SOMERSET COUNTY

                           POSITION DESCRIPTION

Department: Registry of Probate                  Job Title: Clerk/Secretary

Classification: Non-Exempt/Union               Office Hours: 8:30am - 4:30pm

Starting Salary: $19.00 per hour                  Total Hours: Full-Time Position 35 hours

Statue Reference:        Title 18-C Probate Code

Job Summary:

The position of Clerk/Secreatary in the Probate Court is a full-time position designed to assist the Register and Deputy in completing the Court work and accomplishing any task that the Register/Deputy Register may direct.

1. Representative Duties and Responsibilities:

Under the direct supervision of the Register of Probate or Deputy Register of Probate:

The Clerk performs quasi-paralegal work under the direct supervision of the Registrar and the Deputy Registrar and deals directly with several facets of the daily work load. The Clerk must have a thorough knowledge of all probate proceedings and be able to act independently when receiving new filings. The Clerk is a receptionist and waits on the public as they come in for assistance in probate matters. The Clerk may be requested under direct supervision to perform one or all of the duties listed in the itemization of duties of the Register as follows.

1. Indexing, docketing and filing of probate cases in a timely and accurate

fashion;

2. The preparation of court orders to be signed by the Registrar or Judge;
3. The preparation of other documents and correspondence;
4. Prepare informal probate and appointment documents under the direct supervision of the Registrar/Deputy Registrar
5. Review documents filed with the Probate Court and assesses its adequacy, accuracy and timeliness;
6. Docket and electronic scanning of records.
7. Prepare abstracts of Wills and Appointment for the Registrar of Deeds;
8. Prepares letters of authority, letters of guardianship, letters of conservatorship, certificates of adoption, certificates of name change, certificates of appointment, certified copies and authenticated copies to be signed and completed by the Registrar;
9. Answers inquiries from attorneys, the public, concerning matters before the Probate Court;
10. Prepare and distribute the court calendar annually;
11. Keeps abreast of Law Court decision, legislative changes; and changes promulgated by the Supreme Judicial Court;
12. Take dictation from Judge and Registrar on Orders; transcribes and is responsible for mailing out of such Orders;
13. Assist Register on Court days in Court room as needed.

1. Specifications/Qualifications:

1. Generally:

1. Knowledge of court procedures, legal documents, laws and legal facts

pertaining to the court;

2. Ability to interact effectively with court personnel, the Judge, the public

attorneys and the County Commissioners.

3. Knowledge of legal terminology and legal forms;
4. Knowledge of modern office practices and procedures;
5. Knowledge of the organization, functions and responsibilities of the Probate Court;
6. Knowledge of the administrative and clerical procedures followed by the Probate Court;
7. Knowledge of personnel systems and the principles of personnel administration
8. Ability to gather and compile appropriate information for special projects and reports;
9. Ability to take and transcribe shorthand.

Minimum Qualifications: Graduation from high school-college education would be preferred or extensive training in legal office in the probate field. Should have some sort of business background and familiarity with office procedures. Must have extensive knowledge of the Maine Estate and Probate Law as well as Maine Family Law.

• Working Conditions and Job Hazards:

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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform some of the essential functions. This office position requires the ordinary demands of any secretarial office. You might type for a period of 30 minutes of more continuously but a lot of the typing and docketing is stop and start typing, and is not continuous in nature. The basic storing and retrieving of files is involved. The only item of lifting that is required is the moving of large older dockets, which may weigh about 15 pounds each. These are older books and as time passes we will be using them less.

The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and the employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.