Job: DIVISIONAL JUDICIAL SUPPORT OFFICER

Highly responsible technical and clerical work in the field of court administration. An
employee of this class provides clerical services as a member of a Judge’s/Master/Magistrate’s team in different areas of Court Administration. Work
involves assisting the judge, master or magistrate with docket management. Work also
involves the preparation of court lists, attending hearings to administer oaths and record
minutes of court proceedings, entering log notes on the audio digital recording system,
drafting court orders, securing exhibits tendered during hearings. Duties are performed
with sensitivity and confidentiality as required. Work is performed in the Criminal
Division and District Criminal and Traffic Courts (CDADCAT) with independence within
limits of established court directions, rules, procedures and laws and is reviewed by the
Judge/Master/Magistrate for accuracy and timeliness.

The Divisional Judiciary Support Officer may be assigned to any judicial officer at any of
the court locations, as required

• Prepares court lists for the Judge/Master/Magistrate by:
  • retrieving files;
  • extracting relevant information;
  • ensuring that all relevant documents for hearing are filed; and
  • notifying parties such as attorneys-at-law and witnesses of the date, time and court of appearance.
• Attends court hearing to:
  • record minutes of proceedings;
  • enter log notes;
  • administer oaths to relevant parties; and
  • read statements, evidence and decisions of trial and present exhibits to the
    court.
• Drafts court orders and submits to relevant authority for approval;
• Receives, records, marks and secures all exhibits presented to the Court for safe
  keeping during the course of a matter; and
• Schedules case events, when dates are given by Judge/Master/Magistrate.
• Ensures closure to matters by:
  • drafting final court order of matter and submitting to relevant authority for
    approval;collating and recording all documents related to specific court matters;
  • informing relevant authorities in respect of orders made by the court;
  • returning exhibits to relevant authorities;
  • completing relevant forms for payments to attorneys-at-law, witnesses; and
  • calculating amounts payable to witnesses and submitting to Accounting Unit.
• Checks orders for hearing submitted by attorneys-at-law and updates Judge’s/Master’s/Magistrate’s diary as necessary;
• Conducts systems checks of all electronic equipment before the start of court
  proceedings and reports any malfunctioning accordingly; and
• Opens and closes court and meeting rooms before and at the end of the day’s
  proceedings;
• Performs duties related to the conduct of auctions such as:
  • verifying notice prepared by the attorneys-at-law to ensure compliance with
    order of the CDADCAT
  • checking daily newspapers and gazettes to ensure that notice of sale of property
  • is advertised in accordance with order or the court;
  • conducting auction in accordance with laws/rules/procedures; and
  • related work as required.

• Considerable knowledge of the rules of the Supreme Court of Trinidad and Tobago and Magistrate’s Court procedures;
• Considerable knowledge of the rules and procedures related to the courts;
• Considerable knowledge of legal terminologies, abbreviations, and types of documents;
• Knowledge of Case Flow Management principles and practices;
• Knowledge of policies and procedures of the Department of Court Administration; and
• Knowledge of the use of the relevant software applications.

• Skilled in the drafting of the different types of CDADCAT orders;
• Skilled in the use of a Computer;
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely both orally and in writing; and
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others, judges, magistrates, mediators, legal practitioners, social workers, other
  professionals and the general public.

• Considerable clerical experience working in the field of Court Administration.
• Training as evidenced by the possession of five (5) GCE/CXC Ordinary Level passes (including English Language) supplemented by the successful completion of the Basic Court Paralegal Course; or
• Qualified to sit the Basic Court Paralegal Course; or
• Any equivalent combination of experience and training