26 tasks, each one witnessed by the sources that watched the job — and behind every one, a prompt you can use tonight.
You start by preparing the docket or calendar for the day using Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, or the court’s case system (for example JEMS). That means listing which cases the judge will hear, who’s present, and what paperwork is missing.
During the day you answer phone and public enquiries in Outlook or on the phone, check filings, update case status in Microsoft Access or Excel, prepare minutes or court outcome documents in Word/Adobe Acrobat, and contact parties when continuances or missing documents are found.
Expect to use Microsoft Word for documents, Excel for reports and statistics, Outlook for email and scheduling, and Adobe Acrobat for PDFs. Some courts still use Corel WordPerfect Office.
Larger courts use case-management systems like IBM JEMS or a municipal database linked to Microsoft Access. You’ll enter data, code license fields, and generate dockets and minutes from those systems.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for 2025, about 179,750 people worked as court clerks. The median pay was $48,700 per year; the lowest 10% made about $36,300, and the top 10% made about $73,820.
Local government, court level, and region matter a lot — city or federal courts usually pay more than small municipal courts.
A high school diploma plus office experience is enough for many entry jobs. Learn Microsoft Office well: Word, Excel, and Outlook, and practice typing and basic recordkeeping.
If you want to move up, study court procedures, criminal and civil filing rules, and learn a case-management system like JEMS. Volunteering at a courthouse or a clerk’s internship helps you see real dockets and minute-taking.
No. Court clerks focus on court administration: preparing dockets, recording outcomes, issuing licenses or permits, and keeping case records. They work for the court itself and often handle public enquiries and calendars.
Paralegals and legal secretaries typically work for lawyers, doing legal research, drafting legal documents, or managing a lawyer’s clients. Some tasks overlap (typing, filing), but the employer and core duties differ.
AI can help draft routine documents, summarize long filings, or check spelling in minutes, but do not rely on it for legal decisions, verifying identity documents, or final court records. Always verify facts against the original documents and your court system (JEMS, WordPerfect files, or scanned PDFs).
Follow your court’s data and confidentiality rules before uploading any case material to an AI service. Never use AI to replace official signatures, certified minutes, or the judge’s orders.
You need accurate typing and data-entry (for JEMS, Access, or Excel), clear telephone and in-person communication (answer public enquiries), and basic document prep in Word/WordPerfect and Adobe Acrobat.
Also, be organized: preparing dockets and agendas, tracking deadlines, and verifying documents (IDs, immigration papers) are daily tasks. Honesty and attention to detail matter more than fancy legal knowledge at first.