HAYS COUNTY JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Code: 0453

Grade: 116

FLSA: Nonexempt

Prepared by: District Clerk & HR

Date Prepared: 12/10, 5/21, 10/23

Deputy Clerk Senior

Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, include the responsibilities, knowledge, skills, and other characteristics listed below. This list of responsibilities is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by positions in this class. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Other duties may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Summary

Under general direction, the Deputy Clerk Senior ensures proper support exists for local county and state government judicial operations by assisting the Chief Deputy with training and coordination of criminal or civil cases. The Deputy Clerk Senior provides services to the public and to all the operating departments and agencies of the County. The work involves treating a variety of problems and situations. The product of the employee’s work affects the operation of the department that may include the well-being of persons that are not employed in the department.

Responsibilities

• Assists the Chief Deputy with training and work direction to subordinate staff.
• Assists with courtroom duties including civil and criminal non-jury docket and selection of jurors.
• Administration of oaths as necessary in court to include witnesses, interpreters, juries, and defendants in criminal cases.
• Maintain docket entries for the District Courts.
• Filing court documents.
• Prepares archival records and old files.
• Copies and certifies documents.
• Performs searches and locates and retrieves information for attorneys, District Attorney, Attorney General, and the public.
• Operate personal computer to enter and retrieve information.
• Review, sort, and organize documents or instruments filed daily.
• Assists with the data entry of documents or instruments filed into the computer system.
• Enter dispositions and send out all notifications required to attorneys, parties, and agencies as required.
• Assist with the filing of new cases when assistance is needed.
• Assist customers and callers regarding District Clerk filings and direct them to the appropriate office or staff.
• Receives payments and issues receipts for civil, criminal, and tax court cost payments.
• Reconciles all payments received daily.
• Issue civil and/or criminal process, notices, post-judgment writs, and criminal court writs.
• Performs routine office procedures such as answering the telephone, issuing receipts, accepting payments, processing mail, photocopies, and locates files and case information for attorneys, District Attorney, parole officers, state agencies, and the public.

Knowledge Required

• Proficient knowledge of basic rules and regulations related to court procedures including Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, Code of Criminal Procedure, Family Code, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, Property Code, Transportation Code, Tax Code, Election Code, and Government Code.
• Proficient knowledge of court rules and District Clerk’s manual.
• Exceptional knowledge of basic arithmetic and algebra including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, interest, decimals, and percents.
• Exceptional knowledge of legal terminology and requirements of timekeeping and cash management.
• General knowledge of Hays County regulations, procedures, and fiscal policy.
• General knowledge of basic hardware and software and uses of a variety of different computer operating systems.
• Exceptional knowledge of judicial process and practices.
• Exceptional knowledge of the judicial civil/criminal system.
• Exceptional skill in the supervision of others and the general skill in conducting presentations and training sessions.
• Exceptional knowledge of assigned department forms, rules, procedures, and guidelines.
• General knowledge of modern business office practices and procedures.

Required Skill

• Proficient skill in providing work direction and coordination of activities of subordinate personnel.
• Proficient skill in preparing a variety of documents including sentence and order forms, verdict forms, jury panel usage forms, summary disposition forms, etc. using prescribed format and conforming to all rules.
• Exceptional skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with County staff and attorneys, litigants, defendants, Court Administrative Office and other Courthouse offices, judges, witnesses, police departments, and the public.
• Exceptional skill providing information and assistance to the assigned office staff and customers.
• Exceptional skill in reception, telephone etiquette, and customer relations.
• General skill in basic mathematical calculations and basic accounting records.
• General skill in operating standard office equipment, such as personal computers, calculators, and telephones.
• General organizational skills.
• General skill in expressing oneself clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

Education and/or Experience

Any combination of experience or training may be substituted on a year-for-year basis.

• Requires High School degree or GED.
• Requires three years’ experience in a judicial or legal process, office management, or closely related field, including six months of lead work or supervisory experience.

Other Qualifications, Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

Class C driver’s license.

Supervision

The Deputy Clerk Senior is required to satisfactorily perform the above duties and will be evaluated for technical soundness, accuracy, and completeness. The Deputy Clerk Senior is responsible for carrying out recurring assignments independently as well as handling problems and deviations from the work assignments in accordance with instructions, policies, or accepted practices. The Deputy Clerk Senior trains and offers instructions and reviews and corrects the work of the Deputy Clerk Specialist. The District Clerk is consulted for unusual situations that do not have clear precedents.

Guidelines

The Deputy Clerk Senior must use judgment in interpreting and adapting guidelines to apply them to specific cases or problems. The employee may recommend changes or improvements in the guidelines. This position must have a strong work ethic. The Deputy Clerk Senior must follow directions, meet deadlines, have good attendance, be punctual, keep promises, be reliable, and have a proper attitude.

Emotional Demands

This position must handle a stress level of dealing with contacts within the public and Hays County Departments. The Deputy Clerk Senior meets with contacts in a structured setting at Hays County facilities. The contacts are generally cooperative, however, this position may have to plan, coordinate, or advise on work efforts to resolve operating problems by influencing or motivating individuals.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Use of his/her hands and fingers to handle or feel.
• Reach with hands and arms.
• Talk.
• Hear.
• Occasionally stand, walk, kneel, or stoop.
• Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Sit.

Work Environment

While performing the duties of this job, the employee works in an office setting. The work involves everyday risks or discomforts requiring normal safety precautions typical of offices, meeting rooms, or vehicles. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.

Acknowledgment

I agree that I am able to satisfactorily perform the essential duties listed above with or without an accommodation. I understand the satisfactory performance of the essential duties in this job description is a condition of my employment. I agree to follow the instructions of my supervisor within the constraints of the law and will perform additional duties to the best of my ability when instructed to do so.

I acknowledge the receipt of the current Hays County Personnel Policy Manual, which outlines my privileges and obligations as an employee. I acknowledge that the provisions of the Personnel Policy are terms and conditions of my employment, and I agree to abide by them. I accept responsibility for reading and familiarizing myself with the information in the manual. It is understood that any changes to this policy will be communicated to me in writing. I agree to return the manual to my supervisor if I leave the employ of Hays County.

I further understand that my employment is terminable at will so that both Hays County and its employees remain free to choose to end the employment relationship at any time for any reason or no reason.

I fully understand that I may be granted compensation time in lieu of payment of overtime to the extent provided by law. I also understand that my supervisor can instruct me to take compensation time.

Employee Signature: ______________ Date: ______________

List any and all accommodations that are needed to satisfactorily perform the essential functions of this position: