Office Support II (PFA Clerk - Prothonotary Department)

Job Title

New Hires Starting Rate -$21.34

35 Hours Per Week

Position Summary

This position is responsible for processing Protection from Abuse Orders and other related documents received each day from hearings held in the Court of Common Pleas, creating new PFA cases on the official computer docket, documenting and tracking costs due or paid associated with PFA actions. Performs a variety of filing, timestamping, typing, and other clerical duties, and is responsible for the more detailed recording and processing of legal documents that require the exercise of judgment in the application of prescribed procedures. This position involves some independent judgment, with the majority of work completed under general supervision. Frequent contact with the public, attorneys, Judges and their staff, the Sheriff's Office, Adult Probation and Parole, and other County departments, State Police, County prisons, and police departments. Employees in this position are sworn in as a deputy, which allows them to complete the process on behalf of the Prothonotary. Some supervision may be exercised over the work of one or more subordinate clerks.

Position Responsibilities

• Processes, issues, copies, certifies, and distributes all Protection from Abuse Orders, Civil Bench Warrants, and Bench Warrant Stays entered by the Family Court Judges and filed in this office. This also entails the preparation of envelopes for mailing.
• Creates each new PFA case on the official docket by entering all data from the document into the computer by case number. This includes identifying the type of case, judge assigned, date and time of filing, type of parties, names of parties, addresses of parties, filing attorney, name of document, cost of filing, and hearing dates.
• Checks, analyzes, and verifies information contained on incoming PFA documents for accuracy prior to filing and processing. May make some independent procedural decisions but should seek support as needed if documents are not correct and notify the appropriate party and / or the Judges' office for correction of procedure.
• Identifies, analyzes, verifies, and processes all PFA documents by making detailed entries on the docket of a case as it proceeds through the civil legal process. Must understand the nature of the filings to determine the corresponding language for entry onto the official docket, as well as understand if the document requires other actions to be taken with regard to the file, docket, or cost program.
• Enters all PFA-related costs due to the County, party responsible, and time allocation given for payment, per Court Orders, into the computer PFA Cost Collection Program and onto the official docket.
• Prepares, prints, issues, docket, and distributes all Notifications of PFA Costs to parties and their attorneys.
• Processes and enters all Prothonotary and Sheriff PFA payments received, either by mail or in person, into the PFA Cost Collection Program and onto the official docket.
• Enters costs due for PFA cases scheduled for hearings onto the daily hearing list and makes copies for the Judges for use in their Courtroom the following day.
• Prints, verifies for accuracy, and forwards proposed Rule Returnable Orders for non-payment of PFA costs to the appropriate Judge for the scheduling of a non-payment of costs hearing, and upon return of the signed Rules, makes corresponding entries on the official docket.
• Prepares Cancellation of Hearing Notices upon payment of PFA costs in full, notifies Judge's Chambers and Court Administration.
• Assists the public in searches and answers inquiries related to PFAs.
• Answers phones and furnishes information to the public regarding PFA matters pending before the Court, as well as directs callers to other offices as appropriate.
• Operates various office equipment, including PCs, laser printers, copiers, scanners, and cash registers.
• Other duties as assigned.

Non-Essential Functions

Minimum Education and Experience

Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Physical Demands

Working Environment

Normal office environment