Deputy Clerk III

Ozaukee County • Full-time • Port Washington, WI, US • 3m ago

Full- Time (40 Hours/ week) / Non- Exempt Position
Pay Range: $26.68- $29.65

Job Summary
The Deputy Clerk III provides judicial support for all three judicial branches and the court commissioner by processing all documents, mail, faxes, and proposed orders for each of these court sections. The Deputy Clerk III is the back-up position when the Deputy Clerk IV is unavailable due to paid time off by clerking court calendars and providing court management to each court official. This position is the gatekeeper to the Courts by providing customer service over the main phone line for the office. This position receives the frequently hostile customers with complaints over the phone in regard to their cases, reviews the case with the customer and tries to resolve the customer’s complaint by offering solutions to the issue at hand. This position is responsible for the jury management.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities
The following duties are primarily performed and are essential for this position. Employees are expected to be able to perform each of these job duties satisfactorily and successfully with or without reasonable accommodations to be qualified for the position. Other duties may be required and assigned.

45% Case Management:
Processes all new electronic case filings for: Family, Paternity, Large Claims, Small Claims, Criminal Traffic, Criminal Misdemeanor, Criminal Felony, Termination of Parental Rights, Adoptions, Juvenile Delinquent; Juvenile in Need of Protection:

Reviews completeness by comparing transferred data to documents submitted by the litigant, often times adding/correcting to the data transferred to ensure all parties to the case have been properly noted. Reviews case to determine any appropriate non-party notice recipients which varies in each case type. If documents filed for Safe Have or Protected Party Address, this position must make sure party information is sealed and not available to the public.
Before processing and accepting documents, this position reviews to ensure document is in compliance with Supreme Court Rules and Local Rules before accepting the document into case management.
In addition to processing documents to the case, the clerk attaches other documents to record events, link documents for efficient review for the Court, follow naming convention policy created by management.
Reviews documents to determine if a hearing date is to be scheduled in case management. Schedules any necessary hearings per court general direction. If no hearing is needed at this time, scheduling the appropriate clerk’s review for Deputy Clerk III to manage.
Reviews all documents filed to determine if the document is to be marked confidential or if the document is to be sealed utilizing model recordkeeping provided by Court Operations. This position must also review access restriction to all documents.
Makes notations in case and routes case to Deputy Clerk III. Clerk is to review, add notes, and determine if: additional security required, interpreter required, GAL requested to be appointed, refers case to the Public Defender if appropriate, reviews bond and adds bond to case.
Processes all eFiled Domestic Abuse, Harassment, and Person at Risk Restraining Orders. Forwards petition and proposed temporary restraining order to the Court Official to grant or deny injunction. Upon order signed and returned to clerk, clerk then initiates a case. Schedules a court hearing and creates/revises the proposed injunction order by adding court date and court official. Obtains all documents and sends to the Sheriff’s Dept. for entering on their system and for the Sheriff’s Dept. for service. Creates proposed order for the injunction hearing.
Bulk Scans all paper mail: All paper mail received in the office must be reviewed for completeness. Upon reviewing, utilizes the bulk scanning machine and scans all documents adjusting any settings on the machine before scanning. Reviews scanned document to determine document is legible before processing document into the case. Follow-ups on scheduling any appropriate hearings or sends as a document for review to Deputy Clerk IV.
Faxes: This division is responsible for all faxes filed in this office. All faxes are received in an email PDF format. Reviews and if no case number on document, determines appropriate case number, adding case number and file stamp in Word Document, saves document and then attaches to the case. Follows-up on scheduling any appropriate hearings or sends as document for review to Deputy Clerk IV.
Prepares Orders: Upon the filing of cases and documents, there are many orders that this division creates and sends to the court official directly either for an upcoming hearing or determines if the order is to be held under a 5/10 day rule. Makes proper notation in the case as to routing of this order created.
Processes Signed/Denied Orders: Reviews for scrivener’s errors of the signed orders and if a possible error is find, returns to the court official with suggestions for change. If no errors, clerk processes. Reviews the orders to determine any other actions required, for example: scheduling a hearing, closing the case, entering a judgment, forwarding to the Controller for distribution of money on deposit. Distributes all said orders to parties on case per statutory duties.
Creates and manages disposition of cases. Reviews all documents and orders processed to determine if any of those documents/order closes the case out by utilizing case management. Reviews and closes out case with proper disposition code which will affect how the case closure will display on WCCA (Wisconsin Circuit Court Access / Public View of Cases). The disposition code assists CCAP with purging of records available on this site and also assists management in this office with file retention.
Changes of Venue: Upon a court official approving a case to be assigned to another county, completes the case with proper disposition, adds the court record for the next county, determines all fess ordered for change of venue are paid, then electronically sends the case to the next county. Adds notes to that county if all fees are paid or if fees still need to be collected for that county to open the case.
Appeals: Processing notice of appeals is a timely task and would take priority on other job assignments for the day. The clerk processes and sends electronically the initial appeal documents to the Court of Appeals (COA). The timeliness is different for each case type, so clerk follows the guidelines on processing for that case type. Within the next five days from the notice of appeal, the clerk indexes the entire case, sending copies of the index to the parties within time frames. The clerk electronically sends the record to Court of Appeals within statutory time limits. If a litigant files a motion for the Clerk of Courts to supplement the record, clerk waits for an order from the Court of Appeals, reviews said order, and completes any directive given, also within the COA’s timeframe.
Renumbering Cases: If the District Attorney’s Office eFiled a case that is processed, but DA made error on case type, clerk renumbers the case to meet the charge in the complaint. For example renumbering case from a misdemeanor to a felony or vice versa. Many times, litigants eFiles a case as a small claims, but realizes after filing that the money damages has increased, so upon a fee payment, clerk renumbers case to large claims.

15% Jury Management:
Establishes annual jury array from list generated by CCAP. Creates monthly jury pools and mails jury questionnaires to all potential jurors to complete to determine qualifications to be a juror.

Upon return of questionnaires, clerk reviews to qualify or disqualify jurors based on statutory requirements. If disqualified, clerk removes from the yearly panel. Upon qualification clerk assigns the jurors to weekly panels of cases scheduled for trial. If a trial is a 6-person civil case, the jurors are prestruck. This hearing is held with the jury clerk and litigants only.
Accommodates any special needs of the jurors such as dietary, mobility and hearing.
Reviews, approves/denies requests for exemption from jury duty.
Reviews approve/deny requests for a new week/month of jury service.
Few days before a scheduled jury trial, reviews case with the court official to discuss alternate jurors being requested by the Court or any other requirements/needs of the Court.
Notifies jurors as to status of their service through phone messages, text, and email.
Day of Trial: Creates and provides updated jury lists and seating charts to the court, clerk, and litigants. Manages the jury panel by following-up with a phone call to no-show jurors and if no contact with said juror, schedules juror for an Order to Show Cause/Contempt before the Court. Delivers speech to jurors before entering the courtroom, explains the court process and shows a jury video, answers any questions jurors may have, accommodates any special needs juror may have before entering courtroom. Assists bailiff in organizing jurors and escorts jurors to courtroom. Continues jury support to bailiff and the Deputy Clerk IV while case is in session by providing meals, snacks, and other refreshments as appropriate.
Disposition of Jury Panel: Ensures jury list is returned from the litigants prior to leaving the courthouse as to enforce and maintain juror confidentiality. Prepares expense report for Finance. Creates thank you letters to jurors and assembles documents for mailing with the payment check received from Finance. This Department enforces and maintains confidentiality of all jurors. Mails checks to jurors.
Trains and mentors jury bailiffs. Provides annual jury data to the Clerk of Court for completion of the Annual Jury Report to the State.

15% Court Management Services:
Presides over initial small claims court appearances; calls cases, resets contested matters and renders default judgments as appropriate.
Backs-up the Deputy Clerk IV positions, being able to perform all duties in the courtroom: provides assistance to the court official, checks all parties in without court official present, hosts zoom appearances, takes real-time minutes, swears in witnesses, manages court exhibits, follows-up preparing any orders or processing any orders after hearing complete.
15% Customer Service:
This position is responsible for the main phone line which consists of 6 lines. Answers phone for 9 hours each day. The phone calls range from short phone contact with easy assistance to very long contact and complicated issues. The phone calls also range from pleasant to very hostile and angry customers. Multiple lines may be ringing simultaneously, and customers may need to be put on hold to answer other lines and then continue assistance as appropriate. Along with answering the phone, this position multitasks and monitors and processes eFiling, with many eFiling needed for court within a very short period of time or while court is in session. Utilize a phone interpreter service to assist with language barriers when providing customer service to the litigant on the line. Uses independent problem solving, analytical thinking and abstract reasoning to assist customers.

10% Other:
Reviews and assists in updating policy and procedures pertaining to the Court Division, providing suggested changes to management. Provides back-up to Deputy Clerk II’s by covering the front counter during meetings or PTO. Works on projects assigned by supervisor.

Supervision Exercised

None.

Minimum Education Qualifications

Education and/or Experience Requirements :

Associate degree in Business Law preferred or combination of legal experience/education.
Minimum of one to three years clerical experience, preferably in a legal or judicial office. Any equivalent of experience and post-secondary education, which provides the required skills abilities and knowledge will also be considered.
Successful completion of a criminal background investigation is required for employment.

Licenses, Certifications, and Other Requirements:

Sworn Deputy – employee must meet Supreme Court Rules for judicial standards and ethics requirements.
Mandatory annual in-service department training.
Ongoing CCAP Training – software updates/changes.
Must have proven competency in Deputy Clerk II duties before eligible for promotion to Deputy Clerk III.

Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Qualifications
In order to perform the functions and responsibilities of the position (listed above) the following knowledge, skills, and abilities are essential.

DCIII must have the ability to:

Recognize and diffuse escalating, difficult behaviors; and work cooperatively with others.
Acquire and analyze information from various sources, pay attention to detail, and make decisions.
Remain neutral; stay focused and not be easily distracted; maintain confidentiality.
Assess need for and adapt to change; participate in and learn from educational opportunities.
Work independently with minimal supervision and to function effectively as a team.
Manage multiple tasks and priorities and adhere to strict deadlines; accuracy and attention to detail.
Perform moderately difficult bookkeeping, financial management and record keeping responsibilities.
to back-up the Deputy Clerk I and II by performing their duties when providing coverage due to PTO or leaves of absence.
Back-up the DCIV by performing their court clerking duties when providing coverage due to PTO or leave of absence, as well as being able to provide/complete any assigned duties by the court official in their absence. The DC3 does not need to know all specific details of the DCIV job duties but know where the tools are to utilize and assist when backing up these positions.
Be aware not only of Model Recordkeeping and Local Rules but have full understanding of each court official’s own policies and procedures on the next steps when processing documents, orders, and scheduled activities.

In evaluating candidates for this position, ORGANIZATION NAME may consider a combination of education, training, and experience which provides the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of this position.

Physical Requirements

Prolonged periods of sitting in a courtroom
Repetitive hand movement consistent with working on a computer.
Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at times.

Work Environment

Work environment is fast-paced and can be stressful with varied challenges arising at any time while also dealing with agitated/hostile customers.
Exposed to repetitive secondary trauma such as; child abuse, child neglect, spousal abuse, elder abuse, alcohol and drug abuse, mental illness, battery, child pornography, sexual assaults against children and adults, and homicides.

EOE / ADA Statement

Ozaukee County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Ozaukee County will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
Nothing in this job description limits management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement or affect the at-will nature of the employment arrangement between the employee and company and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change