Job Description

Posting number: 14.03413

Department: All District Courts

Job classification: ADC_Court Operations Administrator

Posting type: Open & Promotional

Categories: Legal

Summary

Reporting directly to the Director of District Court Administration, responsible for performing specialized administrative and court support to the Director and district courts within Williamson County. Serves as Court Administrator for various courts in their absence. May perform duties in one or more specialized areas of assignment. Level I of II in Court Operations Administrator positions.

Examples of duties

• Assists various courts with docket management, attorney assignments, fee vouchers, and public inquiries
• Assists with processing invoices, legal fees and various budget, and financial reports
• Collaborates with attorneys on processing various legal documents including performing quality control to ensure documents are accurate
• Serves as primary resource to department director for all administrative needs
• Reviews, collects, transcribes, and processes legal paperwork and prepares documents for electronic use
• Reports monthly, quarterly, and yearly statistical and legal data using software utilized by the State of Texas
• Coordinates and collaborates with Court Administrators on various court issues
• Ensures comprehensive filing systems are maintained and up to date
• Attends all meetings and trainings, as required
• Performs special duties as assigned

Specialized Assignments (in addition to the duties above):

Criminal Case Assignment Area

• Receives and tracks all daily case index forms and Magistrate list forms from all courts and schedules hearings as necessary
• Coordinates and mails notices to defendants associated to court updates and rulings
• Performs data entry and maintains contact information for defendants, attorneys, and other legal parties
• Manages and coordinates the dockets for assigned specialty court program
• Maintains Felony Indigent Defense list, enters, scans and processes attorney vouchers for attorneys providing indigent representation in criminal cases, updates voucher amounts and tracks attorney invoices and information

Civil/Family Case Assignment Area

• Performs data entry and maintains contact information for parties, attorneys, and other court participants
• Manages and coordinates the dockets for assigned specialty court program
• Manages dismissal docket process for civil and family matters
• Tracks cases stayed due to suggestion of bankruptcy
• Maintains Child Welfare Indigent Defense List, enters, scans and processes attorney vouchers for attorneys providing indigent representation in child welfare cases, updates voucher amounts and tracks attorney invoices and information

Forensic Mental Health Assignment Area

• Serves as the administrative contact and liaison for mental health cases in the district court, including matters related to competency, sanity, and mental health specialty programs
• Works on behalf of the Courts with jail and provider staff to manage felony criminal cases involving defendants with mental illness or intellectual and developmental disability (IDD)
• Oversees, coordinates, tracks, and facilitates the Court’s mental competency court processes, including communication between the Courts, Jail, attorneys, and various providers,
• Coordinates court proceedings related to competency restoration and mental health services, including the Jail Based Competency Restoration Program
• Coordinates court proceedings related to defendants found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity or who are under an order of civil commitment and remain subject to the continued jurisdiction of the Court
• Coordinates with Jail, Courts, and providers to ensure completion of ordered psychological, psychiatric, or competency evaluations and ensures expert reports are submitted timely and tracked for action
• Works to improve system coordination, process efficiencies, and timely case outcomes in criminal courts
• Works with jail staff to monitor and document the return of defendants from a state hospital, State Supported Living Centers (SSLC), or other residential facility to ensure that hearings are scheduled and cases advance toward appropriate outcomes.
• Works within collaborative relationships with/between Local Mental Health/Behavioral Health Authorities (LMHA/LBHA), State Hospitals (SH), SSLC, Civil and Criminal courts, community providers, contract providers, community supervision/corrections department, Sheriffs' Office, police departments, District Attorney’s office, and defense counsel to facilitate timely case actions
• Manages the docket and application process for the Felony Mental Health Docket
• Schedules pre-docket/hearing case activities, case review staffing’s, and regular Court dockets/proceedings to expedite appropriate case dispositions, treatment placements, and ongoing care plans and coordination
• Monitors, tracks, and reports system and case data as directed, including program and state hospital placements, wait list/times, and competency process use and outcomes

ORGANIZATION RELATIONSHIPS

• Reports directly to – Director of District Court Administration for all administrative matters; All District Judges in specialty area, including for the hiring or termination
• Direct Reports – No

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Position involves prolonged sitting at a workstation, visual examination of documents, listening, speaking, reaching, walking, twisting, bending, standing and occasional lifting/carrying
• Position involves safely operating a motor vehicle

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

• Work is primarily indoors in an air-conditioned environment
• Regular travel between work sites as required
• Regular attendance is required

IRREGULAR HOURS

• Work outside of the normal office hours (Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) may be required
• May be deemed essential personnel in the event of an emergency
• Regular attendance is required

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified in this position. This job description is subject to change as the needs and requirements of the job change.

Qualifications

• Associate degree in Business, Government, Public Administration, or related field and two (2) years of court or office management experience OR an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Two (2) years of administrative or general business experience in a court, judicial or legal office, or directly related environment
• Knowledge of court and legal proceedings
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS

Required within thirty (30) days of employment

• Valid Texas driver’s license

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field
• Four (4) years of responsible administrative or general business experience in a court, judicial, legal office or a directly related environment involving some limited legal research, administrative and technical duties in the legal field
• Professional experience in court proceedings involving mental illness/competency (for Forensic Mental Health Assignment Area)

EMPLOYMENT TESTING

Employment is contingent on passing any post-offer pre-employment screening as listed below:

• Criminal background check: Yes
• Motor Vehicle Record check: Yes
• Drug screening: No
• Physical exam: No
• Psychological exam: No
• Additional: N/A

Supplemental information

A Williamson County online application (resumes alone are not sufficient) must be received before the position is closed. Positions are open until filled, subject to close at any time after five (5) calendar days. The Human Resources Department is located at 100 Wilco Way, Georgetown, TX 78626. Phone (512) 943-1533 or visit our website at www.wilcotx.gov/469/Human-Resources.

Williamson County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). If you require an accommodation in order to apply for a position, please request assistance from the Human Resources Department.

TOBACCO FREE WORKPLACE POLICY

Williamson County is a tobacco free workplace. The use of tobacco products (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, pipes, snuff, chew, etc.) and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) (e.g., vapor, e-cigarettes, etc.) is prohibited on all Williamson County premises. Employees who violate this policy are subject to appropriate disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.