Courtroom Deputy (23_14)

Classification level: CL26
Open date: December 21, 2023 - 7:00am
Salary: $50,316 - $62,898

Open Until Filled.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama is accepting applications for the position of full-time Courtroom Deputy. The court is seeking a mission-driven professional with excellent interpersonal, computer, and analytical skills. This is a non-law enforcement position located in Montgomery, Alabama, and reports to the Counsel to the Clerk of Court. The typical work schedule for this position is Monday through Friday 8:00 am until 5:00 pm (travel is required, and additional hours may be required.)

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES

  • Attend court hearings, sessions, and conferences at all courthouses in the Middle District of Alabama. Manage and organize exhibits admitted during court proceedings. Assist with the orderly flow of proceedings including, but not limited to, setting up the courtroom, training attorneys on electronic evidence presentation, setting up and troubleshooting electronic evidence presentation systems, ensuring the presence of all necessary participants, and assuring that court participants are familiar with the Judge’s policies and procedures. Take notes of proceedings and rulings, prepare minute entries, and docket minute entries.
  • Keep the Judge and immediate staff informed of case progress and inform the jury clerk of upcoming trials and needs for jurors. Assist the Judge and parties in jury selection and maintain records of jury selection and attendance. Act as the liaison between the Clerk’s Office, the bar, the public, and the Judge to ensure that cases proceed smoothly and efficiently. Maintain contact with counsel during jury deliberations.
  • Assist and schedule court reporters and interpreters; process transcripts; arrange for transcriptions; answer questions from parties and the public regarding obtaining transcripts. Refer defendants to the probation office, as appropriate.
  • Draft orders and judgments for the Judge’s approval. Docket orders, pleadings, judgments, and minutes as directed by local court policy, utilizing applicable automated systems, and make summary entries on the docket of all documents and proceedings.
  • Maintain the Judge’s calendar, when requested by the assigned Judge, and regulate the movement of cases by setting or resetting dates and times for hearings on motions, pretrial hearings, and trial. Notify counsel accordingly, and follow cases through until conclusion.
  • Assist in the accurate, statistical reporting requirements of the Administrative Office. Assist in the completion of monthly correction reports, JS error reports, outstanding motions and pending case reports, as assigned. Monitor all quality control reports and perform quality control of daily docketing production. Ensure that all orders and automated entries are accurately docketed, take appropriate corrective action, including contacting attorneys for appropriate action, and/or referring necessary matters to the Judge’s attention.
  • Maintain current knowledge of Administrative Office reporting requirements, updates of all CM/ECF events and reliefs, and Local and Federal Rules.
  • Perform case administration duties, and provide training or assistance to employees performing case administration duties, and administrative tasks, such as financial transactions.
  • Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

All candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent, two years of general court or administrative experience plus 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to work at the CL-25 level under the Court Personnel System. Specialized experience is progressively responsible clerical or administrative experience requiring the regular and recurring application of clerical procedures that demonstrate the ability to apply a body of rules, regulations, directives, or laws and involve the routine use of specialized terminology and automated software and equipment for word processing, data entry, or report generation. Bachelor’s degree and prior-court related experience is highly desired.

The successful candidate should demonstrate:

  • Excellent organizational skills and experience handling multiple workload demands;
  • The ability to exercise mature judgment;
  • The ability to get along well with others;
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a variety of people, either in person, on the phone, or through electronic communications;
  • The ability to work without supervision and take initiative;
  • The ability to work with strict deadlines and in a fast paced environment;
  • Experience working in Microsoft Office;
  • Proficiency in use of the Case Management/Electronic Filing System (CM/ECF) docketing procedures; and
  • The ability to lift up to 25 pounds and to sit or stand for long periods of time with or without accommodation

BENEFITS

Employees of the U.S. District Court have access to an excellent benefits package, which includes the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), Thrift Savings Plan (like 401k), health, life, dental & vision insurance, long-term care insurance, flexible spending program, 11 paid holidays per year, and a leave accrual program. (NOTE: For FERS retirement, employees contribute to the Basic Benefit Plan through payroll deductions and receive a benefit, which is calculated at retirement. Employees appointed on or after January 1, 2014, automatically contribute 4.4% of their base pay each paycheck to the Basic Benefit plan.) Additional
information about federal judiciary employee benefits and compensation can be found at https://www.uscourts.gov/careers.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  • Only qualified applicants will be considered for this position.
  • Applicants must be United States citizens or eligible to work in the United States.
  • Applicants selected for interviews must travel at their own expense.
  • A background investigation with law enforcement agencies, including fingerprint and criminal record check, will be conducted as a condition of employment. Any applicant selected for the position will be hired provisionally pending successful completion of investigation. Unsatisfactory results may result in recission of the offer of employment.
  • Judiciary employees are considered "at will" and are not covered by federal civil service classifications or regulations. Employees must adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees.
  • All information provided by applicants is subject to verification. Applicants are advised that false statements or omission(s) of information on any application materials may be grounds for non-selection, withdrawal of an offer of employment or dismissal after being employed.
  • Payment of salary is subject to the mandatory electronic fund transfer (direct deposit) to a financial institution.
  • Only candidates selected for an interview will be notified. Unsuccessful candidates will not receive any communication.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Submit a single PDF document via e-mail to almd_hr@almd.uscourts.gov that includes the following:

  • A cover letter addressing the qualifications, skills, and experience necessary to perform the job;
  • A resume, including a list of three professional references; and
  • A completed AO 78, Application for Federal Judicial Branch Employment. (AO78 available at https://www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/forms)

INCOMPLETE SUBMISSIONS AND SUBMISSIONS THAT ARE NOT RECEIVED IN A SINGLE PDF FILE MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED.

The United States District Court, Middle District of Alabama, reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, to withdraw the job announcement, or to fill the position earlier than the closing date. Any of which may occur without prior written notice.

This Court is an Equal Opportunity/EDR Employer.