MAGISTRATE JUDGE COURTROOM DEPUTY
MAGISTRATE JUDGE COURTROOM DEPUTY
ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER 21-WAW-19
ANNOUNCEMENT DATE May 10, 2021
CLOSING DATE Open until filled; preference given to resumes received by May 30, 2021
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington is currently accepting
applications for a qualified Magistrate Judge Courtroom Deputy. Become a valued member of
a dynamic team and create a positive impact on our federal court system. This position is
located in the office of the Clerk of Court at the federal courthouse in Tacoma, Washington.
In-district travel may occasionally be necessary.
The Magistrate Judge Courtroom Deputy is responsible for scheduling hearings, managing in-
court proceedings and trial schedules, and assists in managing a Magistrate Judge’s civil and
criminal caseload. This position is a liaison between judicial chambers and attorneys,
interpreters, the Clerk’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service for specific case-related
information.
The successful candidate will be self-motivated, articulate, and detail oriented. This position
requires professionalism, discretion, excellent communication skills, flexibility, initiative, and
commitment. The Magistrate Judge Courtroom Deputy is part of a self-directed team, works
closely with chambers staff, and interacts with outside agencies and the public.
REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES Manages their judge's cases by calendaring and regulating their movement; monitoring, posting, and maintaining pertinent documents; scheduling hearings, trials, and
conferences.
Manages court sessions and conferences by monitoring the orderly flow of
proceedings, setting up the courtroom, assuring the presence of all necessary
participants, managing exhibits for counsel and witnesses, taking notes of proceedings
and rulings, digitally recording proceedings held before Magistrate Judges, hosting and
directing virtual hearings and meetings using platforms such as Zoom or WebEx, and
preparing and posting minute entries and/or orders.
Acts as a liaison between other teams within the Clerk’s Office, the Bar, the U.S.
Marshals Service, U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services, U.S. Attorney’s Office, the
Federal Public Defender, and chambers to ensure cases proceed smoothly and
efficiently. Serves as a primary contact for scheduling conferences, hearings, military
calendars, trials, and other case processes.
Organizes case material and researches the case history to produce a daily calendar for
their judge. Reformats the judge’s daily calendar for public display online and for
distribution to other agencies. Updates the daily calendar throughout the day as
needed.
Posts all minute entries of court proceedings, orders, and other necessary documents.
Performs daily quality control checks on documents filed in cases pending before the
Magistrate Judge.
Opens cases upon receipt of initiating documents such as complaints, criminal
information, indictments, and Probation and Pretrial Services petitions. Closes cases
upon receipt of terminating documents, such as judgments and dispositive orders.
QUALIFICATIONS A successful candidate will possess:
Experience with technology such as electronic calendars, courtroom technology, and
virtual meeting platforms such as Zoom or WebEx;
Strong organizational and time management skills, including experience handling
multiple concurrent workload demands;
A collaborative and consensus-building work style with the ability to interact with a
wide variety of people tactfully and courteously;
Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office and SharePoint;
Strong verbal and written communication skills;
A professional demeanor;
The ability to maintain confidentiality, demonstrate sound judgment, and handle
sensitive material.
An attendance record that indicates reliability and commitment.
PREFERRED SKILLS Knowledge of criminal and civil docketing, court calendaring and in-court procedures;
Knowledge of CM/ECF (case management/electronic case filing) system;
Knowledge of federal and local rules.
EDUCATION A high school diploma or equivalent and a minimum of two years progressively responsible
administrative, technical, or professional experience is required. A bachelor’s degree and
experience in a courtroom is preferred.
SALARY RANGE Court Personnel System Classification:
CL26, Step 1 – 61, $51,565 - $83,803
CL27, Step 1 – 61, $56,646 - $92,084
Depending on experience and qualifications; additional promotional potential without further
recruitment.
INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS Qualified applicants should submit the following:
Cover letter
Resume
Narrative statement of no more than one page answering the following question:
This position is located in an office with self-directed work teams (no direct
supervisors). Please describe the characteristics that you believe make a successful
team member. Provide an example of when you have effectively worked as part of a team.
Via e-mail (Word or Acrobat .pdf format) to:
seattle_personnel@wawd.uscourts.gov
Or to:
Human Resources (21-WAW-19),
U. S. District Court,
700 Stewart Street, Suite 2218
Seattle, WA 98101
Only qualified applicants will be considered for this position. Applicants must be United
States citizens or eligible to work in the United States. Applicants selected for interviews
must travel at their own expense. Qualified applicants selected for interviews will be tested.
The United States District Court requires employees to follow a code of conduct which is available upon request. Reference checks with current and former employers will be
conducted on top candidates. A background investigation with law enforcement agencies,
including fingerprint and criminal record checks, will be conducted as a condition of
employment. Any applicant selected for a position will be hired provisionally pending
successful completion of the investigation. Unsatisfactory results may result in termination of
employment.
The Federal Financial Management Reform Act requires direct deposit of federal wages.
The Court provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a
reasonable accommodation, please notify Human Resources. The decision on granting
reasonable accommodations will be made on a case by case basis.
The Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, to withdraw
the announcement, or to fill the position sooner than the closing date, any of which may
occur without prior written or other notice. In the event that a position becomes vacant in a
similar classification, within a reasonable time from the original announcement, management
may elect to select a candidate from the applicants who responded to the original
announcement without posting the position. More than one position may be filled from this
announcement.
BENEFITS Employees of the United States District Court are considered “at will” employees. Judiciary
employees participate in the Federal Employees Retirement System, Thrift Savings Plan
(similar to a 401K), health and life insurance benefits, long term disability and long term care
options, annual and sick leave accrual, and ten paid holidays per year. Judiciary employees
are not covered by the Office of Personnel Management’s civil service classification system or
regulations. For additional information on employment with the federal courts, please visit
www.uscourts.gov.