Job Announcement - Chief Deputy Supreme Court Clerk - Bismarck

Title of Immediate Supervisor: Clerk of Supreme Court
Accountable For (Job Titles): None
FLSA Status: Exempt

The Chief Deputy Clerk is responsible for assisting in the administration and supervision of the Office of the Clerk, and providing extensive legal research and analysis, particularly regarding appealability, timeliness, and jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and makes recommendations to the Chief Justice, Supreme Court, or Clerk of the Supreme Court on those issues.  Supervises assigned personnel.

The Chief Deputy Clerk has extensive knowledge of North Dakota court rules, procedures, case law, and statutes and has a thorough understanding of court administration principles and of the trends and technical issues associated with the work of the Clerk's office.

The Chief Deputy Clerk differs from the Clerk of Supreme Court in that the latter classification requires more extensive experience in a court or closely related legal setting in order to effectively manage and evaluate the functions of the Office of the Clerk and to develop and implement policies and procedures for others in the department to follow.

Positions assigned to this classification follow routines and processes established by others.

• Oversees, coordinates, assigns, monitors, and trains other court personnel in the performance of duties ensuring conformance to established office routines, instructions,and practices set by the department manager. 
• Supervises and participates in all phases of work within the Office of the Clerk of the Supreme Court, including developing and monitoring workflow for the case management and records management programs and training deputy clerks.  Assumes the duties of the Clerk of the Supreme Court in the Clerk’s absence.  Receives and accounts for docket fees and other monies received by the Office of the Clerk.
• Conducts legal research and analysis of legal precedents, rules, statutes, and regulations particularly regarding appealability, timeliness, and jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.  Reviews case records and transcripts from trial courts to verify and determine appealability, timeliness, and jurisdiction.  Drafts memoranda and confers with the Chief Justice or Supreme Court on issues of appealability, timeliness, and jurisdiction and recommends appropriate action regarding the same.  Notifies attorneys or self-represented litigants regarding recommended corrective actions necessary to properly perfect an appeal.
• Oversees and verifies, as necessary, determinations by staff relating to compliance of filings with the Rules of Appellate Procedure.  Identifies cases not proceeding in accordance with the rules and recommends appropriate action to the Clerk of Supreme Court.
• Analyzes and identifies ambiguities or problems with the Rules of Appellate Procedure, makes amendment recommendations on behalf of the Clerk’s Office to the Joint Procedure Committee, reviews proposed amendments and comments regarding the impact of proposed amendments on court procedures, prepares proposed rules relating to appellate procedure, and makes appropriate recommendations/comments to the Clerk and the Supreme Court.
• Drafts complex legal documents for the Supreme Court, including orders, judgments, memoranda, and proposed administrative rules or rules relating to appellate procedure.  Reviews records and documents and determines information for orders; reviews opinions for appealability and makes recommendations to court personnel; and drafts judgments in accordance with Supreme Court opinions.
• Develops and implements training and education relating to appealability and jurisdiction of the Supreme Court or appellate procedure for law clerks, trial court judges, court personnel, and attorneys.  Provides expert advice and direction on issues of appealability, jurisdiction, and appellate procedure.
• Performs other duties of a comparable level or type or as assigned.