Legal Office Assistant

This recruitment will establish an employment list to fill current and any future vacancies for those County departments that have this position, which are the District Attorney, Public Defender, and Child Support Services offices. The anticipated life of the employment list is six months. If interested in employment for this position for current or future vacancies within these departments, please submit an online application for consideration.

Multiple current vacancies are with the Public Defender's Office in Visalia and Porterville.

This position is responsible to perform a wide variety of legal typing, specialized and general legal office clerical duties, and provide responsible office assistance in an assigned County Legal Department.

Typical Duties

Type, proofread and process a variety of legal documents including commitments, appeals, motions, writs, jury instructions, information, jury venires, jury demands, jury payroll, failure to appear notices, orders to show cause, subpoenas, priors and modifications, and interviews, correspondence, memoranda, reports and statistical records from rough drafts, raw data, tapes or verbal instruction; open, maintain, update and close case files for attorneys; update and maintain calendars and jury lists on a daily basis to keep trial dates current; pull and review case files daily for attorney's court appearances, insuring information requested has been received and witnesses subpoenaed; prepare status sheets for the day's trials; prepare, maintain, update, and file a variety of lists such as witness lists, jury lists, trial lists, defendants lists, motions, writs and appeals logs, case logs, commitment lists, appeals logs, sex offender lists and lifer hearing lists; answer a variety of questions and provide information on the status of cases to victims, defendants, witnesses, and various law enforcement agencies; maintain liaison with upper and lower courts including scheduling and rescheduling of cases for court, and with a variety of persons, judges, officials and local and state departments and agencies; perform a variety of supportive office functions including receiving, sorting and distributing incoming and outgoing correspondence; plan work according to priorities and schedules and suggest minor changes in procedures to correct operational problems; perform routine office equipment checks to determine cause of problems, and report needed repairs; may provide lead supervision to lower legal and/or general clerical assistants; may assist in the hiring and training of new employees; may operate a variety of office automation and peripheral equipment; may operate a variety of office related appliances such as CLETS teletype and a two-way radio; may prepare and process payroll records; may undertake and complete a variety of legal office assistance projects requiring independent judgement, initiative, and the maintenance of confidentiality.

Essential job duties may be assigned that are not listed above but are relative to this job classification. (Reasonable accommodation will be made when requested and determined by the County to be appropriate under applicable law.)

Minimum Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum qualifications are used as a guide for establishing the education, training, experience, special skills and/or license which are required and equivalent to the following.

Education/Experience: Equivalent to completion of the twelfth (12th) grade AND six (6) months experience performing legal clerical duties in a private or County legal office.

Required Certificate : T yping certificate, current to within one year, certifying a typing speed of 45 words per minute net must be submitted with the application.

Knowledge of: English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation; math sufficient to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; basic legal terminology and documents, and the court and judicial system; word processing programs and personal computers; alphabetical, numerical, non-numerical and legal filing systems and procedures; report and form design, and production methods; math including fractions, decimals and percentages; functions and purpose of County legal offices generally; common legal terminology, documents and procedures; basic supervision principles and techniques; the more complex legal terminology, documents, and terms used in County Legal Offices.

Skill/Ability to: Learn the organization, procedures and operating functions of the County Legal Department to which assigned; perform basic legal clerical work including the maintenance of appropriate case files and records and related statistical and general reports; verify and enter data for a variety of lists, logs and reports; understand and carry out verbal and written instructions; communicate with the public, agencies, and court officials on legal matters; establish and maintain effective working relationships with county staff and the public; type accurately at 45 wpm net; organize work and set priorities; perform work with accuracy and attention to detail; work independently; prepare a variety of charts, graphs, and other special documents; analyze and correct operational, procedural, and programmatic problems encountered in the course of work; identify the need for, and develop and implement, new forms or procedures; read and understand computer printouts; transcribe from a dictaphone; read, understand, and explain codes, ordinances, and laws.

Position Specific Conditions of Employment

As this position requires access to Federal Tax Information, employment is conditioned on successful completion of a background investigation and a reinvestigation within every 5 years thereafter. A background investigation includes FBI fingerprinting, a check of local law enforcement agencies where the subject has lived, worked, and/or attended school within the last 5 years, and if applicable, of the appropriate agency for any identified arrests, and Employment Eligibility Verification using E-verify will be required on the first day of employment.

Additional Information

Conditions of Employment:

• Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate, valid California driver's license.
• Candidates selected will be required to pass a pre-employment drug and alcohol screening. Additionally, a background investigation may also be conducted, which may include a re-investigation every 10 years for some positions.
• An Employment Eligibility Verification using E-Verify may be required on the first day of employment for some positions.
• Some job classes may also require a physical exam.

College Cost Reduction Access Act : This may be a qualifying position for student loan forgiveness through the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA). Only student loan payments made after October 1, 2007 and in a qualified repayment plan are eligible. For more information you are encouraged to speak with your student loan service or visit: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Bargaining Unit 1

The information listed is a general summary of benefits. These provisions do not constitute an expressed or implied contract and are subject to change.

Benefit Amount: An annual benefit amount is provided and may be applied towards health insurance premiums (medical, dental, vision, and life). This benefit is pro-rated and paid on a pay period basis (24 pay periods).

Health Insurance: A choice of PPO and HMO medical plans which include PPO and HMO dental plans and include dental and vision coverage. Dependent coverage is available. Providers include Anthem Blue Cross, Kaiser Permanente, Delta Dental, and Vision Services Plan (VSP).

Retirement: The retirement plan is a defined benefit plan administered pursuant to the 1937 Act County Employees Retirement Act and integrated with Social Security. In addition to ordinary retirement benefits, the plan provides disability and death benefits. Retirement contributions are made by both the County and the employee. The County has reciprocity with the State of California, contracting PERS agencies, and all County 1937 Act Retirement Systems.

Paid Holiday Leave: 12 set days and 1 personal holiday.

Vacation Accrual:
2 weeks per year (0-3 years of service)
3 weeks per year (3-7 years of service)
4 weeks per year (7-11 years of service)
5 weeks per year (11+ years of service)
Limit of 300 hours.

Sick Leave Accrual: 12 days per year with unlimited accumulation, 60 hours of which may be used toward family sick leave.

Group Term Life Insurance and AD&D: $10,000; Provided by Standard Insurance Company.

Disability Insurance: Employees are covered by State Disability Insurance. The premium is paid by the employee.

Deferred Compensation: A voluntary deferred compensation plan is available.

To view more detailed descriptions of Tulare County's benefits, please view the Benefits section of our Web site at https://tularecounty.ca.gov/hrd/benefits-wellness/health-plans-active-employees/

The Provisions Of This Bulletin Do Not Constitute An Expressed Or Implied Contract And Are Subject To Change.

Closing Date/Time: 4/4/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

• 

• County of Tulare - HR&D

• 559-636-4900

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