in military law offices and courtrooms.

Opportunities

The services have about 2,400 legal specialists and court reporters. On average, they need about 210 new specialists and court reporters each year. After training, they work under an attorney or legal office. With experience, legal specialists and court reporters perform more demanding activities. In time, they may become supervisors of other legal specialists and court reporters.

E-Learning Courses and Programs

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OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Summer or part-time work in clerical positions in the Court Clerk's office will provide the opportunity to observe the duties of a Court Clerk. Performing routine duties such as preparing case folders and collecting and recording court fees and fines may be possible. Postsecondary programs in general office clerk training as well as military service may offer opportunities for practical experience.

               School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships

mentorships

job shadowing experiences

touring a local Court Clerk employer

internships

volunteer work with a Court Clerk employer

community service work with an agency

The most common methods of entering this occupation are direct application to federal, state, and local Court Clerk offices and taking civil service exams. State court systems offer the most job openings. The offices of district Court Clerks are listed in telephone directories under "United States Government", while the offices of local courts are listed under the names of counties, cities, or towns. Assistance in obtaining a job may be available from school placement offices. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:

Michigan Talent Bank

Michigan Jobs & Career Portal

Classifieds Employment

Yahoo! Careers

Michigan Works!

                 You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.

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  EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT

Salaries of Court Clerks depend on the type and size of the court where employed, the worker's experience, and the job responsibilities. Court clerks who work for the federal court system usually earn the highest salaries.

Depending on the size of the court, Federal Court Clerks (Chief Clerks) may start at the GS-14, GS-15, or higher level. In 2000, the starting annual salaries for these levels were $65,983 and $77,614. The earnings of other employees in the Court Clerk's office depend on the duties and responsibilities of the job. At the low end of the pay scale are file clerks who earned a beginning annual salary of $17,015 (GS-3) or $19,100 (GS-4). Starting annual salaries for other Clerks range up to the pay of a docketing operations supervisor which was $39,178 (GS-11), $46,955 (GS-12), or $55,837 (GS-13) in 2000. The salaries of these federal government workers may be higher in some urban areas.

Court Clerks employed in Michigan earned the following annual salaries in 1999:

Some Court Clerks receive cost-of-living allowances and/or annual longevity payments based on years of service.

Most Court Clerks receive paid vacations and holidays, life and health insurance, paid sick leave, and retirement plans. Some also receive dental, optical, and disability benefits. These benefits are usually paid for, at least in part, by the employer.

Court Clerks may start in other clerical positions, such as typist or file clerk, or may start as assistant court clerks or court assistants. With experience, they may advance to Court Clerk positions. Court Clerks may also advance by accepting positions in larger courts where the responsibilities are greater and the pay is higher. Some Court Clerks become court administrators.

Experience and the ability to perform more responsible work are the most important factors affecting advancement. Successful completion of promotional examinations may be necessary for advancement in courts covered by civil service regulations.

EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK

Nationally, there were about 51,200 Court Clerks employed in 1998. Employment is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2008. The industry distribution for Court Clerks looked like this:

Other increasing court workloads and the growing complexity of the judicial system continue to create a need for efficient court administration.

There are about 1,800 Court Clerks employed in Michigan. They were employed in courts throughout the state. They worked in probate courts, district courts, circuit courts, juvenile courts, small claims courts, bankruptcy courts, and federal courts. Almost all of the Court Clerks in Michigan worked in local government courts.

Employment of Court Clerks in Michigan is expected to grow more slowly than the average for all occupations through the year 2006. An average of 30 openings per year is expected, with 10 due to growth and 20 due to the replacement of workers who retire, die or leave the labor force for other reasons. Additional openings will occur as workers change jobs or occupations. Growth is expected as a result of an anticipated increase in caseloads, pressure to reduce delays caused by case backlogs, and increased emphasis on more efficient management of court operations. However, tight budgets in many public jurisdictions may limit employment increases.

MICHIGAN'S EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2005

MSA designates a Metropolitan Statistical Area

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SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Printed Occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below.

MOISCRIPTS are Copyright 2003, Michigan Department of Career Development