Chief Deputy Court Clerk
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Chief Deputy Court Clerk
Salary
$100,224.00 - $121,404.00 Annually
Location
City of Bellingham, WA
Job Type
Full Time
Job Number
26-Chief Deputy Court Clerk
Department
Municipal Court
Opening Date
04/17/2026
Closing Date
5/8/2026 4:30 PM Pacific
FLSA
Exempt
Bargaining Unit
231
Description
Benefits
Questions
Nature of Work
Are you an experienced and dedicated professional seeking a leadership role in the judicial system? If you have a strong background in court operations, exceptional organizational skills, and a commitment to public service, we invite you to apply and become an integral part of our team.
This position is responsible for assisting in the administration of the Bellingham Municipal Court. Manages Municipal Court calendars and judicial assignments. Assists the Court Director in division budget development Coordinates and monitors court and probation caseloads. Supervises assigned staff; monitors caseloads and judicial assignments. Performs analysis of legislation changes that impact criminal court operations. Implements procedural changes. Provides judicial support as needed. Ensures compliance with Court and City policies, Washington State and local court rules and legal requirements. Develops effective working relationships with staff, other City departments and others that encourage teamwork and effective use of resources. Errors in court process or procedure may impact case disposition and involve substantial liability and judicial consequences.
SALARY AND BENEFITS:
The current full salary range for this position is $8,352/month - $10,117/month. Employees receive step increases annually in accordance with th e Teamsters Collective Bargaining Agreement (https://cob.org/about/employment/labor-agreements-pay-schedule) and City policy.
The City places new employees within the published salary range based on qualifications and professional experience as listed on the application material, in accordance with City policy. Candidates who exceed the minimum experience requirements shall be given credit for advanced step placement at the rate of one additional pay step for each two full years of directly related or equivalent professional experience beyond the minimum requirements. Candidates who meet minimum qualifications or have experience that is not directly related or in a lower-level position will be placed at step one in the salary range. For positions that require a bachelor's degree, one additional step may be granted for applicants with a master's degree in a related field when the master's degree is not required to meet minimum qualifications.
For internal candidates, placement within the range is based on City Pay Placement Procedures.
At the City of Bellingham, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that helps you thrive in both your career and personal life. Join our team and enjoy peace of mind knowing that you and your loved ones are well cared for. Here's a closer look at the outstanding benefits that come with being part of our team. You can find more details on our employment benefits (https://cob.org/gov/dept/hr/employee-benefits) page and labor agreements page. (https://cob.org/about/employment/labor-agreements-pay-schedule)
10 hours of vacation leave per month, with increased accrual over time
12 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday per year
8 hours of sick leave accrued monthly
Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families
Life insurance and long-term disability coverage
Flexible spending accounts and medical insurance opt-out program
Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Washington State Retirement plan (DRS) for retirement security
Optional 457 deferred compensation (Retirement Savings Plan) with employer match
Leave accruals are based on 1.0 FTE, accruals are pro-rated if part-time and require employees to be in paid status at least 120 hours/month.
Closing Date/Time: Fri. 5/8/26 4:30 PM Pacific Time
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS :
Assists the Municipal Court Director in administration of the Court. Provides support as needed to Court Commissioner and the Municipal Court Judge.
Supervises assigned court staff; participates in selection and hiring, assigns and evaluates work, organizes and prioritizes workloads, provides feedback, training and guidance in following appropriate court processes and technical procedures and ensures compliance with applicable personnel policies, rules and regulations. Establishes performance standards, delivers counseling and conflict resolution; recommends corrective action as appropriate.
Develops Court calendar and master facility schedule. Schedules all hearings, pre-trial motions, bench and jury trials. Analyzes schedule, evaluates for consistency with short- and long-term goals and objectives and recommends modifications. Coordinates City departments, staff and contractors and resolves conflicts as needed. Manages and conducts daily evaluation of court caseload.
Oversees arrangements for juries. Prepares and distributes weekly Jury Priority List to appropriate parties. Schedules pro-tempore judges as needed.
Serves as the Court's primary point of contact for the Prosecuting Attorney's Office, Bellingham Police Department and other criminal justice agencies.
Ensures compliance with court orders. Monitors probation caseload. Processes commitments, releases, and referrals. Corresponds with community agencies regarding probationers. Provides analysis and assists Judge and Court Director in development of appropriate programs and services.
Coordinates day-to-day Municipal Court trial/hearing operations, making appropriate decisions for all activities. Responsible for certification of all electronic court recordings and case files. Releases judicial orders, including arrest warrants, and notifies law enforcement agencies of arrest or order status.
Develops and maintains in and out of custody virtual court hearing processes and policies. Works with outside correctional facilities to revise processes and policies as needed.
Supervises preparation of court files and determines appropriate distribution for copies. Acts as liaison to prosecution and defense attorneys, law enforcement officers and witnesses.
Ensures the accuracy of procedures and protocols for entering case dispositions and convictions into the information systems as a permanent record. Verifies the Court's compliance with system rules and applicable legal requirements.
Prepares case files for appeal to Superior Court. Assists defendant in preparing appeal documents and monitors all appeal cases.
Serves as a technical resource regarding the legal process. Analyzes legislation for impact on court operations and implements changes as necessary.
Oversees ensures courtroom technology meets the needs of the Court; works with subordinate staff and coordinates with ITSD to evaluate, improve, maintain and troubleshoot as needed. Oversees the selection and implementation of new technology.
Oversees municipal court parking ticket processes; monitors the appeal process assignment of registered owners, account transfer to collections of unpaid accounts as needed and ensures procedures are in compliance with Department of Licensing (DOL) policies.
Serves as the Terminal Agency Coordinator (TAC) for A Central Computerized Enforcement Service System (ACCESS). Ensures the Court is in compliance with state and FBI Criminal Justice Information System Division policies and regulations and maintains Court procedures as required.
Responsible for all official court documents. Ensures records are complete and accurate and certifies release and distribution.
Acts in responsible charge of all court administrative functions during the Court Director's absence
ADDITIONAL WORK PERFORMED:
Performs Court Clerk relief duties as needed.
Oversees monetary transactions daily and verifies Court clerk balancing and receipting of court monies as needed.
Performs other related work of a similar nature or level.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
Work is primarily performed in a Municipal Court and in a congested and fast-paced office environment. Possibility of exposure to hostile, offensive language and the risk of physical harm associated with the emotional climate of court proceedings.
Physical ability to perform essential functions of the job including:
Frequently operate a computer and other standard office machinery.
Frequently communicate accurate information and ideas with others.
Move between work sites.
Occasional lifting of boxes or equipment weighing up to 40 lbs.
Experience and Training
Associate degree in criminal justice, public administration, business administration, sociology, psychology or similar field.
Two years of progressively responsible experience in a court environment required, including knowledge of court operations, statutes, rules, customer service, and probation compliance.
Two years of experience in a supervisory or lead position required. Five years of court experience may be considered as a substitute for supervisory or lead court position experience.
An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to provide the applicant with the knowledge, skills and ability to successfully perform the essential functions of the job will be considered.
Necessary Special Requirements
Employment contingent upon passing a criminal convictions check, local background check and fingerprinting. Subject to re-check every five years.
ACCESS Level 2 certification required within one year of hire.
Must be willing to sign confidentiality agreements with the State of Washington and the Court in regard to ethical standards and database access and use.
Verification of ability to work in the United States by date of hire.
Selection Process
As part of the application process, a cover letter is required.
Within the cover letter, please answer the following questions:
Please indicate why you are interested in this position, and why this position is the next right step for you in your career.
Provide a brief summary of your education, experience and qualifications for this position.
Please ensure your application is complete and all required information has been provided. Standard completeness means all application fields (contact information, personal information, education, work experience, references, and supplemental questions). Application materials should comprehensively document your experience and skills related to the position responsibilities and experience/training requirements. As part of the City's commitment to reducing bias in the hiring process, Human Resources redacts personally identifiable information for reviewers. Only the documents listed as required will be reviewed.
All applications will be forwarded to the Bellingham Municipal Court for review. Candidates selected to participate in further assessment will be notified directly by the Bellingham Municipal Court.
Please Note: Candidates will receive updates regarding application status via email. Please be sure to check your email frequently, including your spam folders for messages filtered by your email providers.
Equal Opportunity:
The City of Bellingham is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in its work force. We do not make decisions on the basis of an individual's race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, age (40+), disability, retaliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. All are encouraged to apply for employment.
Fair Hiring Practices
The City provides individuals who have been arrested or convicted of a criminal offense an equal and fair opportunity to obtain employment.
The City will not inquire about an applicant's criminal history until after a conditional job offer has been made.
The City will disregard the prior arrest and conviction record of an otherwise qualified individual unless the offense is directly related to the job position for which the individual has applied.
The City will notify an otherwise qualified applicant about a potentially disqualifying conviction and give the applicant an opportunity to submit information regarding the accuracy of the criminal records as well as evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation, as appropriate.
There are many good reasons for working at the City of Bellingham. The work is rewarding and you have an opportunity to serve your community. Another good reason is the great benefits that the City offers its employees. See our benefits section (https://www.cob.org/employment/pages/benefits.aspx) for additional information.
This position is represented by the Teamsters 231 bargaining unit. Specific benefit information including Holidays, Vacation Accruals, Health, Dental and Vision Plans with cost sharing and Deferred Compensation Match can be found in the Teamsters 231 labor agreement (https://www.cob.org/employment/Pages/labor-agreements-pay-schedule.aspx) .
This position is covered by the State of Washington Department of Retirement Systems PERS plan. PERS requires mandatory employee and City contributions. Please visit the DRS website (http://www.drs.wa.gov/) for more information on PERS.
01
Thank you for your interest in this position at the City of Bellingham! To ensure a consistent review, only the City of Bellingham job application and required supplemental documents will be reviewed. Cover letters and resumes are not reviewed unless they are required as part of the process. When applying for this position, you must thoroughly complete each section of your application, and provide a thorough response to each of the supplemental questions. Please do not indicate "see resume" or copy content that is unrelated to the position being applied for from your resume when answering these questions.
Have you read and understood the information listed above?
Yes
No
02
As part of your application, a cover letter is required addressing the following:
Please indicate why you are interested in this position, and why this position is the next right step for you in your career.
Provide a brief summary of your education, experience and qualifications for this position.
Have you attached the required cover letter?
Yes, I have attached my cover letter.
No, I have not attached my cover letter and understand my application will be marked incomplete.
03
Do you have an Associate's degree in criminal justice, public administration, business administration, sociology, psychology or similar field?
Yes
No
04
Do you have two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in a court environment required, including knowledge of court operations, statutes, rules, customer service, and probation compliance? How We Count Work Experience: Your experience must be equal to full-time paid work. If you worked part-time, we'll calculate your experience based on the total number of hours you worked in a year. For example, if you worked 10 hours per week for 12 months, that equals 3 months of full-time experience (10 hrs x 52 weeks= 520 hrs/173.33 full time hrs per month = 3 months).
Yes
No
05
Do you have two (2) years of experience in a supervisory or lead position? Five years of court experience may be considered as a substitute for supervisory or lead court position experience. How We Count Work Experience: Your experience must be equal to full-time paid work. If you worked part-time, we'll calculate your experience based on the total number of hours you worked in a year. For example, if you worked 10 hours per week for 12 months, that equals 3 months of full-time experience (10 hrs x 52 weeks= 520 hrs/173.33 full time hrs per month = 3 months).
Yes
No
06
If you answered NO to any of the above questions (#2, #3, #4), explain in detail the combination of education and experience you have that provides you with the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the essential functions of the position.
07
Are you willing to submit to a criminal convictions background check, local background check and fingerprinting prior to hire?
Yes
No
08
Are you willing and able to obtain an ACCESS Level 2 certification required within one (1) year of hire?
Yes
No
09
Are you willing to sign confidentiality agreements with the State of Washington and the Court in regard to ethical standards and database access and use?
Yes
No
10
Describe your ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with diverse groups including employees, personnel from other City departments and the general public.
11
Describe a time when your experience leading and motivating people was successful.
Required Question
Employer
City of Bellingham
Address
104 West Magnolia Street Bellingham, Washington, 98225
Phone
360-778-8228
Website
http://www.cob.org/employment
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