Courtroom Deputy Clerk
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
COURTROOM DEPUTY CLERK
ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER 22-WAW-43
ANNOUNCEMENT DATE September 26, 2022
CLOSING DATE Open until filled; preference given to resumes received by October 10, 2022
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington is seeking a qualified Courtroom Deputy for a U.S. District Court Judge. This position is located at the federal courthouse in Seattle, Washington.
This position is part of the District Court Clerk’s Office and is part of a self-directed team. The team participates in recruiting, and is responsible for training and performance evaluations. The team develops quality standards, plans and distributes work, and handles leave and coverage issues. This requires responsibility, flexibility, and a desire to work collaboratively within the team and the Clerk’s Office as a whole.
This position is located in the office of the Clerk of Court at the Federal Courthouse in Seattle, Washington. This position requires in-court coverage and backup of other Courtroom Deputy Clerks in the Courthouse; however, the Court has a flexible telework policy which allows for routine telework.
REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES
• Responsible for calendaring and regulating case movement, monitoring filing of pertinent documents and timeliness of responses to judicial orders; setting dates and times for hearing, trials, and conferences; setting and tracking deadlines; examining documents filed in an action assigned to the judge to determine whether they conform to the rules of practice.
• Attends court proceedings. Assists with the orderly flow of proceedings that includes, but is not limited to, setting up the courtroom, assuring presence of all necessary participants, managing exhibits, assisting with jury selection, calling court to order, administering oaths, swearing in witnesses, arranging for interpreters, hosting and directing virtual hearings, trials and meetings using platforms such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams, operating courtroom technology, and conducting telephone conference calls.
• Takes notes of proceedings and rulings and prepares minute entries; prepares and distributes documents such as calendars; prepares and enters judgments; maintains case management statistics; assists other courtroom deputies when needed.
• Keeps judge and chambers staff informed of case progress. Answers procedural questions and acts as a source of information to attorneys and pro se litigants.
• Acts as a liaison between the judge and other Clerk’s Office staff, Probation and Pretrial Services, the bar, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Attorney’s Office, the Federal Public Defender’s Office, other government agencies, and pro se litigants to ensure that cases proceed smoothly and efficiently.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
• High school diploma or equivalent; One to two years of specialized, progressively responsible administrative, legal, or clerical experience, preferably in a law firm, legal counsel’s office, or court environment. Experience should be in performing duties closely related to the work of this position, demonstrating the necessary knowledge
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and experience with virtual meeting platforms such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams.
• Ability to communicate information clearly and professionally with a variety of people, including Judges, court personnel, attorneys, jurors, and pro se litigants.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, demonstrate sound judgment, multitask and handle sensitive material with a calm, professional, friendly, and patient demeanor.
• The ability to work effectively as a part of a team, assisting co-workers and demonstrating a willingness to complete a wide variety of tasks as needed.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Knowledge of federal rules and procedures.
• Docketing experience.
• Prior court experience.
• Experience with CM/ECF, (the Judiciary’s automated case management system).
• A college degree or paralegal certificate.
SALARY RANGE
Court Personnel System Classification Level:
CL26 , Step 1 – 61, $53,200 - $86,527 annually
CL27 , Step 1 – 61, $58,474 - $95,034 annually
Depending on experience and qualifications; additional promotional potential without further recruitment.
BENEFITS
The District Court offers a generous benefit package, competitive salary, and a dedication to work/life balance including flexible schedules, ORCA transit passes, and telework opportunities. Judiciary employees participate in the Federal Employees Retirement System, Thrift Savings Plan (similar to a 401K), health and life insurance benefits, long term care options, annual sick leave accrual, and eleven paid holidays per year. Judiciary employees are not covered by the Office of Personnel Management’s civil service classification system or regulations. For additional information on employment with the federal courts, please visit www.uscourts.gov
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Qualified applicants must submit the following:
• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Completed AO78 Form Application for Federal Employment - * For this vacancy announcement (22-WAW-43), you do not need to complete the optional background information – questions 18, 19, and 20.
Attachments must be submitted as Microsoft Word (DOC) or Adobe Acrobat (PDF) files. Other formats are not acceptable. Applications will only be considered complete when the required attachments, with the required information in the appropriate format, are received by Human Resources. Incomplete applications and/or attachments received after the closing date may not be considered in the recruitment process. Application materials can be submitted via e-mail to:
seattle_personnel@wawd.uscourts.gov
Or to:
Human Resources (#22-WAW-43)
U. S. District Court 700 Stewart Street, Suite 2218
Seattle, WA 98101
Information for Applicants
Only qualified applicants will be considered for this position. Applicants must be United States citizens or eligible to work in the United States. Employees of the United States District Court are considered “at will” employees. Applicants selected for interviews must travel (for in-person interviews) or connect via Zoom (for remote interviews) at their own expense.
The United States District Court requires employees to follow a code of conduct which is available upon request. Reference checks with current and former employers will be conducted on top candidates. A background investigation with law enforcement agencies, including fingerprint and criminal record checks, will be conducted as a condition of employment. Any applicant selected for a position will be hired provisionally pending successful completion of the investigation. Unsatisfactory results may result in termination of employment.
The Federal Financial Management Reform Act requires direct deposit of federal wages.
The United States District Court for the Western District of Washington is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals and seek a diverse pool of applicants in terms of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, disability, religion, and socio-economic circumstance.
The Court provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please notify Human Resources. The decision on granting reasonable accommodations will be made on a case-by-case basis.
The Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, to withdraw the announcement, or to fill the position sooner than the closing date, any of which may occur without prior written or other notice. If a position becomes vacant in a similar classification, within a reasonable time from the original announcement, the Clerk’s Office may select a candidate from the applicants who responded to the original announcement without posting the job announcement again. More than one position may be filled from this announcement.
The United States District Court is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity in the work place.