Court Clerks

Career summary

#no corresponding wois occ.

#check 3/19/19 lh

Clerks prepare a calendar of cases to be called in court. They schedule when each case will be heard. Clerks send the participants a letter that states when and where the trial will be held.

In addition, clerks prepare case folders and post, file, or route documents. When legal documents are submitted to the court, clerks look them over to make sure correct procedures were followed. If documents are incorrect, clerks explain the procedures or forms to the people who prepared them.

Before each case is heard, clerks check its case folder. They make sure that all related records and documents are in the file. If documents are missing, clerks request copies.

In addition, court clerks get information for judges. They contact witnesses, attorneys, and other people involved in the case for information. They keep the district attorney's office informed about cases prosecuted by that office.

On the day of the trial or hearing, clerks prepare any forms that might be used by the judge.

Related careers

This career is part of the Government and Public Administration cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Bill and Account Collectors
• Court Reporters
• Executive Secretaries
• Interviewing Clerks
• Law Clerks
• Legal Secretaries
• License Clerks
• Office Managers
• Paralegals
• Secretaries

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to court clerks.

• Conduct jury roll calls and polls.
• Prepare and record court documents, such as proceedings, outcomes, and dispositions.
• Make sure courtrooms and evidence are safe.
• Prepare case folders. Post, file, or route documents.
• May process minutes of court proceedings and transcribe testimony.
• Explain procedures or forms to people involved in the case. Answer questions about court procedure.
• Keep the district attorney's office informed about cases.
• Inform people in writing when to appear in court.
• Open court and swear in jury members.
• Get information for judges. Contact witnesses, attorneys, and other people involved in the case for information.
• Record case results, court orders, and fees to be paid.
• Look over legal documents submitted to the court to make sure they are correct.
• Collect court fees or fines and record amount collected.
• Prepare monthly calendar of cases scheduled for court.

Common work activities

Court clerks perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Get information needed to do the job
• Use computers
• Process information
• Document and record information
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Perform for or work with the public
• Perform administrative tasks
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Communicate with people outside the organization
• Evaluate information against standards
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Analyze data or information

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, court clerks:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a high level of social contact. They constantly work with judges, lawyers, and the public.
• Encounter unpleasant, angry, or discourteous people daily.
• Are placed in conflict situations weekly.
• Write letters and memos on a weekly basis.
• Communicate with coworkers and the public daily by telephone and in person.
• Often use e-mail.
• Work as part of a team that runs the courtroom.

Physical work conditions

• Work indoors in offices and courtrooms.
• Work near other people, but have a few feet of space separating self from others.

Work performance

• Must be highly accurate in performing the job. Errors have consequences as they can affect claimants.
• Repeat the same physical and mental activities. This is extremely important when creating calendars and schedules on the computer.
• Have the potential to make serious errors that are difficult to correct.
• Must meet strict deadlines daily.
• Can make most decisions without talking to a supervisor.
• Rarely consult a supervisor before setting tasks and goals.
• Make decisions weekly that affect the operations of the courtroom.

Hours/travel

• Work 40 hours per week.
• Must meet strict daily deadlines.

Physical demands

Court clerks frequently:

• Sit for long periods of time.
• Repeat the same movements.

It is important for court clerks to be able to:

• Understand the speech of another person.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for court clerks to be able to:

• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
• Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.

Skills and abilities

Court clerks need to:

Communicate

• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Understand spoken information.
• Understand written information.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.
• Read and understand work-related materials.

Reason and problem solve

• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Recognize the nature of a problem.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Manage the time of self and others.
• Check how well one is learning or doing something.

Work with people

• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Look for ways to help people.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study to consider

• Court Reporting
• Data Entry and Processing
• Legal Secretarial Studies
• Office Support
• Paralegal Studies

Training

To work as a court clerk, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent; and
• complete long-term, on-the-job training.

Education after high school

You need a high school diploma or equivalent to work as a court clerk. No formal training is required for this occupation. However, college course work can be helpful. Legal terminology, court operations, word processing, and legal office practices courses all provide good preparation for this occupation. Community colleges and technical schools offer these courses.

Work experience

Experience working in an office or legal setting is good preparation for this work. Also, work as a receptionist or other work involving public contact is good background.

On-the-job training

Many court clerks learn their skills on the job. As a new clerk, you receive training from your supervisor or an experienced coworker. Beyond training in court procedures and employee policies, you may get classroom training in computer software. Training typically lasts more than one year.

Helpful high school courses

You should take a general high school curriculum that meets the state's graduation requirements. You will be required to take both math and science classes to graduate.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Computer Applications
• Legal System
• Office Procedures

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Employers prefer to hire applicants who have strong computer skills. They also look for individuals with excellent verbal and written communications skills. Employers look for applicants who are familiar with legal forms, documents, and terminology. Experience working in an office, especially a law office, is desirable.

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Court Clerks 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

Wages vary by employer and area of the country. The clerk's level of responsibility also affects wages.

Court clerks who work full time usually receive benefits. Typical benefits include sick leave, paid vacation, health insurance, and a retirement plan.

National wage information is not available specifically for court clerks. However, they are part of the larger group of "court, municipal, and license clerks."

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Major employers:

• State and local court systems

National outlook

Demand for court clerks is expected grow. Much of the demand for court clerks will result from an increase in the number of court cases. More court clerks will also be needed to handle requests for licenses and other municipal records.

Job openings arise as people leave the occupation to retire.

Employment and outlook information is not available specifically for court clerks. However, they are part of the larger group of "court, municipal, and license clerks."

Other resources

American Bar Association 
321 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60654
312.988.5000

References

Career cluster

• Government and Public Administration

Career path

• Conventional (Business Operations)

O*Net  occupation

• Court Clerks (43-4031.01) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 2 - Some preparation needed. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed.

DOT occupation

• Court Clerk (243.362-010) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Conventional/Enterprising/Realistic

COPSystem

• Clerical