Starting Wage Range: $32.74/hr. - $51.58/hr. DOE
Job Summary:
The Tribal Court Law Clerk for the Civil & Juvenile Division performs a specialized hybrid role which combines traditional courtroom administrative duties with substantive and specialized judicial law clerk support. This position is responsible for end-to-end operations for the Civil & Juvenile Court. Primary duties include front counter operations, processing all filings, managing in-court proceedings, maintaining official court records, assisting the Chief Judge with ordinance review and legal research for the drafting, editing and issuance of accurate and enforceable court orders from the Civil & Juvenile Court.
Essential Functions:
- Responsible for front counter operations, including reception, phone, emails, notaries, and public inquiries.
- Assist litigants, attorneys, tribal members, and the public with informational packets, court forms, notifications, and general inquiries, without providing legal advice.
- Collect applicable court filing fees and costs.
- Accept, review, log, and process all front counter filings for the Civil and Juvenile Court as well as electronic filings submitted through the court’s case management solution. Log, enter and file evidentiary documents as exhibits in case files.
- Maintain the court calendar for the Civil and Juvenile Court, coordinate hearing dates, issue notices of hearings; prepare, maintain and publish court dockets.
- Responsible for the setup and breakdown of the courtroom for hearings with needed materials and/or accommodation for litigants.
- Ensures the recordings and maintenance of audio and video recordings of court hearings.
- Works directly with the Chief Judge for case preparation and file review prior to hearings.
- Participate in court hearings, provides notetaking and transcription accuracy, manage multiple tasks and competing priorities simultaneously to ensure smooth courtroom operational flow.
- Draft, edit and issue accurate and enforceable judicial orders under the direction of the Chief Judge.
- Conduct legal research as directed by the Chief Judge.
- Provide support to team members as needed.
- Performs a variety of other duties as assigned by supervisor.
Education, Experience, and Licenses:
- Requires an Associate degree in Legal Studies, Paralegal Certificate; Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration, or a closely related field preferred.
- Requires a minimum of five (5) years’ specialized experience.
- Specialized experience is defined as deep, practical, and technical experience that has equipped the applicant with the specific knowledge, skillset, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position independently with minimal direct supervision.
- OR equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
Driving Requirements:
- Employees may be required to drive for work-related purposes and must maintain a valid Oregon Driver’s License (ODL), meet company vehicle insurance requirements, and provide proof of personal vehicle insurance.
Qualifications,Registrations, and Certifications:
- Possession of, or ability to obtain a Notary Public Commission from the State of Oregon within 30 days of hire.
- Experience assisting people who face trauma and challenging life circumstances.
- Experience in the ability to resolve conflict and de-escalate highly stressful situations.
- Knowledge of (or ability to rapidly learn) Tribal Ordinances, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Rules of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, civil procedures, juvenile procedures, and sovereignty tribal principles.
- Must be able to maintain neat, complete, and accurate physical and electronic case files, ensuring appropriate access controls are applied to confidential/restricted court records.
- Must have proficient legal writing skills required to draft clear, enforceable judicial orders, and legal notices as directed by the Chief Judge.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills to interact professionally with judges, tribal leaders, attorneys, and the tribal community.
- Absolute integrity and strict commitment to maintaining judicial ethics, neutrality, and confidentiality regarding juvenile and certain civil matters.
- Must have intermediate word processing, database, and spreadsheet capabilities.
- Must have strong oral and written communication skills.
- Must have the ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
- Must have strong interpersonal skills.
- Must have the ability to prioritize competing tasks simultaneously and rapidly shift from one task to another.
- Must have the ability to work and communicate effectively within a team environment.
- Must have the ability to plan, organize, and lead.
- Must have proficiency with modern digital tools or a strong, demonstrated willingness to quickly learn new software and technology.
- Preferred experience with the courts case management solution, Tyler Technologies (Incode) Municipal Justice 10.
- Knowledge of and sensitivity to Native American culture required.
Environmental Factors and Conditions/Physical Requirements:
- Continually requires the ability to express or receive detailed information or important instructions through oral communication.
- Continually requires working with fingers rather than the whole hand or arm. Requires repetitive movement of wrists, hands and/or fingers. Often requires walking or moving about to accomplish tasks.
- Requires standing and/or sitting for sustained periods of time, raising objects from a lower to a higher position and/or moving objects horizontally.
- Occasionally requires lifting of up to 50 pounds.
- This position is frequently subject to inside environmental conditions which provide protection from weather conditions, but not necessarily from temperature changes, and is occasionally subject to outside environmental conditions.
- Supports a safe work environment by performing all duties in accordance with Tribal safety policies and procedures, and Emergency Management Plan.
- Due to the nature of the interactions with other employees and the public we serve, employees may be required to provide documentation of, or receive, certain health vaccinations.
- May be called upon to serve as a Disaster Reservist during emergencies.
- Local travel is occasionally required. Travel outside of the state is infrequently required.
Background Check:
- Candidates for this position will be subject to criminal and character background checks and may be subject to fingerprinting.