COURT REPORTER

Job Description:

COURT REPORTER

Description

OVERVIEW

The Superior Court is the court of general jurisdiction in Kitsap County, having original and appellate jurisdiction as authorized by the Washington State Constitution and the laws of the State of Washington. The Superior Court is created to resolve criminal felony cases, civil cases, dependency cases, family law cases including paternity matters and adoptions, private and guardianship matters, domestic violence cases, mental health cases, and appeals from the District and Municipal Courts in Kitsap County. The Superior Court is a court of record, and is required to always be open, except on non-judicial days.

We are looking for experienced Court Reporters but we will consider exceptional candidates who will be able get up to speed to accurately report court proceedings.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR PERFORMANCE OF THE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Required Education and Experience

• At least one year of court reporting experience serving as a court reporter
• Report and transcribe accurately 175 wpm of the judge's charge or 200 wpm of testimony each for five consecutive minutes

Preferred Education and Experience

• Proficiency in real-time court reporting and experience reporting in Washington Superior Courts or Courts of General Jurisdiction in other States.
• Three or more years of experience in court reporting

Criminal Conviction Standards:

• The successful incumbent will or may have unsupervised access to children under 18 years of age, a vulnerable adult, or a vulnerable person, or access to a secured/confidential facility or computer system(s). As a result, Kitsap County will be conducting an extensive criminal background check by law enforcement agencies, which may include fingerprinting.
  • Please review the following list of disqualifying crimes and negative actions to determine if you meet our standard for this position: https://www.dshs.wa.gov/sites/default/files/FSA/bccu/documents/Secretary%27sCrimesListforALLPrograms.pdf

Required Licenses, Certificates, Examinations/Tests and Other Requirements

Please note: The incumbent is responsible for obtaining and maintaining all of the following required licenses, certifications and other requirements.

Prior to employment, the successful candidate must:

• Possess a State of Washington Court Reporter Certification through the Department of Licensing per Washington State Law or Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) certification through the National Court Reporter Association
• Pass a criminal history background check through law enforcement agencies.
• Pass all job-related examinations/tests necessary to demonstrate required knowledge, skills and abilities, as determined by the hiring authority at time of job posting.
• Be bondable.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT
(The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Kitsap County provides reasonable accommodation to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)

• Work is performed primarily in a courtroom setting.
• Requires clear speaking and adequate hearing sufficient to communicate effectively and respond appropriately.
• Positions in this class typically require: bending, stooping, reaching, handling/grasping documents, sitting for extended periods of time, walking short distances, vision sufficient to read source materials and computer screen data and repetitive motions for computer use.
• Requires exertion of force of up to 30 pounds occasionally and/or 10 pounds frequently to lift/carry/move objects, files, and other materials.
• Sufficient hearing to accurately capture/transcribe court proceedings

Incumbents may be:

• Exposed to potentially hazardous conditions when dealing with disgruntled or hostile individuals.

ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE OF DUTIES

(Any one position may not include all of the duties listed nor do the listed examples include all tasks which may be found in positions of this class.)

Essential Job Functions:

• Accurately record all courtroom and/or chambers proceedings, hearings, ex parte, pro se dissolutions, domestic violence calendars, paternity calendars, criminal court, and any other process requested to be reported by the judge; research any incomplete citations, name spellings, etc. to assure complete accuracy of the record.
• Provide transcripts of court proceedings in whole or in part as requested during the course of the trial in compliance with an appeal request, or at the request of the judges; may acquire the services of a "scopist" when necessary to assure timely filing and completion of the transcript request; proof transcript, certifying the transcript as true and correct and deliver them to the appropriate party, per statute, and has the ability to e-mail transcripts.
• Read from sections of trial proceedings in open courtroom or chambers as requested. Use or cultivate real-time capabilities and provide real-time translation for proceedings to judges, as requested.
• Index and file all court proceedings notes, disks and related materials as required and in accordance with established procedures.
• Purchase, operate and maintain all court reporting and transcription equipment and materials necessary for the completion of work assignments; update equipment and software periodically so as to keep up with the latest technology and to provide the most efficient services possible; update and maintain a personal dictionary as well as case-specific dictionaries, such as for technical litigation.
• Answer telephone calls, return messages, correspond when required pertaining to every aspect of the reporting and subsequent preparation of transcripts and billings.
• Keep current on literature regarding aspects of court reporting and attend professional seminars, conferences and other meetings as required to maintain test standings and certificates.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

OTHER POSITION RELATED INFORMATION

• Who May Apply: This position is open to the general public. Applications will be screened for qualifications and completion of all the required materials and forms. The most competitive applicants may be contacted for further steps in the selection process, which may include testing for office and computer skills.
• This position is classified as eligible for overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• Classified as "at will." Incumbent's continued employment is at the discretion of the Superior Court Administrator/Presiding Judge and may have his/her appointment revoked at any time with or without cause and without right to appeal.
• Non-represented and covered under the Kitsap County Personnel Manual.
• Kitsap County is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please contact our Human Resources Office.
• Work hours for this position are Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

This position will be opened until filled, but applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
Applicants will be screened weekly starting the week of April 18th, 2022.

At Kitsap County, we strive to take care of our team! Our employees are the greatest asset of Kitsap County, and we take pride in offering a highly competitive compensation and benefits package to all eligible employees.

County Paid Benefits Include:
Medical - Kaiser Permanente (HMO) or Aetna (PPO)
Dental -Delta Dental or Willamette
Vision - VSP
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
Life Insurance - Basic, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D), Voluntary Term Life Insurance (VTL)
Disability - Short-term disability & Long-term disability
Voya Voluntary Insurance
Transportation incentives
Employee Assistance Program
Travel Assistance Program
Wellness program https://spf.kitsapgov.com/hr/Pages/Wellness.aspx
Benefits become effective on the first calendar day of the month following the month in which the employee is hired except if the employee's hire date is the first calendar day of the month, benefits begin on the day of hire. More information about employee benefits is available on the county's website at: https://spf.kitsapgov.com/hr/Pages/Benefits.aspx or the Kitsap County Digital Benefits Guide .

*Voluntary benefit options also available at the employee's expense

Retirement:
Employees are covered under the PERS retirement plan provided through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and Social Security.

Deferred Compensation (IRS Plan 457b): tax-deferred savings program

Holidays
11 paid holidays and 2 additional floating holiday per year

Vacation Leave
New employees are credited with 48 hours of annual leave upon hire and will be begin accruing at the rate of 8 hours per month starting on their 7th month of employment. Employees may carry over 360 hours from one calendar year to the next. Annual leave accrual will increase upon tenure, as follows:

Upon completion of 3 years: 15 days per year (10.00 hours per month)
Upon completion of 5 years: 20 days per year (13.33 hours per month)
Upon completion of 10 years: 25 days per year (16.67 hours per month)
Sick Leave
All new hires will be credited with 48 hours of sick leave upon hire and will begin accruing at the rate of 8 hours per month starting on their 7th month of employment. Employees may carry over 1200 hours from one calendar year to the next.

***Part-time employees benefit contributions and leave accruals will beprorated***

Current County Employees
If you are transferring or promoting into this position you are responsible for reviewing these benefit changes; prior to accepting a position. In addition, it is your responsibility to notify the Auditor's Payroll Division of a change in union status.

NOTE: This is a general overview of the benefits offered through employment with Kitsap County, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts or is incorrect with the provisions of the Personnel Manual, applicable laws, policies, rules or official plan documents they will prevail. The Personnel Manual is available at: https://www.kitsapgov.com/hr/Pages/Personnel-Manual-2019.aspx

Closing Date/Time: Continuous

Salary:

$68,993.60 - $88,337.60 Annually