Judicial Administrative Assistant to Senior Judges (Court Department)

POSITION SUMMARY:

A Judicial Administrative Assistant/Senior Judges assists the assigned Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, including senior/visiting judges and hearing masters, with moving cases through the Pennsylvania judicial system in an organized, accountable, and expeditious manner to provide every citizen with access to independent and fair justice.

This is specialized work providing organizational and related support to members of the Berks County judiciary and assisting associated staff members in the legal and/or judicial processing of cases, opinions, and other actions. Work includes the review of legal documents for completeness, timeliness, approvals, supporting material, and other procedural requirements needed for consideration, as well as significant computer-related activities. In addition, responsibilities of the position include various tasks associated with the operation of the Court Administration.  The job may also include duties that are the primary duty of the Law Clerk and/or Judicial Coordinator.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

Essential Functions

The duties and responsibilities of this position include, but are not necessarily limited to:

• Point of contact for all matters involving a Senior Judge, including but not limited to ensuring they have all the necessary case documents and correspondence, keeping the case flowing, and determining when a Law Clerk is needed and coordinating that assistance per the directive of the President Judge.
• Generate legal correspondence, orders, opinions, memoranda, agreements, petitions, and other documents from input of Judge or other source material; edit and proofread content of such papers and correct typographical mistakes; may transcribe dictated correspondence, documents, and other items; review legal documents for completeness, timeliness, approvals, supporting material, and other procedural requirements needed for consideration; establish and maintain office files of such materials for staff use; prepare indexes of such files for staff use; provide organizational and related support to members of the judiciary; assist associated staff members in the legal and/or judicial processing of cases, opinions and other actions; prepare bi-weekly time sheets for assigned Judge's staff; process paperwork for official filings and distribution to related offices and individuals both within and outside of the Court; prepare daily and monthly schedules and month-end reports as requested; order supplies as needed. Preparation of materials for use by individual Judge includes computer input and use of various computer programs, such as MS Word, MS Excel, CPCMS, etc.; general knowledge of HTML and web publishing may also be expected (depending on the assigned Judge).
• Notify attorneys of need for hearings, conferences, trials; coordinate schedules of assigned Judge and all attorneys involved; schedule conferences; secure meeting room; notify/call all parties of date, time and place; plan for any needed equipment or other support; prepare summaries of background information in such cases for use in those conferences. Facilitate the efficient flow of personal and Court schedules. Ensure Judge’s schedules and procedures successfully coexist with other Judges and overall County business.
• Answer questions from other court departments, judicial districts, county offices, and attorneys. Orient and train other judicial or administrative staff as needed. Handle media relations, including television, radio, and newspaper requests. Act as liaison for Judge to County, attorneys, and general public. Orchestrate information flow from Chambers to Courtroom (i.e. constant email communication).
• Receive and review incoming mail; determine nature of material and procedural action required; identify subject and relationship to current and/or historical cases; assemble available records, correspondence or other information and attach for others’ use; refer materials not requiring assigned Judge’s attention to more appropriate office or individual; greet visitors and callers; determine nature of business; explain documents, approvals, actions, and other procedural elements needed for action; ensure understanding and accomplishment of same prior to referral to assigned Judge; refer others to more appropriate office or individual for assistance.
• Maintain office law library, periodicals, subscriptions, and jury instructions, as required.
• Assist with other administrative tasks, such as sending/picking up faxes/mail, delivering/picking up orders/files in Prothonotary, DRO, Clerk of Courts, BCCYS, Court reporters, etc.
• Manage Senior Judge Support Gr