Job Details for Intake/Docket Clerk

Court Name/Organization

California Northern District Court

Overview of the Position

Whether launching or continuing a career in public service, the U.S. District Court is a great place to work with competitive salaries and benefits, a work schedule that promotes a work-life balance, and the opportunity to work with colleagues committed to fulfilling the important mission of administering justice in an efficient and effective manner. This position offers an excellent opportunity to advance a career in Federal court service.

Location

San Francisco, CA

Opening and Closing Dates

08/27/2026 - Open Until Filled

Appointment Type

Permanent

Classification Level/Grade

CL 25

Salary

$61,707 - $100,341

Announcement Number

FY26-23

Position Description

The Intake/Docket Clerk plays a crucial role in the court's operations by seamlessly combining customer service and case management responsibilities. This position is responsible for processing court documents filed either in-person or electronically and ensures the accurate handling and progression of cases through the legal system.

Key Responsibilities

Intake Duties:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for customers, assisting them at the front desk, over the phone, and via email.
• Manage the assignment of judges to new attorney case openings, reassign cases, refer cases, and assign judges for newly filed criminal proceedings.
• Act as the main cashier for the office, processing payments and handling financial transactions.
• Become familiar with district-wide contacts as coordinator for call distribution inquiries

Docketing Duties:

• Docket, maintain, and process case information, ensuring that case progression is managed accurately and efficiently in accordance with internal controls and procedures.
• Notice, monitor, and manage the progression of cases to final disposition.
• Maintain official case records and review filed documents for conformity, taking appropriate action as necessary.
• Ensure that all orders and automated entries are accurately docketed.
• Make summary entries on the docket for all documents and proceedings.

Additional Duties for the Intake/Docket Clerk include the following:

• Make summary entries of documents and proceedings. Receive and docket terminating document. Perform quality control on chambers and attorney-docketed entries. Prepare and distribute clerk's notices and deficiency notices. Set schedules for briefing and record preparation.
• Accept, review and process documents. Review filed documents to determine conformity and take appropriate action and follow up with rules, practices and filing requirements. Prepare correspondence regarding file inquires, docket sheets, and other file request information. Check for prior or prohibited filing. Monitor for release of exhibits and sealed documents. Verify and issue summons.
• Process notices of appeal payments and distribute appeal-related documents to docket clerks.
• Receive incoming mail packages over the counter. Record and manage log for outgoing mail packages. When available, collect and distribute packing slips for procurement.
• Perform criminal and civil docketing making summary entries on all documents and proceedings.
• Provide information to public, bar, and the court.
• Transmit records to appropriate court. Ensure event codes are entered accurately.
• Operate a variety of copying and records equipment. Answer and route incoming calls.
• Provides case opening, cashiering, and other assistance as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

The successful applicant must have two years specialized experience, including at least one year specialized experience at or equivalent to CL 24. For placement at salary levels above minimum up to and including step 25, (considering court-preferred skills and an evaluation of quality of experience), the successful applicant must have at least two years specialized experience equivalent to work at CL 24.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to communicate effectively with a variety of people with a positive, upbeat manner.
• Ability to do detail-oriented work with limited supervision.
• Experience which reflects the ability to work under pressure and deal with change.
• Demonstrable ability to successfully manage multiple competing priorities.
• Knowledge of and skill in working with databases and other typical office software programs.
• Knowledge of the case assignment process. Knowledge of procedure for public access to court files.
• Skill in checking for prohibited filings and unpaid fees on prior filings.
• Knowledge of how to process, issue, and certify documents.
• Proven analytical reasoning skills and sound judgment.
• Prior federal court experience.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
• Excellent organization and time management skills.
• Excellent spelling, grammar, and proofreading skills.
• Cashiering experience.
• Bachelor's Degree

Specialized Experience

Specialized Experience is progressively responsible clerical experience that is in, or closely related to, the work of the position and which has demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and involves the routine use of automated software and keyboarding for word processing, data entry and report generation.

Miscellaneous

Compensation and Benefits

The U.S. District Court is part of the federal Judicial branch of government and is independent of the Executive and Legislative branches. The court sets its own employment policies including remote work and performance management, while also valuing employees' individualism and continuing to strive towards a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace.

Compensation will be set based on experience and qualifications pursuant to the policies and guidelines set forth in the Court Personnel System (CPS).

Judicial Branch employees are "at will” employees and are not subject to the employment regulations of competitive service. However, judiciary employees are entitled to benefits.

For more information about federal court benefits, please visit the U.S. Courts website .

Information for Applicants

The court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, or to withdraw the announcement without prior written or other notice.

The successful candidate for this position is subject to a FBI fingerprint check and background investigation (employment will be provisional and contingent upon the satisfactory completion of the required background investigation), will be required to adhere to a code of conduct , and is subject to mandatory direct deposit of federal wages. The court is not authorized to reimburse travel expenses for interviews or relocations.

Interviewing Non-Citizens and Making Offers of Future Employment: Non-citizens may be interviewed and considered for employment, but employment offers will only be made to individuals who qualify under one of the exceptions in 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3)(B). In most cases, this means that an offer of employment cannot be made unless the candidate is a lawful permanent resident who is seeking U.S. citizenship as explained below.

Under 8 U.S.C. §1324b (a)(3)(B), a lawful permanent resident seeking citizenship may not apply for citizenship until he or she has been a permanent resident for at least five years (three years if seeking naturalization as a spouse of a citizen), at which point he or she must apply for citizenship within six months of becoming eligible, and must complete the process within two years of applying (unless there is a delay caused by the processors of the application).

Equal Focused Employer

We value diversity and are committed to equity and inclusion in our workplace. The court encourages applications from all qualified individuals and seeks a diverse pool of applicants in terms of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, disability, religion, and socio-economic circumstance.

The court provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please notify the Human Resources Unit of the Clerk's Office at 415-522-2147.

Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Application Info

Applicants must submit the following:

1. Cover Letter

2. Resume

3. Three professional references.

To be considered for this position, visit our agency website at

Applications will be considered complete when the online application and all required attachments, in the appropriate format, are received by the Human Resources Unit.

The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.