Champaign County
Job Description

Job Title: Administrative Legal Secretary
Department: State's Attorney
Reports To: Administrator, Attorney, Counselor or Investigator
FLSA Status: Non-exempt
Employment Status: Bargaining Unit - AFSCME State's Attorney
Prepared Date: April, 2004

SUMMARY Performs specialized and confidential secretarial duties which often require independent judgement; handles clerical and administrative functions. Prepares for attorney reviews of police reports received by the State's Attorney's Office and documents final outcome of decisions made on prepared reports.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Serves as backup secretary for other assigned legal secretaries.

Handles confidential matters daily relating to all divisions of the State's Attorney's Office.

Schedules hearings/meetings; notifies the Judge and all necessary parties.

Drafts petitions, exercising discretion in determining such items as whether a child is abused, neglected or dependent and in what way.

Types correspondence warrants, summons, subpoenas, writs, eavesdropping orders, information, petitions to revoke, indictments, legal documents, etc.

Receives calls reporting alleged incidents.

Answers telephone and provides information to the County staff and the general public which requires understanding of the case process and degree of patience for emotional matters relating to parties in each case.

Greets visitors and directs them to the proper offices or courtroom.

Composes routine correspondence requesting information or answering inquiries about specific cases; takes and transcribes dictation.

Obtains information on cases by utilizing State and County computer terminals.

Prepares bi-weekly Grand Jury schedule and subpoenas witnesses to testify.

Maintains on-going contact with Correctional Center and court personnel to facilitate daily scheduling of Arraignment Court.

Maintains a variety of files and records; some of these include files of arrest and search warrants, eavesdropping orders, records on felonies, misdemeanors, juvenile neglect/abuse, delinquency files and petitions to revoke, etc.; may utilize a personal computer to input and update records.

May be responsible for maintaining LEADS certification and running criminal history checks.

Completes forms and prepares reports such as disposition reports on criminal cases and statistical reports on court cases.

Serves as contact person from Mental Health facility of notification of the necessity of a hearing on an Involuntary Mental Petition and/or Certificate for Admission and/or Treatment. Also responsible for filing of Mental Health documents in Circuit Clerk's Office by deadline as well as contacting Judge for a court date, preparing documents and notifying Assistant State's Attorney, Sheriff, Public Defender, social worker, physician and family member by Notice of Hearing of the court date and time.

Responsible for preparation and filing of time-sensitive documents for Abuse/Neglect, Shelter Care Hearing and Delinquency cases; provides pertinent information to civilians, members of police and social agencies called to testify in court proceedings on behalf of abuse/neglected children; maintains ongoing contact with Correctional Center, Juvenile Detention Center and Court personnel to insure the presence of incarcerated parties required to be present at Delinquency and/or Abuse/Neglect court hearings.

Support staff for Abuse/Neglect and Delinquency facilitates contact and flow of information between State's Attorney's office, Courts, attorneys, Juvenile Delinquency Center, guardian ad litem, parents' attorney and all social agencies involved in Juvenile Court proceedings.

Primarily responsible for recruitment of volunteers and assists counselors in the training and supervision of community volunteers who serve on screening panels for the Adult Diversion program; coordinates screening panel meetings, maintains system for tracking hours of volunteers, assists in recruiting and screening public service work sites, obtains initial information from clients referred to the program to facilitate their participation in the program; gathers information from arresting officers, prepares correspondence to victims to aid in the determination of appropriate restitution and maintains system for assignment of counselors to cases.

May interview individuals at direction of supervisor.

Schedules appointments with subpoenaed witnesses, victims, law enforcement personnel and other parties.

Logs police reports into on-line computer system, updates same after charges and completes and opens case files for all incidents resulting in criminal charges, Juvenile Neglect/Abuse and Juvenile Delinquency cases.

Checks and prints criminal history for defendants for reports received.

Receives phone calls and talks to victims or witnesses who walk in or telephone with questions or problems.

Updates criminal file records on the on-line computer system by entering final docket information.

May attend meetings as the representative of the department or specialized department function.

May supervise secretarial/clerical staff.

May train and co-ordinate volunteers and interns.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES May supervise and train secretarial/clerical employees, volunteers or interns for the Adult Diversion Program and the State's Attorney's Office. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing and training employees; assigning, and directing work; appraising performance, addressing complaints and resolving problems.

QUALIFICATIONS To perform this job satisfactorily, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE High school diploma or general education degree (GED) and three years of progressively responsible secretarial experience, including one year as a legal secretary; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Requires knowledge of modern office practices, principles of modern record keeping, set up and maintaining filing systems and of legal phrases and terminology. Requires skill in operating a personal computer, word processing software, typewriter and in oral communications. May require skill in the use of dictaphones and transcribing equipment.

LANGUAGE SKILLS Ability to read, analyze, and understand court transcripts, summons, warrants and County and State governmental regulations. Ability to write correspondence. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from employees and the general public. Requires good English and spelling skills.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages and area.

REASONING ABILITY Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations. Ability to organize and prioritize work and to coordinate a number of activities simultaneously.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; sit; and talk; or hear. The employee is occasionally required to walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and peripheral vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Usually, normal office working conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.

Note: This document contains wording of a description of a general class of positions within the Champaign County salary administration program. The description contains examples of duties and responsibilities which may or may not be considered to be "essential functions" to a particular job or position with this job class. "Essential functions" are to be determined at the position or job level within each department.