Legal Assistant-Prosecutor's Office

MARQUETTE COUNTY-To apply please complete the application available on our website: www.co.marquette.mi.us

LEGAL ASSISTANT

Department: Prosecutor

Classification: 5

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Pay range: $21.96-$25.48

Reports to: Prosecutor

Union: AFSCME

General Summary

Under the supervision of the Office Manager, performs administrative and clerical functions. Responsible for the processing, maintaining and managing of criminal and civil files from initiation to closure for District, Circuit and Probate/Juvenile Courts. There is also contact with law enforcement agencies and attorneys. Duties include preparing and processing legal documents, gathering and compiling all information necessary to generate complaints and juvenile petitions, preparing pleadings and correspondence, maintaining case files, providing administrative support to the Prosecuting Attorneys, and providing general clerical assistance. Works daily with many computer software programs necessary to create, maintain, and manage the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office files.

Essential Functions

1. Prepares and types various motions, orders, complaints, warrants, subpoenas, writs, Probate and Juvenile Court petitions, and other legal forms and documents, and prepares proofs of service as appropriate. Prepares legal pleadings and correspondence for the Prosecuting Attorneys. Proofreads documents for spelling, punctuation, grammar, and format. Determines the proper work flow to manage all case files and notifies Prosecuting Attorneys when their attention is needed on a file.

2. Processes email and electronic records management system requests for complaints and juvenile petitions. Ensures that police reports, criminal history information, LEIN information, and appropriate warrant and juvenile petition request information has been submitted. Inputs data into electronic records management system from complaints and juvenile petition requests and forwards the information to the Prosecuting Attorneys. Responsible for processing and entering data into electronic records management system for authorization of criminal complaints and juvenile petitions and creation of an electronic file in the records management system. Prepares and forwards complaints and juvenile petitions to police agencies for signature and submission to District Court and Probate/Juvenile Court with all relevant documents ensuring that all confidential and non-public information is redacted.

3. Responds to telephone calls, visitors, and emails. Answers inquiries of attorneys, case parties, victims, witnesses, court staff, and others regarding departmental procedures, schedules, case information, and other matters. Possesses skills and knowledge to problem solve, answer questions, and make appropriate referrals. Possesses insight and situational awareness to summon the Sheriff’s Department for assistance when dealing with individuals who are disruptive or may have outstanding warrants while maintaining confidentiality, and paying attention to the safety and security of the workplace.

4. Maintains criminal, juvenile, and civil files through use of an electronic records management system. Processes all police reports and other information received from area law enforcement. Processes all CDs, DVDs, and other digital evidence in all cases. Files documents with the court and continually updates files until cases are closed. Maintains statistics of legal activities such as incoming petitions, misdemeanors, felonies authorized, and case dispositions. Prepares writs for prisoners to appear in Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) cases and communicates with the MDOC to coordinate appearances. Tracks time on prisoner files for reimbursement. Tracks all Secretary of State Driver’s License Restoration cases in Circuit Court for reimbursement.

5. Coordinates the scheduling of matters requiring the presence of a Prosecuting Attorney with the courts and enters dates into the computer system. Updates information as cases are returned from the court and carries out follow-up directives of the Prosecuting Attorneys.

6. Reviews files from Prosecuting Attorneys to update information in the computer system and determines and prepares the necessary paperwork. Notifies courts and police agencies of any canceled proceedings. Closes files following receipt of disposition of cases, and enters the dispositions in computer. Ensures the court’s disposition is consistent with plea agreement.

7. Assists in coordinating the calendar of staff. Prepares a schedule daily for the next day’s court events comparing with court dockets, provides notification to the Prosecuting Attorneys of events scheduled, court deadlines, and required actions that need to be addressed by the Prosecuting Attorneys for the scheduled court cases.

8. Obtains information such as certified driving records, certificates of conviction, and orders of suspension from courts or other agencies as appropriate.

9. Provides support to Prosecuting Attorneys in the processing of appeals. This includes tracking appeal files, generating a schedule for briefs to be filed, typing briefs, motions and other documents, opening and maintaining files, keeping statistics, and performing other support tasks related to appeals.

10. Performs a variety of clerical support tasks such as typing appropriate forms, copying, scanning, emailing, faxing, and filing.

11. Maintains files for Mentally Incapacitated persons and posts hearings on the calendar. This list may not be inclusive of the total scope of job functions to be performed. Duties and responsibilities may be added, deleted, or modified at any time.

Employment Qualifications

Education: High school graduation or equivalent. Prefer advanced coursework in word processing and Legal Secretarial areas.

Experience: Two years of secretarial/clerical experience in a legal setting, or relevant equivalent experience, or a combination of relevant equivalent experience and college coursework providing knowledge of legal terminology and court procedures. Requires experience with computer systems.

The qualifications listed above are intended to represent the minimum skills and experience levels associated with performing the duties and responsibilities contained in this job description. The qualifications should not be viewed as expressing absolute employment or promotional standards, but as general guidelines that should be considered along with other job-related selection or promotional criteria.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to enter and access information from a computer.
• Ability to access filing systems.
• Ability to generate various documents from computer system.
• Ability to operate copy machine for extended periods of time.

This job requires the ability to perform the essential functions contained in this description. These include, but are not limited to, the above requirements. Reasonable accommodations will be made for otherwise qualified applicants unable to fulfill one or more of these requirements.

Working Conditions:

• Works in office conditions.
• Exposure to individuals charged and/or convicted of a variety of criminal offenses.
• Exposure to vicarious trauma and difficult subject matter.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $21.96 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Disability insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person

Salary : $22 - $25