Job Details for Case Administrator
| Court Name/Organization | California Southern District Court |
| Overview of the Position | The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California is accepting applications for the position of Case Administrator. As part of the Operations section, Case Administrator I staff serve as case initiation clerks and records and reproduction clerks. They receive and review incoming court documents for conformity with federal and local rules and perform customer service duties for the purpose of providing procedural information. Employees may also prepare cases for closing by ensuring that all necessary orders are entered, and proceedings are completed accurately. |
| Location | San Diego, CA |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 06/18/2025 - Open Until Filled |
| Appointment Type | Permanent |
| Classification Level/Grade | CL 24 - CL 25 |
| Salary | $50,558 - $90,749 |
| Link to Court Careers Information | https://www.casd.uscourts.gov/Careers.aspx |
| Announcement Number | 25-17 |
| Link to Job Announcement | |
Position Description
- Helps customers at the Intake window accept appropriate documents; checks for prior or prohibited filings; informs customers of required fees; answer and route incoming calls; answers inquiries on procedures and case status, and other general information to the public, bar and the court; sorts, classifies and files case records; assists the public in the use of computerized databases; provides information to the public without providing legal advice; ensures data quality.
- Assigns case numbers to Judges and/or Magistrate Judges. Opens cases in case management system upon receipt of initiating documents, such as complaints or petitions; verifies and issues summons; verifies attorney’s authority to practice. Makes summary entries on the docket of all civil case opening documents and other documents, including, but not limited to motions to proceed in forma pauperis, notices of related case, summonses, and requests for appointment of counsel.
- Maintains integrity of the filing system by such means as monitoring proper access to records and maintaining timely and accurate filing of documents. Retrieves files and makes copies of records for court personnel, attorneys and others. Certifies court documents.
- Prepares and transmits to appropriate parties and/or chambers documents for review.
- Makes summary entries of all documents and proceedings on the docket. This includes, but is not limited to: pleadings, minutes, orders and judgments.
- Receives and reviews incoming documents to determine conformity with appropriate rules, practices and/or court requirements. Reviews documents for accuracy and notifies any interested parties of discrepancies.
- Files documents meeting requirements as needed. Manually distributes documents to individuals not served electronically by the system.
- Ensures that all automated entries are properly docketed and appropriately linked for proper case management. Prepares and routes discrepancy orders to judges or magistrate judges on pleadings in non-conformance of the federal or local rules.
- Enters all Speedy Trial Act data and related information into the database to ensure that all entries are in compliance with the requirements of the Speedy Trial Act.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
To qualify for CL-24, the candidate must have a minimum of one year of specialized experience equivalent to work at CL-23. To qualify for CL-25, the candidate must have a minimum of one year of specialized experience equivalent to work at CL-24. To be placed above a step 1 at either CL level, an applicant must either possess job-related court-preferred skills or a total of three years of specialized experience equivalent to the lower CL level.
Required Clearances: Please note that this position does not require that applicants complete the “Optional Background Information” section on page 5 of the AO-78 Application Form. The Court may require the disclosure of any criminal history information at the time a conditional offer is made.
The selected candidate will also be required to submit to a background clearance which includes fingerprinting and a credit check.
General Experience
Preferred Skills/Qualifications:
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
- Prior work experience in a legal environment
Personal Characteristics: The successful candidate should be a mature, dedicated, responsible, and poised individual who possesses tact, good judgment, initiative, a strong work ethic, and the ability to work well with judges, chambers staff, and Clerk's Office staff. The candidate should be trustworthy and possess the ability to maintain strict confidentiality of sensitive information.
Specialized Experience
Specialized experience is defined as progressively responsible clerical or administrative experience requiring the regular and recurring application of clerical procedures that demonstrate the ability to apply a body of rules, regulations, directives, or laws, and involve the routine use of specialized terminology and automated software and equipment for word processing, data entry or report generation. Such experience is commonly encountered in law firms, legal counsel offices, banking and credit firms, educational institutions, social service organizations, insurance companies, real estate and title offices, and corporate headquarters or human resources/payroll operations.
Additionally, this position requires the following:
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to type 40 words per minute and skilled in the use of computers and various types of software
The work in this position is performed in an office setting. This is not a full-time telework position.
Employee Benefits
Salary is just one component of the comprehensive compensation package offered by the Federal Court. Federal court employees are eligible for a full range of benefits that include 13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid holidays per year, a flexible work schedule, immediate matching Thrift Savings Plan, pre-tax programs (health, dependent care and transportation), and insurance plans (i.e., health, life, disability, and long-term care), car-pooling options and a transportation subsidy.
Employer benefit contributions equate to no less than 33% of an employee’s total compensation. Please see the chart below for an estimated total compensation based on a sample position and salary. Be advised that eligibility.
For more information about federal court benefits, please visit: www.uscourts.gov/careers/benefits.
Miscellaneous
- Helps customers at the Intake window accept appropriate documents; checks for prior or prohibited filings; informs customers of required fees; answer and route incoming calls; answers inquiries on procedures and case status, and other general information to the public, bar and the court; sorts, classifies and files case records; assists the public in the use of computerized databases; provides information to the public without providing legal advice; ensures data quality.
- Assigns case numbers to Judges and/or Magistrate Judges. Opens cases in case management system upon receipt of initiating documents, such as complaints or petitions; verifies and issues summons; verifies attorney’s authority to practice. Makes summary entries on the docket of all civil case opening documents and other documents, including, but not limited to motions to proceed in forma pauperis, notices of related case, summonses, and requests for appointment of counsel.
- Maintains integrity of the filing system by such means as monitoring proper access to records and maintaining timely and accurate filing of documents. Retrieves files and makes copies of records for court personnel, attorneys and others. Certifies court documents.
- Prepares and transmits to appropriate parties and/or chambers documents for review.
- Makes summary entries of all documents and proceedings on the docket. This includes, but is not limited to: pleadings, minutes, orders and judgments.
- Receives and reviews incoming documents to determine conformity with appropriate rules, practices and/or court requirements. Reviews documents for accuracy and notifies any interested parties of discrepancies.
- Files documents meeting requirements as needed. Manually distributes documents to individuals not served electronically by the system.
- Ensures that all automated entries are properly docketed and appropriately linked for proper case management. Prepares and routes discrepancy orders to judges or magistrate judges on pleadings in non-conformance of the federal or local rules.
- Enters all Speedy Trial Act data and related information into the database to ensure that all entries are in compliance with the requirements of the Speedy Trial Act.
- Other duties as assigned.
Application Info
Qualified candidates must submit a cover letter, resume, a minimum of three references with contact information, and the AO-78 Application Form (available for download in the application portal). All application materials must be submitted here: CASD HR Application Portal. More information on career opportunities may also be found at www.casd.uscourts.gov.
Preference will be given to applicants who submit application materials before 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 9, 2025.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.