Judicial Support Specialist-District Court-Dickinson

Judicial Support Specialist-District Court-Dickinson

Salary

$56,148.00 - $80,028.00 Annually

Location

Dickinson, ND

Job Type

Full-Time/Regular

Job Number

2026-U3-DIX-64-JSS2

Department

Unit 3 - District Court Judge Chambers - SWJD

Opening Date

10/16/2026

Closing Date

Continuous

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

General Summary or Purpose

We understand that compensation isn't a one-time discussion. Please see Compensation for more details on our compensation strategy.

Interested applicants must submit a cover letter and resume. Candidates selected for an interview will be required to take typing and grammar tests.

The North Dakota Court System offers employment opportunities that provide a rewarding career in public service working together to deliver justice. The Court System offers an excellent benefits package including employer-paid family health insurance premiums, retirement contributions, and generous vacation and sick leave accruals.

If you have strong technology and grammar skills and would enjoy making a verbatim record of trials and proceedings using audio recording equipment, this opportunity may be right for you.

The Ideal Candidate:

• Finds it rewarding to be highly dependable and punctual.
• Obsesses with detail ensuring accuracy of work.
• Enjoys proofreading and perfection in grammar and punctuation.
• Shows assertiveness to ensure an accurate record.
• Gives excellent customer service.
• Enjoys supporting others.

The Ideal Candidate Minimum Qualifications:

• High school diploma;
• Two years of related experience. Any combination of education, training, or experience which demonstrates the ability to successfully complete the major responsibilities and essential functions may be substituted for the experience requirement; and
• Requires the DAR (Digital Audio Recording) certification or the AAERT (American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers) CER (certified electronic court reporter) certification or ability to obtain within six months of job entry. A comparable certification by another state court or federal court may be substituted for the DAR or AAERT certification.

Testimonials/Work FAQs/Interesting Facts/Code of Conduct

Career Opportunities/Working at the ND Court System

Major Responsibilities & Essential Functions

Title of Immediate Supervisor: Varies

Accountable For (Job Titles): None

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

The Judicial Support Specialist-District Court is responsible for performing administrative and secretarial support to a judicial officer. Independently carries out administrative assignments, initiating contacts with judges, referees, attorneys, other officials, and court staff and makes a verbatium record of district and juvenile court trials, proceedings, and other matters using audio recording equipment, writing court logs, and noting appearances and essential events during the proceeding.

Employees assigned to this classification establish certain routines and processes as well as follow routines and processes established by others.

• Edits and proofreads judicial orders and other legal and non-legal documents for accuracy and clarity. Types, edits, and scans orders and documents for inclusion in the case management system, including completing the forms for the judicial officer to sign following hearings. Assists with reviewing and proofing jury instructions, and after discussion of potential corrections with the judicial officer or legal staff, forwards final instructions to attorneys before trial.

• Serves as a primary contact and liaison between the judicial officer and others in the system. Receives, reviews, and processes all incoming and outgoing communications, requests for information, and correspondence. Acts or responds to the judicial officer orally or in writing as authorized. Responsibility also requires coordinating communications from attorneys, detention facilities, and others in conjunction with court staff regarding conflict hearings and directing attorneys and others where and when to appear when double-booked with other courtrooms and other judicial officers.

• Provides administrative support and organization within the judicial officers chambers by performing such duties as:

• Coordinates and implements special projects or activities. Keeps the judicial officer informed on project status and activities;

• Updates and maintains the judicial officers calendar; makes appointments; handles arrangements for meetings or speaking engagements; prepares expense/travel vouchers; prepares materials needed for meetings;

• Maintains justices records and case files for court proceedings and organizes files and records for jury and court trials. Archives files and disposes other case files in accordance with procedures of the court.

• Proofreads and assists as instructed in the preparation of reports, speeches, presentations, or other correspondence for the judicial officer.

• Provides assistance and information to new legal staff regarding chambers operational questions, judicial officer preferences, and procedures and assists them in accomplishing work activities within the chamber.

• Performs various administrative clerking duties in the case management system, results hearings, sets time standards in cases, updates overdue case notes, places and removes cases under advisement, and pulls documents in from the case management system when requested by the judicial officer. Monitors judicial dashboard for case details as needed.

• Prepares courtroom duties:

• Performs sound check for all microphones in the courtroom, and performs test recording prior to court.

• Manages the software for hearings as co-host, admitting participants, renaming participants, muting participants, requesting participants to un-mute, and creating and monitoring break-out rooms during hearings.

• Ensures interpreters and participants are present and connected for hearings as needed.

• Troubleshoots and resolves any issues with courtroom technology.

• Performs clerk duties, administers oaths, marks documents, maintains logs and other forms, and transfers storage devices, files, and records to the clerk of district court for reference.

• Accurately records court and jury trial proceedings. Takes court notes during hearings to identify appearances and to note significant events during the hearing and to locate and present prior testimony.

• Requires travel to other counties within and outside of the district for court proceedings assigned to the judicial officer.

• Performs other duties of a comparable level or type or as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications & Certification or Licensing Requirements

Requires a high school diploma and two years of related experience. Any combination of education, training, or experience which demonstrates the ability to successfully complete the major responsibilities and essential functions may be substituted for the experience requirement.

Valid driver's license or evidence of equivalent mobility.

Requires the DAR (Digital Audio Recording) or the AAERT (American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers) CER (certified electronic court reporter) certification or ability to obtain within six months of job entry. A comparable certification by another state court or federal court may be substituted for the DAR or AAERT certification.

Knowledge, Skill, & Physical Requirements

Knowledge Requirements:

• Considerable knowledge of secretarial practices and procedures.
• Considerable knowledge of legal terminology, business English, punctuation, and grammar.
• Considerable knowledge of office systems, procedures, and equipment.
• Considerable knowledge of word processing and internet software.
• Considerable knowledge of court rules, procedures, and functions.
• Basic knowledge of law and legal principles.

Skill Requirements:

• Proficiently uses related software programs.
• Recordkeeping skills.
• Elementary legal research skills.
• Written communication skills.
• Proofreading and editorial skills.
• Interpersonal skills to deal effectively with all levels of personnel and the public.

Physical Requirements:

• The essential functions of the job typically require: grasping, sitting, standing, walking, talking, hearing, seeing, feeling, reaching, and fingering requirements or other reasonable methods that accommodate an individual in completing the essential functions of the job.
• Work is performed in a comfortable office work environment.
• Employee is subject to some limited travel in the performance of the job. Employee has control over travel schedule and can adjust schedules due to adverse weather or travel conditions.
• Physical requirements can typically be characterized as Light: Work involves exerting up to 20 lbs. of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 lbs. frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.

The North Dakota Court System offers an excellent benefits package including employer paid family health insurance premiums, retirement contributions and generous vacation and sick leave accruals, visit: Benefits

01

I understand that the starting salary is $4,679 and that my application will not be considered if the starting salary is not acceptable.

• Yes
• No

02

Have you applied for a position with the ND Court System before?

• Yes
• No

03

Did you graduate from high school or receive a GED Certificate?

• Yes
• No

04

Do you have a degree in any of the following?

• Bachelors or associate degree in legal assistant or paralegal studies
• Bachelors degree in any of the social sciences, administrative, management, business, or related field
• Other bachelors degree or associate degree
• A general secretarial, legal assistant or paralegal certificate
• Not applicable

05

How many years of general administrative work experience do you have? General administrative work experience includes a majority of the following duties: word processing; proofreading; taking notes; filing, preparing, and maintaining various forms, records, and documents; operating office equipment; scheduling; data entry; receiving, answering, and routing telephone calls.

• Less than 1 year
• 1 year to less than 2 years
• 2 years to less than 6 years
• 6 years or more

06

In what type of position is your general administrative work experience from?

• Legal secretary/assistant or paralegal positions
• Secretary or administrative assistant positions
• Other positions which included the majority of the general administrative work as a primary function of the position
• Other positions which included the general administrative work as a result of the completing primary duties
• Not applicable

07

If this question does not apply, state N/A. Please describe in detail your experience in word processing; proofreading; taking notes; filing, preparing and maintaining various forms, records, and documents; operating office equipment; scheduling; data entry; receiving, answering, and routing telephone calls.

08

How many years of experience do you have in a district court or law office?

• None
• Some to less than 1 year
• 1 year to less than 2 years
• 2 years to less than 4 years
• 4 years or more

09

How many years of work experience do you have working in a legal setting, other than a district court or law office, with legal terminology or court rules, procedures, and functions?

• Not applicable, my experience is in a law office or district court
• None
• Some to less than 1 year
• 1 year to less than 2 years
• 2 years to less than 4 years
• 4 years or more

10

If this question does not apply, state N/A. Please provide your position title(s) and describe in detail your experience within a district court, law office, or related legal setting.

11

Do you have experience operating audio recording equipment, monitoring the live recording for clarity and quality, and taking notes to identify speakers and significant events?

• Yes
• No

12

If this question does not apply, state N/A. Please describe in detail your electronic recording experience.

13

This position requires the DAR (Digital Audio Recording) certification or the AAERT (American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers) CER (certified electronic court reporter) certification or ability to obtain within six months of assignment. A comparable certification by another state court or federal court may be substituted for the DAR or AAERT certification. Do you have any of the following?

• DAR (digital audio recording)
• CER (certified electronic court reporter)
• A comparable certification by another state court or federal court
• None

14

Do you have experience working with the following? You can only check one. The first listed is the most important to check if you have the applicable experience.

• Odyssey Case Management Program
• Odyssey File & Serve (electronic filing)
• Document management program or other case management program
• Not Applicable

15

If this question does not apply, state N/A. Please state where you worked while using any of the above programs and the names of the document management program or other case management program you have experience with.

16

Which computer programs are you proficient in?

• None
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Excel

17

Are you a current employee of the North Dakota Court System?

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer North Dakota Court System

Address 600 E Boulevard Ave, Mailstop 180

Bismarck, North Dakota, 58505-0530

Phone (701) 328-4216

Website http://www.ndcourts.gov