Housing Court Magistrate

JOB PURPOSE AND OVERVIEW

The Chief Magistrate is responsible for the supervision of the personnel and assignments of the Magistrates’ Department.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POSITION

The following duties indicate the general nature and level of work performed by the Chief Magistrate. They are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of this position.  Other duties may be required or assigned at any time.   

1. Assign, and distribute work within the Magistrate’s Department, including all regular civil dockets, motions, and non-routine civil matters. Monitor Magistrates and Clerks for compliance with assignment deadlines.
2. Monitor scheduled jury trials and non-routine civil matters, to ensure trial preparation.
3. Hear civil, criminal, and corporate dockets as needed.
4. Coordinate last-minute stays, to ensure timely ruling on motions.
5. Advise and assist bailiff field supervisors at the move-out scene with issues regarding move-outs.  Assist Bailiffs and Clerk’s office personnel with issues regarding writs, entries, and move-outs.
6. Monitor courtroom performance and decisions issued by Magistrates. Schedule and hold Magistrate meetings as needed, to ensure consistency of decisions.
7. Coordinate activities of Magistrates with other departments of the court. Act as liaison between Magistrates and other departments of the Housing Court.
8. Develop and recommend procedures within the Magistrate Department. Consult with and advise other departments on procedural issues.
9. Train and develop all new magistrates and staff attorneys hired by the Housing Court. 
10. Coordinate training, development, and evaluation of Magistrate Department personnel, including Magistrates, Judicial Clerks, Law Clerks, Court Scheduler, and the ADR Specialist.  Participate in training of other court personnel, e.g., housing court specialists, and Bailiffs, as needed.
11. Research and advise the Judge, Department Chiefs, and Clerk’s Office on legal, procedural, and administrative matters, upon request.
12. Responsible for updating and annually filing the Court’s local rule on the website and with the Ohio Supreme Court. 

Preferred QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

1. Law degree from an accredited law school.
2. Good standing with the Ohio Supreme Court.
3. At least four years’ experience in the general practice of law.
4. Experience in housing law preferred.
5. Knowledge of court system and procedure.
6. Experience as a Magistrate or hearing officer.
7. Experience in supervision of staff with multiple roles.
8. Familiarity with the Housing Court and Ohio Landlord/Tenant Act preferred.
9. Knowledge of common office practices, procedures, and equipment.
10. Proficiency in operating a personal computer and using, or being able to learn, Microsoft Office products such as Word, Outlook, Excel, and Westlaw).

The qualifications and requirements listed above are guidelines for selection purposes.   Alternative qualifications may be substituted if considered by the Court to be sufficient to demonstrate the ability to perform the essential duties of the position.

THIS IS NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF DUTIES & EXPECTATIONS OF THE CHIEF MAGISTRATE.   

COURT EXPECTATIONS OF EMPLOYEE

The Court expects all members of its staff to adhere to all Court policies, guidelines, practices, and procedures; act as a role model both inside and outside the Court; perform duties as workload necessitates in a timely, accurate, and thorough manner; be conscientious about meeting department productivity standards; and communicate regularly with supervisor about department issues.   Additional requirements for employment with the Court include the following.

1. Strong analytical and organizational skills and the ability to function at a high level within a large, complex organization.
2. Ability to prioritize work, work independently without daily direct supervision, and manage a variety of projects simultaneously in a high-pressure atmosphere under severe time constraints.  Must have good time-management skills and be highly organized and detail-oriented.
3. Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with judges, Court employees, lawyers, outside agencies, businesses, and the general public.
4. Ability to maintain sensitive and confidential information.
5. Creativity and ability to conceive and implement innovative approaches to solve problems and meet objectives.  Ability to recognize the need for change and respond with flexibility to changing program demands, propose solutions, and ensure that solutions are implemented.
6. Must be conscious of and sensitive to the diversity within the Court’s jurisdiction and be able to interact professionally with this diverse population of people from many different geographic, socioeconomic, religious, racial, and ethnic backgrounds on a regular basis.
7. Patience, objectivity, maturity, effectiveness under stress, initiative, adaptability, and sound judgment.

AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT

The Housing Court Deputy Bailiff is an at-will employee and serves at the pleasure of the Court; he/she is not a member of a bargaining unit. The Court is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on age, gender, religion, race, color, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, or disability.

 DRUG SCREEN AND BACKGROUND CHECK

 Required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by the City of Cleveland. These screenings include but are not limited to a criminal background check and drug screen. New hires will be placed on a 180-day probationary period.

This is not a civil service position.

The Housing Specialist serves at the will of the Housing Court Judge.

This position carries a six-month probationary period.

The City's guiding principles are as follows: Placing Clevelanders at the Center, Empowering Employees to Do Purposeful Work, Defining Clear and Pragmatic Objectives, Leading with Trust and Transparency, Striving for Equity in All We Do, and Embracing Change. All City employees are responsible for embracing and carrying out these principles in all that they do.

Salary : $42,178 - $98,103