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Job Details for Temporary Intake/Docket Clerk

Court Name/Organization California Northern District Court
Overview of the Position Priority consideration given to applicants who apply by June 19, 2025. Whether launching or continuing a career in public service, the U.S. District Court is a great place to work with competitive salaries and benefits, a work schedule that promotes a work-life balance, access to a fitness center, and the opportunity to work with colleagues committed to fulfilling the important mission of administering justice in an efficient and effective manner. This position offers an excellent opportunity to advance a career in Federal court service.
Location San Francisco, CA
Opening and Closing Dates 06/05/2025 - Open Until Filled
Appointment Type Permanent
Classification Level/Grade CL 25
Salary $61,119 - $99,314
Link to Court Careers Information https://www.cand.uscourts.gov/career-opportunities/
Announcement Number FY25-24
Link to Job Announcement

Position Description

The Intake/Docket Clerk plays a crucial role in the court's operations by seamlessly combining customer service and case management responsibilities.  This position is responsible for processing court documents filed either in-person or electronically and ensures the accurate handling and progression of cases through the legal system. 

Key Responsibilities
Intake Duties: 

  • Serve as the primary point of contact for customers, assisting them at the front desk, over the phone, and via email
  • Manage the assignment of judges to new attorney case openings, reassign cases, and assign judges for newly filed criminal proceedings
  • Act as the main cashier for the office, processing payments and handling financial transactions

Docketing Duties: 

  • Docket, maintain, and process case information, ensuring that case progression is managed accurately and efficiently in accordance with internal controls and procedures
  • Notice, monitor, and manage the progression of cases to final disposition
  • Maintain official case records and review filed documents for conformity, taking appropriate action as necessary
  • Ensure that all orders and automated entries are accurately docketed
  • Make summary entries on the docket for all documents and proceedings

Additional Duties for the Intake/Docket Clerk include the following: 

  • Make summary entries of documents and proceedings. Receive and docket terminating document. Perform quality control on chambers and attorney-docketed entries. Prepare and distribute clerk's notices and deficiency notices. Set schedules for briefing and record preparation. 
  • Accept, review and process documents. Review filed documents to determine conformity and take appropriate action and follow up with rules, practices and filing requirements. Prepare correspondence regarding file inquires, docket sheets, and other file request information. Check for prior or prohibited filing. Monitor for release of exhibits and sealed documents. Verify and issue summons. 
  • Process notices of appeals and appeal-related documents. Process opinions and close appeals. 
  • Perform criminal and civil docketing making summary entries on all documents and proceedings
  • Provide information to public, bar, and the court
  • Transmit records to appropriate court. Ensure event codes are entered accurately. 
  • Operate a variety of copying and records equipment. Answer and route incoming calls.
  • Provides case opening, cashiering, and other assistance as needed
  • Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications
The successful applicant must have two years specialized experience, including at least one year specialized experience at or equivalent to CL-24.  For placement at salary levels above minimum up to and including step 25, (considering court-preferred skills and an evaluation of quality of experience), the successful applicant must have at least two years specialized experience equivalent to work at CL-24. 

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Ability to communicate effectively with a variety of people with a positive, upbeat manner
  • Ability to do detail-oriented work with limited supervision
  • Experience which reflects the ability to work under pressure and deal with change
  • Demonstrable ability to successfully manage multiple competing priorities
  • Knowledge of and skill in working with databases and other typical office software programs
  • Proven analytical reasoning skills and sound judgment
  • Prior federal court experience
  • Excellent verbal and written communications skills
  • Excellent organization and time management skills
  • Excellent spelling, grammar, and proofreading skills
  • Cashiering experience
  • Bachelor's degree

Specialized Experience

Specialized experience is progressively responsible clerical experience that is in, or closely related to, the work of the position and which has demonstrated the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and involves the routine use of automated software and keyboarding for word processing, data entry and report generation.

Miscellaneous

The Intake/Docket Clerk plays a crucial role in the court's operations by seamlessly combining customer service and case management responsibilities.  This position is responsible for processing court documents filed either in-person or electronically and ensures the accurate handling and progression of cases through the legal system. 

Key Responsibilities
Intake Duties: 

  • Serve as the primary point of contact for customers, assisting them at the front desk, over the phone, and via email
  • Manage the assignment of judges to new attorney case openings, reassign cases, and assign judges for newly filed criminal proceedings
  • Act as the main cashier for the office, processing payments and handling financial transactions

Docketing Duties: 

  • Docket, maintain, and process case information, ensuring that case progression is managed accurately and efficiently in accordance with internal controls and procedures
  • Notice, monitor, and manage the progression of cases to final disposition
  • Maintain official case records and review filed documents for conformity, taking appropriate action as necessary
  • Ensure that all orders and automated entries are accurately docketed
  • Make summary entries on the docket for all documents and proceedings

Additional Duties for the Intake/Docket Clerk include the following: 

  • Make summary entries of documents and proceedings. Receive and docket terminating document. Perform quality control on chambers and attorney-docketed entries. Prepare and distribute clerk's notices and deficiency notices. Set schedules for briefing and record preparation. 
  • Accept, review and process documents. Review filed documents to determine conformity and take appropriate action and follow up with rules, practices and filing requirements. Prepare correspondence regarding file inquires, docket sheets, and other file request information. Check for prior or prohibited filing. Monitor for release of exhibits and sealed documents. Verify and issue summons. 
  • Process notices of appeals and appeal-related documents. Process opinions and close appeals. 
  • Perform criminal and civil docketing making summary entries on all documents and proceedings
  • Provide information to public, bar, and the court
  • Transmit records to appropriate court. Ensure event codes are entered accurately. 
  • Operate a variety of copying and records equipment. Answer and route incoming calls.
  • Provides case opening, cashiering, and other assistance as needed
  • Perform other duties as assigned

Application Info

Applicants must submit the following:

  1. Cover letter
  2. Resume
  3. Three professional references.

To be considered for this position, visit our agency website at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/uscourtscand to submit the online application, along with the above-listed documents. Please be sure to fully complete your application by providing all work history from the past 10 years. Attachments should be submitted as Microsoft Word (DOC) or Adobe Acrobat (PDF) files. Other formats are not acceptable. 

Applications will be considered complete when the online application and all required attachments, in the appropriate format, are received by the Human Resources Unit.

The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.