Current Employment Opportunities

Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) Job Descriptions 

• State Court Administrator   

• Deputy State Court Administrator

• Regional Administrator

• Legal Counsel

• Judicial Conduct Disciplinary Board

• Judicial Council/Conference

• Directors/Coordinators

• Analysts

• Court Services

• Information Technology Administration

• Finance

• Public Relations/Information

• Administrative

• Editor

• Human Resources

State Court Administrator

COURT ADMINISTRATOR: Vermont Court System, Vermont Supreme Court. Montpelier, VT. Summary: The Vermont Supreme Court invites applications and nominations for the position of Court Administrator.  Under the direction of the Supreme Court, the Court Administrator is responsible for the overall management of the court system, develops and implements strategic plans and administrative policies for the Judiciary, and represents the Judiciary in dealing with the legislative and executive branches of state government. Vermont’s Judiciary is currently engaged in several major initiatives designed to improve services to the citizenry while also increasing efficiency and reducing costs. The Court seeks an exceptional individual with a strong record of accomplishment, fiscal experience, administrative skills and change management to provide leadership at a key point in the history of Vermont’s judicial system. Duties: Under the direction of the Vermont Supreme Court, the Court Administrator manages the administrative office and develops and implements administrative policies and support services for the Judicial branch. Managers directly reporting to the Court Administrator include Directors of Administrative Services; Research and Information Services; Court Improvement and Innovation; and Trial Court Operations; however, the Court Administrator has a wide impact throughout the court system. Among other responsibilities, the Court Administrator: Ensures that the Office of Court Administrator and the trial courts have a clear mission, vision and shared values; and develops, with the Supreme Court, the strategic plan for the judiciary. Ensures court operations and judicial administrative needs are identified, evaluated and incorporated into appropriate long and short range plans; establishes priorities and secures resources to accomplish those priorities. Identifies and addresses financial and operational problems related to legislative action and lobbies for legislative improvements; builds, reviews and approves proposed budgets submitted by the judiciary. Identifies operations that can benefit from information technology and ensures implementation of technological improvements. Qualifications: The ideal candidate for the position of Court Administrator will have the following qualifications: Minimum requirements include a Bachelor’s degree and ten years of executive level management experience. Preferred qualifications include a Juris Doctor degree, or admission to the Vermont Bar through completion of a four-year law office study, or a Master’s degree in business, public, or court administration; and at least five years of court management experience. Salary: $122,867. (2009)

DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR: 8th Judicial District, Colorado Judicial Branch, Larimer and Jackson Counties. Summary: The District Administrator position is principally responsible for the operations and management of the trial courts within the judicial district. Duties: Supervises and directs court employees including: Clerk of Court staff, jury commissioner, and other administrative staff for the district. Provides case flow management in conjunction with the Clerk's office, ensuring proper docket management. Develops and implements new policies in conjunction with judges and court staff. Implements policy changes from the State Court Administrator's Office and Chief Justice Directives. Ensures maintenance of law library materials. Responsible for recruitment, selection and termination of court employees. Establishes expectations and provides employee performance feedback on an on-going and annual basis. Assists subordinates in establishing goals. Evaluates subordinates' goal achievement through conferences or informal meetings. Makes decisions regarding subordinate's employment probationary/trial period. Provides orientation and on-going training, mentoring and coaching to existing subordinates. Makes provisions for subordinates to attend outside training. May provide cross-training and interdepartmental training. Assigns duties and responsibilities to staff; develops and establishes procedures for operating and maintaining required administrative systems. Develops and manages the budget, purchasing and accounting functions. Authorizes expenditures. Participates in the design, acquisition, and implementation of automation for court processes and proceedings. Provides for facility maintenance and space needs, ensuring that staff have adequate equipment and safe working environment. Coordinates the activities of the court and maintains productive relationships with judges, County Commissioners, State Court Administrator's Office personnel, other courts, the bar association, law enforcement agencies, general public, and correction institutions. Appraises the Chief Judge on all administrative matters. Qualifications: Bachelor's degree (B. A.) in business, public or court administration from a four-year college or university and two years of professional administrative experience. As a condition of continued employment, the employee must be able to complete mandatory supervisory training provided by the Colorado Judicial Branch. Salary: $6,680 - $9,175/Month. (2009)

CIRCUIT COURT ADMINISTRATOR: South Dakota Unified Judicial System, State Court Administrator’s Office. Summary: Manages and directs administrative activities for the UJS, including budget and fiscal preparation and personnel, caseflow and jury management to relieve the presiding judge of administrative tasks. Duties: Manages staffing and personnel of various departments in the circuit court system.  Processes new position requests, maintains personnel files, payroll authorization and classification requests; reviews staff assignments; and manages grievance procedures and disciplinary actions prior to presiding judge’s resolution. Creates the final circuit budget document for submission to the SCAO. Expends funds based on vouchers presented for goods and services rendered. Develops the budget for the court concerning the expenditure of county money and makes budget presentation for the court to the county commission. Schedules and manages space for court hearings and directs and assigns court personnel.   Directs and implements a system of caseflow management. Serves as circuit court liaison in dealing with local, state and private agencies. Qualifications: Knowledge of administrative functions of circuit court system and its policies and guidelines and effective personnel management techniques. Ability and skill to process and create circuit court budget, maintain court records and communicate both orally and in writing. Graduation from a college or university with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, judicial administration or a related field. Certification from Institute for Court Management Court Executive Development preferred. Salary: $55,294.50 - $82,941.76. (2009)

CASE ADMINISTRATOR: United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of Illinois, Office of the Clerk. Springfield, IL. Duties: Opens cases upon receipt of initiating documents or verifies accuracy of cases electronically filed by attorneys. Reviews documents for accuracy and completeness and ensure all entries are appropriately linked. Monitors Daily Activity Report, Deadlines/ Hearings Report. Acts as a liaison to attorneys using ECF. Assists pro se filers with bankruptcy questions and documents. Staffs the main bankruptcy phone lines and answers public inquiries on case status, availability and location of bankruptcy records. Monitors the completion of required procedural steps and performs the necessary quality assurance, noticing, administrative and clerical tasks. Prepares and processes notices for mailing or electronic notice. Continuously tracks cases, including relationships of case events and their status. Reviews and enters orders, including discharge of debtor, and processes for mailing or electronic notice. Prepares cases for closing and examines files to ensure that all necessary orders are entered and proceedings completed. Qualifications: High school graduate or equivalent and a minimum of 2 years of general experience. A Bachelor’s Degree is preferred. Requires one year specialized experience equivalent to work at CL 23 to qualify for CL 24 and two years specialized experience, including at least one year equivalent to work at CL-24 to qualify for CL-25. Specialized experience is progressively responsible clerical experience requiring the regular and recurring application of clerical procedures involving the routine use of keyboard skills and use of specialized terminology and demonstrated ability to apply a body of rules, regulations, directives or laws. Salary: $30,493 - $37,279. (2009)

DISTRICT COURT ADMINISTRATOR: 11th Judicial District, Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, Luzerne County. Summary: The District Court Administrator directs and coordinates all operations of the Court of Common Pleas to include case management, personnel management and budget management. The selected candidate is also the liaison with County Government and the AOPC. Work is performed with a high degree of independence while exercising sound judgment and discretion under the general direction of the President Judge. Duties: Oversees and assigns all cases, both criminal and civil; supervises the Assistant to the Court Administrator in case assignments; and oversees the call of the list, both criminal and civil. Supervises and coordinates court operations with Deputy Court administrators, staff, and county government officials. Oversees the purchase of goods and services for the Court, including the rental of space and requests for the construction and modification of court facilities. Reviews the operation and efficiency of the Court and of all offices related to and serving the Court; and recommends system improvements to the President Judge. Prepares and submits to the President Judge for review and approval a tentative budget request for the Court. Approves requests for permission to spend or encumber funds appropriated to the Court. Supervises all administrative matters relating to the offices of the Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts, Clerk of the Orphan’s Court and other system and related personnel engaged in clerical functions. Prepares educational and training materials for the Court and related personnel and conducts educational and training sessions. Qualifications: Five years experience in court management or eight years of professional experience managing a large public or private organization which includes experience in budgeting, procurement, and personnel management. Salary: $57,283 – 76,377. (2009)

DIRECTOR OF THE AOC: North Carolina Court System. Summary: This position reports directly and serves at the pleasure of the Chief Justice and while responsible for directing the 550 AOC employees you will also act as a Chief Executive Officer for the entire state court system which includes approximately 7,000 people who are employed by over 500 independently elected officials.  Duties: The primary duties of this position include the preparation of the court system's budget, advocacy for its passage in the legislature, and administration of it when passed. The Director has the legal duty to establish and administer the court's human resources policies but the vast majority of personnel decisions are made by local elected officials. You will be responsible for the operation of a centralized mainframe computer system that provides management and statistical information related to fiscal matters, criminal and civil cases and other typical governmental functions. Qualifications: The candidate we seek must have a proven management background in governmental operations, successful experience in developing and managing large budgets, strong communication ability and passion for success. Salary: (2008)

STATE COURT ADMINISTRATOR: South Dakota Unified Judicial System, Pierre, South Dakota. Summary: Under the direction of the Supreme Court, the State Court Administrator manages the State Court Administrator's Office and develops and implements administrative policies and services for the judicial branch. Duties: Manages and directs all administrative activities for the UJS, including supervising the offices and directors of budget and finance, human resources, trial court services, information and technology, public information and UJS legal counsel.  Develops strategies to identify and resolve emerging issues within the UJS.  Manages and directs UJS court performance measures and reports.  Serves as liaison with executive and legislative branch agencies, State Bar and other public and private organizations.  Oversees development of UJS annual budget.  Directs annual budget presentation to Legislative Appropriations Committee.  Prepares agendas and coordinates staffing for judicial conferences, committees and projects, and Presiding Judge Council meetings.  Consults with presiding judges and circuit court administrators on management of circuit issues. Qualifications: Master's degree in judicial, public, or business administration or related field, or Juris Doctor degree from an ABA-accredited law school.  Extensive professional level administrative experience with increasing responsibility including eight years progressively responsible court-related managerial experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Salary: $100,000 (2008)

STATE COURT ADMINISTRATOR: Washington State Supreme Court, Olympia, WA. Summary: The Washington State Court System is structured in a non-unified configuration which places unique responsibility on the State Court Administrator. The State Court Administrator is responsible for the management of personnel and operations at all levels. Duties: Serves the Supreme Court and other appellate and trial courts as the state court chief administrative officer to include management and direction of the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). Directs the development and implementation of the AOC objectives and policies. Serves as liaison for the judicial branch in its relations with the legislature and in that role directs the development of the legislative agenda and annual appropriate; coordinates the judiciary’s testimony at numerous legislative hearings. Serves as liaison for the court in matters involving executive branch departments and agencies. Directs the provision of support to the trial court associations and serves as a member of the Board for Judicial Administration. Oversees innovative projects and programs that meet the diverse current and future needs of the state courts. Provides leadership and coordination of AOC services; is responsible for planning, directing, implementing and managing the operations and functions of the Administrator for the Courts office. Provides fiscal policy and direction for the Supreme Court budget, including audit and budget development and expenditures, fiscal policies and the procedures, including the preparation, presentation and monitoring of the annual budget, payroll, purchasing and accounts payable. Identifies emerging issues that may impact the courts and makes recommendations for meeting challenges. Coordinates with county and municipal units of government to support local court. Responsible for the management and coordination of external communications for the court, including television news and print media. Provides appropriate public accountability through media relations and efforts designed to retain public trust and confidence in the judicial branch of government. Serves as an advocate for an independent judiciary. Oversees and coordinates the provision  of electronic and data services to address the information and technology requirements of all levels of the courts. Manages a complex and varied information system involving user groups and committees from all court levels. Handles or oversees sensitive, complex or critical issues. Responsible for hiring, training, supervising and corrective action related to employees. Plans, assigns and reviews the work of staff, conducts employee performance evaluations and recommends salary increases. Qualifications: A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. A degree in law or an advanced degree in business administration, judicial administration, public administration or related discipline is preferred. Impeccable character and integrity. Working knowledge and understanding of the structure and operations of state courts and a passion for assisting and improving them. Responsiveness, imagination and creativity to identify needs and issues affecting the state courts and develop programs and services to meet them. Outstanding strategic thinking skills. Willingness and ability to develop the resources and revenues necessary to support the Washington Courts programs an services and the ability to manage them effectively. Experience and ability to represent the Washington Courts publicly and to articulate and effectively advocate for the state court community. Superb written and verbal communication skills. Proven success in establishing the profile of an organization. Experience working effectively with the media. Organizational leadership experience involving setting strategic direction, engaging multiple stakeholders and previous experience working with a governing board. Proven ability to recruit, develop and manage a diverse professional staff. Proven success in the management and leadership of technology enhancements of court business operations. Salary: $125,000 DOQ. (2006)

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Archived AOC Positions 1992-2005