Provides administrative support and performs a variety of legal clerical functions for the Las Cruces Municipal Court, which involves clerical, cashiering/reconciliation, data entry, case preparation, entering and keeping records, issuing procedural and substantive due process, and customer service in accordance with City and Municipal Court policies and procedures.

Work Situation Factors

Environmental Factors

Work is performed in a court environment and possibly at the Detention Center. May perform in-jail arraignments on weekends. The employee may be exposed to hostile or violent situations that arise when dealing with individuals involved in court cases.

Physical Factors

Light physical demands; mostly deskwork. Frequent use of a personal computer. May be required to move up to forty (40) pounds. Occasional travel is required.

Meeting or exceeding the minimum requirements does not guarantee an invitation to participate in the process.

FIRST CONSIDERATION MAY BE GIVEN TO CURRENT CITY OF LAS CRUCES EMPLOYEES WHO MEET THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS.

This posting will be used to fill vacant fulltime regular, non-exempt positions.

It will also be used to establish a pool of qualified candidates for future vacancies.

This position is graded RN06.

• Receives and applies training to perform assigned tasks; provides information and assistance within the scope of training and designated authority.
• Provides courteous, prompt, and knowledgeable customer service to clients of the court; issues, records, and processes warrants; researches computer data for warrants, prior violations, and other pertinent data; prepares and reviews a variety of court documents including notices of trial dates, violations of court orders, delinquencies in payments, refunds, bond conversion or refunds, driver's license suspensions/revocations, judgments, and dispositions; responds to customer inquiries and complaints, both in person and on the telephone in accordance with court procedures.
• Performs a variety of accurate data entry of court dispositions, payments, traffic citations, criminal citations and other court-related information utilizing court-specific computer software in order to ensure that information is readily available and reliable; maintains statistical information and/or mandatory reporting, such as DWI and domestic violence convictions, on a monthly basis as assigned by the supervisor and maintains supply usage log on a monthly basis; responds to the requests of Municipal Court Judges for processing paperwork on sentences, plea agreements, arraignments, and confinement orders; maintains logs and records, calculates and prepares monthly statistical data.
• Collects, posts, and balances fines, fees, and bonds and accurately reconciles daily cash transactions using court-specific computer software ensuring proper collection methods are followed.
• Performs file management functions including alphabetical and numerical case filing, creating new case files, tracking case files, matching documents to case files, and researching record requests.
• Opens and reopens case files; enters arrest information into an automated case management system; processes booking reports; issues Commitment, Release Orders and instructions; coordinates prisoner transportation; researches defendant inquiries, warrants, current driving history, and prior conviction history; schedules defendants for hearings, trial sessions, and court-required appointments; interviews and completes indigent applications for legal representation, and Payment Plan Agreements; prepares information for court-ordered programs as needed; interacts with various community agencies relating to court-ordered programs.
• Researches the monthly jail bill for inaccuracies; files court documents and receipts bond payments; balances and reconciles daily bond receipts.
• Maintains professional and appropriate courtroom decorum during arraignments, hearings and trials in the Municipal Court and at the Doña Ana County Detention Center; may provide Spanish language interpretations and translations to monolingual inmates during arraignments; may respond to building security issues.

Equivalent to a high school diploma AND one (1) year of clerical, cashiering, accounting, or customer service experience. A combination of education, experience, and training may be applied in accordance with City of Las Cruces policy.

Licenses/Certification(s)

Valid driver’s license is required. Position requires an acceptable driving record in accordance with City of Las Cruces policy. Prior Legal, or Court, clerical experience and Bilingual skills (English/Spanish) may be preferred.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

This is the entry level in the Court Clerk job family. Employees at this level are trained to prepare, examine and process legal documents in support of Court activities, utilizing clerical and customer service skills and limited application of specialized legal procedures and processes. As experience is gained, there is greater independence of action within established guidelines.

Knowledge of: Basics of Las Cruces Municipal Code, Uniform Traffic Ordinance, and legal/court terminology; basic judicial processes; personal computer with MS Office and Acrobat, fax machine, copier, and multi-line telephone; City and Court policies and procedures.

Skills in: Explaining court procedures and processes in a clear, concise, and comprehensive manner to attorneys, litigants, and the public; effectively communicating in written and verbal forms; writing and completing accurate reports, legal documents and correspondence; effectively relate to people of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and temperaments; operating personal computer involving use of software, data entry, and general PC operation.

Ability to: Coordinate and perform legal clerical functions; understand and prepare legal documentation; assist with issuing warrants, sanctions and summons; take and process defendant pleas; receive and process court payments; balance cash drawers; provide customer service to the public and other relevant parties.