Judicial Assistant
POSITION SUMMARY:
This is a highly responsible judicial assistant position which provides executive administrative support and assistance to the appointing judge. Primary responsibilities include preparing and reviewing documents, including opinions, orders and correspondence, and handling and processing opinions, orders, correspondence, reports, briefs, and records. Duties include independently managing all administrative activities in a judge’s chambers, as well as working collectively with other chambers to coordinate and handle court-wide caseload responsibilities. Judicial assistants schedule court proceedings and appointments for a judge.
Since their work involves an extremely high volume of current court cases, these positions involve time pressures and the ability to meet deadlines. Judicial assistants are also expected to handle confidential documents and information.
A judicial assistant is a personal appointee who serves at the pleasure of the appointing judge and may be dismissed by the appointing judge for any reason.
The appointing judge has broad discretion in the duties to be performed by the judicial assistant; however, the following is a list of common tasks which a judicial assistant would be expected to perform. The actual tasks are determined at the time of appointment.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
The following duties are normal for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each duty satisfactorily. Other duties may be required and assigned.
• Manages the office of appointing judge to include maintaining the judge’s calendar, scheduling court proceedings, preparing notices and notifying counsel/parties involved.
• Performs case management duties; adheres to case processing guidelines and monitors case deadlines to ensure timelines are met.
• Performs online legal research and citation verification at the direction of the judge.
• Drafts correspondence, orders, decisions, memoranda and other legal documents at the direction of the judge and in compliance with applicable statutes, rules, ordinances and case law.
• Conducts scheduling conferences and pretrial conferences as requested by the judge.
• Reviews Wisconsin Court System electronic database to check the status of the unscheduled cases, review any out-of-county cases, identify any actions required in pending cases and transmit/check the status of documents for review and/or signature by the judge.
• Performs electronic file management and maintains strict confidentiality for civil, criminal, traffic, family, paternity, small claims, and forfeiture case files
• Contacts and obtains guardians ad litem and attorneys for court appointments; drafts letters of appointment.
• Processes substitution of judge requests, monitors for judicial assignment and notifies new judge and parties.
• Assists judge in scheduling judicial education and maintains judge’s chambers and bench libraries.
• Coordinates conference calls and Zoom meetings as required.
• Manages inquiries from attorneys, litigants and the media and the general public.
• Shares general office duties with other office staff, including reception, maintaining general records, coordinating court hearings and trials, managing office space, equipment and supplies, assisting in training of new judicial assistants and other administrative tasks.
• Provides support to other judges, as required.
• Other duties as assigned.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
• Associates degree in paralegal, criminal justice, or other legal related field.
• Five (5) years’ work experience as a legal assistant or paralegal in a law office or judicial/court setting.
• Notary Public.
Posting Pay Range: $21.99-$29.60
Posting Expected Pay Range: $21.99-$24.64
Department: Justice Support Services
FTE: 1.0
Deadline Note: