COURT REFEREE I (07910)

$47,805.60 - $76,365.60

Location: Montgomery

GENERAL

The Alabama Administrative Office of Courts (AOC) is currently accepting applications from qualified individuals to fill a vacancy in the class of COURT REFEREE I (07910) for Montgomery County. Applications for this position will be accepted until Thursday, April 15, 2021 at 5:00 PM.

Note: This is a confidential (non-merit) appointment. Confidential employees are exempt from merit system rules and regulations relating to appointment, tenure, and appeal.

WORK SETTING

CLOSING DATE EXTENDED:  APRIL 15, 2021

This is highly responsible professional legal work conducting formal judicial hearings in juvenile delinquency and dependency, child support and custody, and other civil and domestic relations cases in which the facts are not in dispute. Work requires familiarity with state civil statutes and rules and federal child support guidelines. Duties include presiding over hearings, ruling. on proceedings, maintaining order and proper decorum, administering oaths, hearing testimony, ruling on admissibility of evidence and other matters of law, and drafting decisions and orders. Employees are authorized to regulate proceedings by their appointing judge and court rule. Determinations made are either appealed to or otherwise reviewed by the appointing judge.

TYPICAL DUTIES

(Any one position may not include all of the duties listed, nor do the examples)

• Acts as a court referee in juvenile cases; conducts preliminary and 72 hour detention hearings involving the disposition, custody, control or protection of delinquent, dependent or neglected children; accepts pleas of guilty and makes determinations regarding probation, length of sentence and place of confinement; drafts conclusions and recommendations and submits to all parties involved and to the judge for review.  
• Acts as a court referee in circuit civil cases; conducts reference hearings primarily in divorce actions which involve making determinations regarding custody of children, visitation rights, amount of temporary support, division of property and financial assets; drafts conclusions and recommendations and submits to the judge for review.
• Interprets laws and gives procedural advice to attorneys, probation officers, social workers, etc.; recommends changes in policies, rules and procedures in area of responsibility to the judge of the court.
• Conducts 72-hour detention hearings.
• Consults with parents, attorneys, employers, probation officers and various other local and state officials in regards to the disposition of cases.
• Prepares correspondence and special reports.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND/OR SKILLS

• Thorough knowledge of Federal and State laws, rules and regulations in assigned area of responsibility.
• Thorough knowledge of legal documents, court procedures, and rules of evidence.
• Ability to analyze facts, evidence and precedents, and to arrive at a logical conclusion.
• Ability to draft orders and set forth findings of facts and decisions clearly and concisely in oral and written form. 

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates and the public.

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Graduation from an approved school of law.  Some experience as a practicing attorney and/or practicing Attorney I at the State Attorney I level.

 

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT

Certificate of admission to the Alabama State Bar.

 

Policy on Accepting College Coursework, Post-Secondary and Advanced Degrees

 

1.  Specific college coursework required for a job, as well as, Bachelor’s, graduate, post graduate, and doctoral degrees will be accepted from the schools accredited by any of the six regional accreditation associations in the   United States listed below:

 

• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
• Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges – Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (NEASC-CIHE)
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges-Senior College and University Commission (WASC-SCUC)

2.   Coursework or degrees from schools that have notbeen accredited by one of the above listed regional accreditation associations may be accepted if a regionally accredited school considers the coursework or degree to be an acceptable prerequisite for admission to an advance degree program.  For example, if a regionally accredited school accepts an applicant’s bachelor’s degree for admittance into a graduate degree program, the Administrative Office of Courts’ (AOC) Human Resources Division will accept the college coursework if a regional accredited school accepts the coursework towards a post-secondary degree (e.g., a bachelor’s degree).  This must be documented by a letter of acceptance from the regionally accredited school.  The AOC Human Resources Division will review such requests on a case-by-case basis.

        Note:  This policy is subject to change.  Other state agencies, and/or branches of government may have additional requirements.

 

        *The term “regionally accredited school” refers to an institution of higher education accredited by one of the above listed accreditation associations.

 

 

 

HOW TO APPLY

Qualified individuals should complete the Alabama Unified Judicial System’s Employment Application (Form PERS 22 Rev. 5/12), which can be obtained at the AOC Human Resources Office, or the web site at: (http://humanresources.alacourt.gov), or the local offices of the Alabama State Employment Service. Resumes may be submitted with the application, but will not be accepted as a substitute for the application form.

Forward all materials to:
Administrative Office of Courts
Attention: Human Resources Division (07910)
300 Dexter Avenue
Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741

Applications must be received at the above address on or before Thursday, April 15, 2021 at 5:00 PM. Applications received after that date will not be accepted. Selected applicants will be scheduled for interviews at a later date.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER