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Court clerks and related court services occupations

OaSIS code 14103.00

Court clerks and workers in related court services occupations perform administrative, security, and other support functions for courts of law such as scheduling trials, processing service fees, calling court to order, preparing court dockets and maintaining exhibits, recording trial proceedings and maintaining court records. They also facilitate court security and public safety, liaise with law enforcement organizations, and provide support to the judiciary.

Overview

Also known as

  • Court administrator
  • Court clerk
  • Court clerk supervisor
  • Court clerk-crier
  • Court officer
  • Criminal court clerk
  • Judicial clerk
  • Provincial court clerk

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • Court clerks
  • Call courts of law to order, read charges, take pleas from defendants, swear in witnesses and perform other clerical functions in the courtrooms
  • Prepare court files, court dockets and other documents
  • Record main court proceedings, including pleas, names of witnesses, dates, times and rulings
  • Manage care and custody of court exhibits
  • Prepare documents for and participate in jury selection
  • Update and maintain court office paper and electronic indexes and files on actions taken by court or in response to court decisions
  • Receive, disburse and account for fines, fees and trust monies
  • Assist the public in court offices.
  • Court officers
  • Stock courtrooms with necessary materials before trials
  • Escort the judge to the courtroom
  • Maintain the security and safety of the judge and courtroom
  • Monitor proceedings and uphold the rules and procedures of the court
  • Read charges and take pleas from defendants
  • Transport prisoners to and from the court house and detention centres, psychiatric hospitals, police divisions, or elsewhere
  • Maintain the security of prisoners in the cell area of courthouses and while escorting them to the courtrooms, or elsewhere
  • Maintain prisoner records.
  • Court administrators
  • Coordinate administrative services and establish work priorities for court staff
  • Supervise court clerks and other court services occupations
  • Schedule court trials, pre-trial conferences and hearings
  • Oversee the maintenance of judicial court records
  • Assist in preparing annual budgets
  • May assist in the management of personnel, operations, and the court facilities.

Additional information

  • Progression to supervisory or senior court service positions is possible with experience.
  • Duties of court administrators may include those of court clerks or court officers depending on the location and size of the courthouse.

Similar occupations classified elsewhere

Exclusions:

  • Court reporters, medical transcriptionists and related occupations (12110)
  • Sheriffs and bailiffs (43200)
  • Judicial assistant; Administrative assistant - judicial (in 13111.00 Legal administrative assistants)
  • Law clerk (in 42200.01 Paralegals)

Skills match:

View occupations with similar skills and abilities requirements

NOC hierarchy breakdown

NOC version

NOC 2021 Version 1.0

Broad occupational category

1 – Business, finance and administration occupations

TEER

4 – Occupations usually require a secondary school diploma; or several weeks of on-the-job training

Major group

14 – Administrative and financial support and supply chain logistics occupations

Sub-major group

141 – Office, court, and data support occupations

Minor group

1410 – Office support and court services occupations

Unit group

14103 – Court clerks and related court services occupations

Occupational profile

14103.00 – Court clerks and related court services occupations

Work characteristics

Work characteristics gathers the various components describing the work environment of each occupation, such as employers, work activities, and the work context. Each category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of complexity (for Work Activities) or other measurement dimensions (for Work Context), and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Work Activities

Proficiency or complexity level
Clerical Activities
4 - High Level
Processing Information
4 - High Level
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization
3 - Moderate Level
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance
3 - Moderate Level
Getting Information
3 - Moderate Level

Work Context

Structural Job Characteristics

Structured versus Unstructured Work
Degree of freedom to determine tasks and priorities
2 - Low amount of freedom
Work Week Duration
Worked hours in a typical week
2 - Between 35 to 40 hours

Physical Work Environment

Physical Proximity
Physical distance from others
3 - Somewhat close (e.g. share office)

Physical Demands

Sitting
Duration
4 - More than half the time
Standing
Duration
2 - Less than half the time
Bending or Twisting the Body
Duration
1 - Very little time

Interpersonal Relations

Contact with Others
Frequency
4 - Every day, a few times per day
Duration
4 - More than half the time
Work with Work Group or Team
Importance
3 - Important
Frequency
3 - Once a week or more but not every day

Workplaces/employers

  • Federal courts
  • Municipal courts
  • Provincial or territorial courts

Skills and abilities

This section displays the various competencies required for an occupation. Each category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of proficiency (for Skills and Abilities) or importance (for Personal Attributes) and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Abilities

Proficiency or complexity level
Auditory Attention
3 - Moderate Level
Near Vision
3 - Moderate Level
Selective Attention
3 - Moderate Level
Speech Clarity
3 - Moderate Level
Speech Recognition
3 - Moderate Level

Skills

Proficiency or complexity level
Monitoring
3 - Moderate Level
Oral Communication: Active Listening
3 - Moderate Level
Oral Communication: Oral Comprehension
3 - Moderate Level
Oral Communication: Oral Expression
3 - Moderate Level
Time Management
3 - Moderate Level

Personal Attributes

Importance
Attention to Detail
5 - Extremely important
Adaptability
4 - Highly important
Collaboration
4 - Highly important
Concern for Others
4 - Highly important
Social Orientation
4 - Highly important

Interests

The OaSIS uses the Holland Codes to describe the work-related interests. According to the Holland model, people work best in work environments that match their preferences, which means that people and work environments can be matched for a best fit. Occupational environments in Holland’s theory are described according to a combination of main interests and the activities they represent. There are six interests in the Holland typology: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional. All occupations in OaSIS have up to three interests assigned to them.

Interests

Preferences for work environments and outcomes.

Interests profile: CES

Conventional (C)

Conventional occupations are characterized by the dominance of activities that entail following sets of procedures and routines. These activities may include systematic manipulation of data, such as keeping records, filing materials, reproducing materials, organizing written and numerical data according to a prescribed plan, and operating business and data processing. They often require following a clear line of authority and usually involve working with data and details more than with ideas.

Enterprising (E)

Enterprising occupations are characterized by the dominance of action-oriented activities to attain organizational or self-interest goals. They frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects, influencing, leading or mobilizing people, making decisions, and sometimes require risk taking and dealing with business.

Social (S)

Social occupations are characterized by the dominance of activities that entail the interaction with others to inform, train, aid, develop, cure, or enlighten. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others, teaching, working or communicating with people.

Employment requirements

Employment requirements includes the education, training, certifications and the knowledge required to work in each occupation. The Knowledge category displays up to 10 descriptors in descending order based, firstly, on their attributed ratings by the level of proficiency, and secondly, in alphabetical order. The whole list of Knowledge descriptors and their ratings can be expanded at the bottom of each page.

Education, certification and licensing

  • Completion of secondary school is required.
  • On-the-job training is provided for court officers, court clerks, and court liaison officers.
  • Special Constable Certification may be required for court officers and court liaison officers.
  • Court clerks and court officers may require a 1-2 year post-secondary diploma in office administration or equivalent.
  • Court administrators usually require a 1-2 year post-secondary diploma, or may require a university degree in law, business administration, judicial administration, or related field.
  • Some experience as a court clerks may be required for Court administrators.
  • Experience in clerical services, administration and management, and personnel information systems may be required for court administrators.

Knowledge

Knowledge level
Clerical
3 - Advanced Level
Languages
1 - Basic Level
Law
1 - Basic Level
Mathematics
1 - Basic Level
Public Affairs and Government Relations
1 - Basic Level

Skills for success

 
Skills for Success Model
 
Skills for Success are skills that help you in a quickly changing world. Everyone benefits from having these skills. They can help you to get a job, progress at your current job or even change jobs. The skills also help you become an active member of your community and succeed in learning.
 
 
Linkages Between ESDC Skills Models and Frameworks
 
ESDC makes available a dictionary of over 300 terms (or descriptors) and definitions, known as the Skills and Competencies Taxonomy (SCT). Descriptor information from the Taxonomy is used in the Occupational and Skills Information System (OaSIS).
 
While there is general commonality of meaning between the descriptors in the SCT and the Skills for Success model, there are some differences in their definitions due to their distinct purposes. The Skills for Success Model [9 broadly defined skills] identifies the skills that are universally applicable. The SCT displays specific skills and competency requirements for 900 occupations. Users of the Skills for Success Model and Essential Skills content may find competency information from the Taxonomy and the OaSIS to be complementary.
 
Stay tuned to this section for more information and updates regarding linkages between the Skills for Success model and the OaSIS.

O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 27.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Employment and Social Development Canada has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

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