Jobs - Family and Juvenile Case Manager - Montgomery County Circuit Court (2024)

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CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND

Personnel Class Specification

Family and Juvenile Case Manager

DEFINITION OF CLASS

The Case Manager is charged with providing continuity in the disposition and management of juvenile and family law cases and has the primary responsibility for monitoring case status and activity, assuring compliance with statutory deadlines and other time standards, reviewing pleadings for legal sufficiency, and monitoring cases to ensure that legally required findings are made. The case manager also serves as the liaison between the judges and magistrates hearing the matters, members of the bar, service providers, and governmental agencies.

This highly responsible position demands the exercise of case-related discretion within guidelines established by the Court. The employee is expected to develop and maintain a thorough knowledge of Court policies and procedures and be able to make appropriate independent decisions when interacting with the public and employees. Information obtained in the course of these duties may be confidential or private in nature. Additionally, the employee in this position must recognize that visitors to the Court are often under significant stress and treat them with dignity and discretion as they obtain court-ordered services. To be successful, the employee in this position must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The case manager reports directly to the Supervising Family and Juvenile Case Manager and is ultimately responsible to the Family Division Coordinator, Court Administrator and Administrative Judge.

Circuit Court employees are at-will employees and serve at the discretion of the Administrative Judge. This means that either an employee, or the court, may terminate the employee relationship at any time, with or without cause. There are no contractual relationships between the Circuit Court and an employee; letters, benefit or policy statements, performance evaluation, handbooks, or other employee communications should not be interpreted as such. The at-will relationship remains in full force and effect notwithstanding any statements to the contrary made by court personnel or set forth in any documents.

EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Review the pleadings for legal sufficiency and prepare appropriate orders for execution. Contact counsel or pro se litigants to bring deficient filings into compliance with the law and rules of procedure.
• Prepare family law cases for scheduling conferences, recommend DCM track and identify appropriate services.
• Screen all juvenile cases filed and assist the Court in coordinating mediation services where appropriate in child welfare cases, including but not limited to the following: preparing intakes, screening for criminal and domestic violence issues, assigning mediators, drafting mediation orders, collecting surveys and invoices, and reporting outcomes to the Supervising Case Manager.
• Review all cases prior to critical hearings to allow the Court to resolve any issues that may prevent a hearing from going forward as scheduled.
• Communicate with the Assignment Office to schedule hearings as cases may require.
• Assist and attend juvenile hearings as required and provide in-court assistance regarding statutorily required findings and appropriate time deadlines.
• Provide regular monitoring of cases to determine events affecting track designation and case status; make appropriate adjustments in accordance with rules of procedure, statutory requirements, and established Family and Juvenile Division guidelines; utilize databases and reports to ensure cases are managed in a timely fashion.
• Provide information and training for new programs and procedures for Court staff, community associations, and the local bar.
• Attend and participate in meetings to discuss various Court-related issues including, but not limited to, differentiated case management/quality control and procedural changes.
• Work collaboratively with Quality Control in implementing any necessary procedural changes that enhance the integrity of data utilized by the Court.
• Work collaboratively with the Family and Juvenile Departments to correct any irregularities in docketing and audit sheets, and work to facilitate a smooth and productive flow of communication between both departments.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Ability to work the full-time standard Court work schedule of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Monday through Friday) with flexibility to accommodate any necessary early or late meetings.
• Maintain a regular, punctual and reliable level of attendance.
• Ability to work independently and have high level interpersonal skills to handle sensitive and confidential situations.
• Ability to understand and apply the Maryland Rules of Procedure and relevant statutory provisions within established guidelines. The applicant must possess a general knowledge of legal pleadings and the ability to prepare draft orders.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, and exercise a high degree of judgment, tact, diplomacy, and competence in dealing with judges, attorneys, court personnel, and litigants.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and maintain a professional demeanor when dealing with court personnel and the public.
• Ability to make decisions based on experience, good judgment, and established policies and procedures.
• Ability to pay attention to detail in composing, typing and proofing materials; set priorities and simultaneously process multiple duties and responsibilities.
• Knowledge of and ability to apply fundamentals of business English, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and standard office practices and procedures.
• Excellent telephone manner and experience dealing with the public.
• Achieve and maintain advanced proficiency in the utilization of the Court’s case management system.
• Conversational Spanish desired but not required.
• Ability to develop and maintain collaborative and professional working relationships with court personnel and the public.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• B.S. or B.A. degree from an accredited university with one year of legal experience in family law; or a degree or certificate in paralegal studies from an accredited institution with a concentration in family law and three years of court and/or legal experience.
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Excellent organizational and customer service skills, as well as competence and temperament to communicate with the legal community, in-house personnel, and the general public in a fast-paced environment.
• Superior writing skills and command of the English language
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted with five years of court and/or legal experience.

The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. This job description reflects management’s assignment of essential functions. It is not an exhaustive list of responsibilities and does not prescribe or restrict various additional diversified tasks and assignments that may be required by Judicial Officers and/or the Court Administrator.

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Additional Notes

1. It is a good idea to have your Cover Letter, Resume, and Writing Prompt prepared before you complete the Employment Application.
2. Your Employment Application will not be accepted until it has been fully completed and submitted with all three attachments.
3. If the Employment Application is not complete or the Court has not received all supporting documents, your submission will be returned to you. An email notification will be sent to you requesting further information.
4. You will be required to create an account if you need to save your Employment Application and complete it later.

For assistance or additional information about the Employment Application Process, please contact Court Administration at 240-777-9102 or by email at [emailprotected].