What are the responsibilities and job description for the Friend of the Court - Enforcement Clerk position at St Joseph County?
General Summary:
Under the supervision of the Friend of the Court employees in this classification perform a variety of bookkeeping, scheduling, account maintenance, enforcement, customer service and other clerical duties. Following state regulation and statute, the Enforcement Clerk has responsibility for case initiation, account maintenance and reconciliation, account audits, processing of notices and location of delinquent payers, support distribution, scheduling of hearings, and customer service. Employees in this classification may be specialized in one or more areas but are cross-trained to provide relief coverage as needed.
Essential Functions:
- Enforces court-ordered support, parenting time and medical insurance coverage and bills. Reviews accounts, verifies payments and alleged order violations, verifies employment status and income information, sends arrearage notices, initiates show causes and income withholdings, prepares orders, petitions for bench warrants and recalls same.
- Provides account information, explanations of court policy and procedure or other requested information to court clients and the general public at the counter and via telephone.
- Responds to inquiries from and communicates with clients, MDHHS (Michigan Department of Health and Humas Services) staff, law enforcement agencies and others explaining FOC policies and procedures, providing and obtaining case-related information and discussing client issues. Maintains logs and records of contacts and correspondence.
- Enforces interstate withholding cases. Provides domestic relations case information to other jurisdictions and requests enforcement of orders. Assists other jurisdictions by initiating enforcement of orders entered in those jurisdictions.
- Schedules referee hearings and settlement conferences after court order. Assigns custody, visitation and support investigations. Obtains court files and prepares hearing dockets. Starts all court ordered support reviews. Maintains tapes of all FOC referee hearings.
- Maintains and processes income tax refund offset information, modifies or deletes individuals as needed, responds to client inquiries, audits accounts, and conducts statutory administrative hearings.
- Reconciles and maintains a variety of statements and accounts. Distributes funds to appropriate accounts.
- Notifies enforcement staff of delinquent accounts and processes court ordered arrearage cancellations. Maintains, updates, and transmits monthly to credit bureaus information concerning overdue support accounts.
- Monitors cases and case processing activities to ensure that appropriate actions are taken and documents are filed. Sets up new case files, processes case modifications and wage assignments, interprets and computes all orders, prepares data entry sheets and proofs changes.
- Initiates account adjustments and credits to reflect order changes and to reflect direct payments. Corresponds with other agencies and states regarding orders and adjustments.
- Collects and reports necessary data to the MDHHS (Michigan Department of Health and Human Services) regarding certification or decertification of public assistance cases and monies collected and disbursed.
- Prepares court forms for special petitions and files appropriate order for court appointed attorneys, transfers, dismissals and consolidations.
- Prepares statistical case summaries, reports of monies on deposit, collections, or other related financial data for use both internally and externally.
- May be assigned to a particular Caseworker/Investigator or area of specialty where particular duties may differ but will require the same primary skill sets illustrated in the above duties.
- Performs other duties as required.
If Primary Assignment Is Account Clerk:
- Receives and receipts statutory fees, child support and alimony payments, balances cash receipts, posts payments and enters, updates and proofs case information. Makes deposits.
- Prepares new case files by assigning case numbers documenting pertinent case information on the case file. Interprets court orders on new accounts and enters information such as payment distribution.
- Processes returned checks and reviews report for bad addresses.
- Processes and records statutory fee collections and prepares deposits for transmittal to the funding unit or state.
- Generates computer printouts of financial data and monthly reports and monitors storage and retrieval of FOC records.
- Maintains balances of all accounts. Processes name changes. Inputs modifications of orders or other financial entries and transfers funds as necessary.
- Acts as Local Options Administrator for MiCSES. Reports and responds to computer problems. Suggests changes as appropriate.
- Performs all other duties of a Friend of the Court Enforcement Clerk.
If Primary Assignment Is Medical enforcement Clerk:
- Enforces court-ordered support, medical insurance coverages and bills. Reviews accounts, verifies payments and alleged order violations, verifies employment status and income information, sends arrearage notices, initiates and conducts show causes and income withholdings, drafts modification orders, petitions for bench warrants and recalls bench warrants and lien actions.
- Drafts stipulations, consent orders and orders pertaining to the establishment and/or modification of support.
- Appears in court to testify regarding case recommendations.
- Obtains and verifies income information, makes appropriate settlement in accordance with support guidelines and conducts settlement conferences as necessary.
- Responds to inquiries and communications from clients, MHDDS (Michigan Department of Health and Humas Services) staff, employers, law enforcement agencies and others explaining policies, procedures and case status.
- Performs all other duties of a Friend of the Court Enforcement Clerk.
