Job Announcement

Under minimal supervision of the Legal Records/Services Manager, acts as a Floater/Alternate Courtroom Clerk to a Circuit Court Judge, providing specialized paralegal support to ensure the management of the Circuit Court docket and office activities.

Assists the judge in the courtroom, assuring that proper procedures are followed during court proceedings. Arraigns defendants and administers oaths and affirmations. Maintains status, custody, and security of all exhibits in civil and criminal trials. Compiles accurate and legible notes of court proceedings and ruling, recording the exact ruling of the court. Prepares all jury verdict forms in civil and criminal trials. Prepares court orders for entry and probation referrals. The incumbent in this position should feel comfortable using computers and electronic systems including court case management systems, scanning imaging software, electronic docket systems, and e-filing.

Provides highly specialized administrative support to a Circuit Court Judge in processing court cases, ensuring that proper procedures are followed during court proceedings. Duties include arraigning defendants, administering oaths and affirmations, maintaining the status of cases, custody of court documents, and security of exhibits during court proceedings. Responsible for compiling accurate and legible notes of court proceedings and bench rulings, memorializing rulings of the courts.

Work includes frequent preparation and processing of court orders, legal authorization forms, probation referrals, and jail cards according to the judge's ruling, the Code of Virginia, and the rules of the Virginia Supreme Court.

Note: Physical presence is required at the worksite location during scheduled hours of work.

Schedule: Overtime is frequently required with little or no advance notice due to the unpredictable length of courtroom trials.

Salary: The selected applicant's starting hourly rate will be in the minimum to midpoint range ($23.8108 to $31.7475) of the advertised compensation range. Promotional rules apply for current Fairfax County Government and Fairfax County Public Schools employees.

Illustrative Duties

(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position job description.)

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  Maintains dockets of scheduled cases;
• Attends court proceedings, arraigns defendants, and administers oaths and affirmations;
• Records case dispositions, court orders, or arrangements made for payment of court fees;
• Prepares documents recording the outcomes of court proceedings;
• Manages chain of custody of physical and demonstrative evidence proffered and admitted during trial;
• Examines legal documents submitted to courts for adherence to laws and/or court procedures;
• Prepares and processes court orders, probation referrals, release documentation, criminal sentencing information, or summonses.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)

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  Knowledge of the functions of the assigned business areas and/or court procedures;
• Knowledge of the Code of Virginia, the Virginia Supreme Court's Clerk's Manual, laws and regulations related to the assigned business areas;
• Knowledge of standard administrative procedures, practices, and equipment;
• Ability to communicate courteously and effectively, both verbally and in writing;
• Ability to demonstrate and enforce courtroom decorum;
• Ability to take and transcribe notes of court proceedings;
• Ability to listen and understand information presented through spoken words and sentences;
• Ability to read and understand information presented in writing;
• Ability to exercise tact and diplomacy;
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of individuals, including the judges, general public, members of the legal and business community, and department staff.

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following: (Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")
Any combination of education, experience and training equivalent to high school graduation;
Plus four years of experience providing administrative support, technical support, customer service, or working in a court or legal environment.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• All newly hired employees will complete an attestation online related to their vaccination status against COVID-19 or a medical or religious exemption (forms provided by the agency) on their first date of employment or shortly thereafter. Employees who are not vaccinated, including persons with a medical or religious exemption, may be subject to a weekly testing requirement.
• This position is considered "essential personnel" and will be required to report to work during times designated countywide as approved for unscheduled leave regardless of the emergency situation (i.e., weather, transportation, other disaster).
• The appointee to the position will be required to complete a criminal background check to the satisfaction of the employer.

P REFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Associate's degree
• Four or more years of experience working in a federal or state trial court or other legal environment.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of the Code of Virginia and regulations in relevant areas.
• Experience in managing confidential court records or confidential public records.
• Ability to multitask and work with limited direction to address identified objectives.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to exercise tact, discretion, initiative, creativity, and independent judgment.
• Experience in the use of Microsoft Office computer software, especially Word, Excel, and Outlook.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Position requires sitting in courtroom for extended periods of time. Must be able to input and retrieve data from a computer. Must be able to lift boxes and push a cart weighing up to 30 pounds. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include a practical exercise.

The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 39.8% of residents speak a language other than English at home (Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and others) and we encourage candidates bilingual in English and a foreign language to apply to this opportunity.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact 703-324-4900 for assistance. TTY 703-222-7314. DHREmployment@fairfaxcounty.gov. EEO/AA/TTY.