Job Description

Under the supervision of the District Court Administrator, provides executive and administrative support to the Administrator the judges, and the District Court Leadership Team. Assists the District Court Administrator in the development and implementation of new technologies, practices and procedures to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of practices and programs to promote access to justice for all members of the public, maximize the use of judicial and other resources, increase the efficiency of court operations, reduce incarceration rates through community-based sanctions and treatment programs, and enhance service to the public. Works closely with the District Court Administrator to ensure records management and financial controls are consistent and in legal compliance for all three court locations.

Essential Job Functions

The essential functions of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• 
  Prepares confidential documents and reports; maintains confidential files and records, including, but not limited to, employee, disciplinary and investigative files; and ensures the integrity of confidential materials.
• Researches pending and proposed statutes and State Court Administrator's Office rules changes, court administrative issues, operating policy and procedure questions, and other maters as requested by the District Court Administrator; collects and compiles information; and prepares summaries and reports. At the direction of the District Court Administrator, ensures District Court Administrator’s and Chief Judge’s directives are communicated to all three locations and divisions and reports compliance issues and other staff concerns.
• Manages and maintains the District Court Administrator's calendar, prepares and distributes meeting agendas and all materials, schedules meeting sites, serves as recording secretary for meetings, and provides other direct support for the District Court Administrator.
• Collaborates with the District Court Administrator and the Chief Clerks to help develop, implement, maintain, and modify standardized operating policies and procedures for case flow and records management, financial management, jury services, scheduling, customer service and other administrative court functions in order to maintain consistency in policies and practices across the three locations of the Court.
• Oversees and manages all District Court collections processes, including the development of special court collection projects and creates and prepares a variety of reports to track the progress of collections.
• Supervises the daily financial operations of the court, including ensuring compliance with all required financial control, policies and procedures are observed at all three locations and performs regular and frequent balancing of all court trust accounts.
• Prepares and/or assists the District Court Administrator in preparing a variety of monthly, quarterly and annual case management, case disposition, and financial reports for the State Court Administrator's Office.
• Assists the District Court Administrator in managing the human resources functions of the Court, including employee recruitment and selection, training, performance management, and discipline.
• Participates in the development of the annual operating and capital budget requests, providing historical budget data and projections of future budget requirements, and preparing draft requests in appropriate formats as directed by the District Court Administrator.
• Processes accounts payable and accounts receivable transactions, enters requisitions, monitors expenditures against allocated budget amounts, prepares and submits monthly local and state fee transmittal and notifies District Court Administrator of impending problems.
• Collaborates with the District Court Administrator in oversight of foreign language and ADA interpreter services, court recording services and judicial coverage as required.
• As directed by District Court Administrator, may act as project lead and manager on various projects including targeted court collections and income tax garnishments, warrant and LEIN audits, management of Clean Slate Act record requirements, instituting bond forfeitures, escheating, unclaimed restitution, court employee satisfaction surveys, public satisfaction surveys, record retention/purging and appointment of court officers.
• Oversees the District Court jury process including ensuring jury panel selection processes are properly randomized and result in fair representation of all county population groups.
• May perform any and all functions of the Chief Clerk classification as required to maintain the operations of a court location including filing in when a Chief Clerk is on a leave of absence or out of the office; may perform the functions of other classifications as needed to ensure proper coverage in one or more locations.
• Performs other functions as assigned.

Required Education, Training and Experience

Bachelor’s degree in judicial administration, public administration or business administration and four
(4) years of progressively responsible experience in court or legal administration, including at least two (2) years as a supervisor or manager or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Licenses and Certifications:Must become LEIN certified within 6 months of the date of hire and maintain certification. Must pass the Certified Electronic Operator examination within 12 months of the date of hire and maintain continuing certification. Certified Court Executive (CCE) or Certified Court Manager (CCM) with the National Center for State Court, Institute for Court Management preferred or must be completed within four (4) years of hire date.

Additional Requirements and Information

Required Knowledge and Skills:

• 
  Thorough working knowledge of the Michigan Code of Criminal Procedure, chapters of Michigan Compiled Laws frequently applied in civil matters, Michigan Court Rules, and Michigan Secretary of State Traffic Benchbook.
• Thorough working knowledge of court administrative procedures and practices.
• Thorough working knowledge of civil, criminal and traffic court processes.
• Thorough working knowledge of County human resources, financial and other operating policies and procedures.
• Thorough working knowledge of legal references and research tools.
• Thorough working knowledge of budget management and accounting principles and practices.
• Thorough working knowledge of the Michigan trial court case file management standards and retention schedules related to court records.
• Computer literacy and facility in the use of word processing, spreadsheet and database management applications.
• Good working knowledge of document imaging systems and protocols and practices.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills.
• Excellent oral and written communications skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and human relations skills.
• Ability to interact positively and professionally with judges, elected officials, attorneys, prosecutors, law enforcement officers, employees, community and business representatives, plaintiffs, defendants, other parties to litigation and members of the general public with widely divergent socio-economic and cultural backgrounds and varying levels of communication skills.

Physical Requirements:
Must be able to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodations, including, but not limited to, visual and/or audiological appliances and devices to increase mobility.

Working Conditions:
Work is performed in a normal office environment.

Disclaimer:
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

Job Description

Under the supervision of the District Court Administrator, provides executive and administrative support to the Administrator the judges, and the District Court Leadership Team. Assists the District Court Administrator in the development and implementation of new technologies, practices and procedures to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of practices and programs to promote access to justice for all members of the public, maximize the use of judicial and other resources, increase the efficiency of court operations, reduce incarceration rates through community-based sanctions and treatment programs, and enhance service to the public. Works closely with the District Court Administrator to ensure records management and financial controls are consistent and in legal compliance for all three court locations.

Essential Job Functions

The essential functions of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• 
  Prepares confidential documents and reports; maintains confidential files and records, including, but not limited to, employee, disciplinary and investigative files; and ensures the integrity of confidential materials.
• Researches pending and proposed statutes and State Court Administrator's Office rules changes, court administrative issues, operating policy and procedure questions, and other maters as requested by the District Court Administrator; collects and compiles information; and prepares summaries and reports. At the direction of the District Court Administrator, ensures District Court Administrator’s and Chief Judge’s directives are communicated to all three locations and divisions and reports compliance issues and other staff concerns.
• Manages and maintains the District Court Administrator's calendar, prepares and distributes meeting agendas and all materials, schedules meeting sites, serves as recording secretary for meetings, and provides other direct support for the District Court Administrator.
• Collaborates with the District Court Administrator and the Chief Clerks to help develop, implement, maintain, and modify standardized operating policies and procedures for case flow and records management, financial management, jury services, scheduling, customer service and other administrative court functions in order to maintain consistency in policies and practices across the three locations of the Court.
• Oversees and manages all District Court collections processes, including the development of special court collection projects and creates and prepares a variety of reports to track the progress of collections.
• Supervises the daily financial operations of the court, including ensuring compliance with all required financial control, policies and procedures are observed at all three locations and performs regular and frequent balancing of all court trust accounts.
• Prepares and/or assists the District Court Administrator in preparing a variety of monthly, quarterly and annual case management, case disposition, and financial reports for the State Court Administrator's Office.
• Assists the District Court Administrator in managing the human resources functions of the Court, including employee recruitment and selection, training, performance management, and discipline.
• Participates in the development of the annual operating and capital budget requests, providing historical budget data and projections of future budget requirements, and preparing draft requests in appropriate formats as directed by the District Court Administrator.
• Processes accounts payable and accounts receivable transactions, enters requisitions, monitors expenditures against allocated budget amounts, prepares and submits monthly local and state fee transmittal and notifies District Court Administrator of impending problems.
• Collaborates with the District Court Administrator in oversight of foreign language and ADA interpreter services, court recording services and judicial coverage as required.
• As directed by District Court Administrator, may act as project lead and manager on various projects including targeted court collections and income tax garnishments, warrant and LEIN audits, management of Clean Slate Act record requirements, instituting bond forfeitures, escheating, unclaimed restitution, court employee satisfaction surveys, public satisfaction surveys, record retention/purging and appointment of court officers.
• Oversees the District Court jury process including ensuring jury panel selection processes are properly randomized and result in fair representation of all county population groups.
• May perform any and all functions of the Chief Clerk classification as required to maintain the operations of a court location including filing in when a Chief Clerk is on a leave of absence or out of the office; may perform the functions of other classifications as needed to ensure proper coverage in one or more locations.
• Performs other functions as assigned.

Required Education, Training and Experience

Bachelor’s degree in judicial administration, public administration or business administration and four
(4) years of progressively responsible experience in court or legal administration, including at least two (2) years as a supervisor or manager or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Licenses and Certifications:Must become LEIN certified within 6 months of the date of hire and maintain certification. Must pass the Certified Electronic Operator examination within 12 months of the date of hire and maintain continuing certification. Certified Court Executive (CCE) or Certified Court Manager (CCM) with the National Center for State Court, Institute for Court Management preferred or must be completed within four (4) years of hire date.

Additional Requirements and Information

Required Knowledge and Skills:

• 
  Thorough working knowledge of the Michigan Code of Criminal Procedure, chapters of Michigan Compiled Laws frequently applied in civil matters, Michigan Court Rules, and Michigan Secretary of State Traffic Benchbook.
• Thorough working knowledge of court administrative procedures and practices.
• Thorough working knowledge of civil, criminal and traffic court processes.
• Thorough working knowledge of County human resources, financial and other operating policies and procedures.
• Thorough working knowledge of legal references and research tools.
• Thorough working knowledge of budget management and accounting principles and practices.
• Thorough working knowledge of the Michigan trial court case file management standards and retention schedules related to court records.
• Computer literacy and facility in the use of word processing, spreadsheet and database management applications.
• Good working knowledge of document imaging systems and protocols and practices.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills.
• Excellent oral and written communications skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and human relations skills.
• Ability to interact positively and professionally with judges, elected officials, attorneys, prosecutors, law enforcement officers, employees, community and business representatives, plaintiffs, defendants, other parties to litigation and members of the general public with widely divergent socio-economic and cultural backgrounds and varying levels of communication skills.

Physical Requirements:
Must be able to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodations, including, but not limited to, visual and/or audiological appliances and devices to increase mobility.

Working Conditions:
Work is performed in a normal office environment.

Disclaimer:
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

This position is benefited and is subject to the Unclassified group manual.

Ottawa County offers a wide range of benefits to support you in your career. View the Benefits page for more information.

The current Unclassified group manual can be viewed here. The 2023 Ottawa County Universal Wage Scale can be found here (Download PDF reader).