How to hire a deputy court clerk

How to hire a deputy court clerk, step by step

Here's a step-by-step deputy court clerk hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a deputy court clerk job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new deputy court clerk
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a deputy court clerk, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A deputy court clerk's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, deputy court clerks from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of deputy court clerks and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Deputy Court Clerk	Description	Hourly rate
   Deputy Court Clerk	Information clerks perform routine clerical duties such as maintaining records, collecting data, and providing information to customers.	$12-20
   Criminal Justice Internship	In a criminal justice internship, an intern gains industry insights and practical experience by observing how criminal justice theories are put into practice. Although their duties can vary upon the directives given by a supervising criminal justice professional or agency of employment, they are usually responsible for performing support tasks such as conducting research and analysis, organizing files, studying criminal cases, and running errands... Show more	$11-19
   Clerk	Clerks are responsible for many of the general administrative tasks in the office. They are in charge of manning office telephone lines, managing incoming and outgoing mails, filing paperwork and other needed records, scheduling and documenting meetings, typing out documents when needed, disseminating memos and other official announcements, and keeping an inventory of office equipment and supplies... Show more	$11-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Data Entry
   • Customer Service
   • Management System
   • Court Dates
   • Court Orders
   • Subpoenas
   • Bench Warrants
   • Court Dockets
   • District Court
   • Court Procedures
   • Probate
   • Office Equipment
   • Court Proceedings
   • Law Enforcement Agencies

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Receive and record payments of fees or fines, process notary commissions, order files and purge old files for achieves.
   • Analyze probate law and statute updates, estate tax matters, questionable inventory intake and claims against an estate.
   • Prepare and issue orders of the court, including probation orders, release documentation, non-appearance warrants and summonses.
   • Type subpoenas on contest probation violation.
   • Maintain files containing highly sensitive information for probate cases.
   • Prepare subpoenas for distribution and assist with domestic violence protection orders.

   More deputy court clerk duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your deputy court clerk job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A deputy court clerk salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, deputy court clerks' average salary in alabama is 48% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level deputy court clerks earn 37% less than senior-level deputy court clerks.
   • Certifications. A deputy court clerk with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a deputy court clerk's salary.

   Average deputy court clerk salary

   $16.63hourly

   $34,599 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level deputy court clerk salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average deputy court clerk salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Wisconsin	$40,685	$20
   2	Colorado	$37,374	$18
   3	Kentucky	$36,825	$18
   4	North Dakota	$34,309	$16
   5	Tennessee	$33,802	$16
   6	Georgia	$32,569	$16
   7	Montana	$32,083	$15
   8	South Dakota	$31,640	$15
   9	Virginia	$31,454	$15
   10	Utah	$31,238	$15
   11	Texas	$29,736	$14
   12	Arkansas	$29,142	$14

   Average deputy court clerk salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	City of McKinney	$44,174	$21.24	1
   2	City of Alpharetta	$42,661	$20.51
   3	Columbus Consolidated Government	$40,788	$19.61
   4	Lake County	$37,809	$18.18	8
   5	City of Lewisville	$36,945	$17.76
   6	Outagamie County	$36,400	$17.50
   7	Brown County	$36,125	$17.37	2
   8	Westminster Police	$35,916	$17.27	1
   9	State Of South Dakota	$35,544	$17.09	4
   10	Fulton County Government Center	$35,412	$17.02	3
   11	City of Roanoke, Virginia - Government	$35,375	$17.01	7
   12	Bentonville, Arkansas	$34,557	$16.61	5
   13	State of West Virginia	$34,227	$16.46	34
   14	RED BANK	$34,117	$16.40
   15	Milwaukee County	$33,695	$16.20
   16	Washington County	$33,209	$15.97	5
   17	Livingston County	$33,074	$15.90	4
   18	Rutherford County	$32,724	$15.73	4
   19	Ada County	$32,493	$15.62	3
   20	Cascade Corporation	$31,898	$15.34	1

4. Writing a deputy court clerk job description

   A deputy court clerk job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a deputy court clerk job description:

   Deputy court clerk job description example

   The purpose of this position is to complete administrative assistance to the court. This is accomplished by responding to requests and inquiries; processing and entering court information; processing payments, subpoenas and warrants; setting cases for trial; processing subpoenas and summons; working with court dockets; and responding to attorneys. Other duties include maintaining records and information. The deputy clerk will be stationed at the Tri-Cities Jail with the focus upon assisting the Magistrate in conducting daily magistrate hearings and preparing and processing the paperwork generated during the magistrate hearings.
   Specific Duties and Responsibilities
   
   * Completes administrative duties by sorting and distributing mail; processing judicial correspondence; updating court calendars; processing warrant, bonds, accident and jail information; answering the phone and responding to inquiries; communicating with outside agencies; and ensuring all records are filed and retained.
   * Provides customer service by answering the phone and referring callers; processing correspondence and requests from defendants; receiving payments; scheduling payment plans; processing deferred disposition cases; and responding to defensive driving inquiries.
   * Completes administrative duties by sorting and distributing mail; processing documents created and used during the magistrate hearings conducted at the Tri-City Jail, working with police departments to send and receive information needed by the Municipal Courts and the Magistrate.
   * Completing various administrative duties by sorting and distributing mail; processing judicial correspondence; updating court calendars; processing warrant information, bonds, accident and jail information; answering the phone and responding to inquiries; communicating with outside agencies; and ensuring all records are filed and retained.
   * Provides administrative support by answering the phone and referring callers; processing correspondence and requests from defendants; receiving payments; scheduling payment plans; processing deferred disposition cases; overseeing court payments; and compiling and maintaining reports and documents.
   * Assisting the Magistrate in performing his magistrate functions each day.
   
   Qualifications
   
   * High School graduation or equivalent
   
   Supplemental Information
   
   * Ability to effectively communicate, both verbally and in writing, with co-workers, the public, and elected and appointed officials
   * Ability to be certified for TCIC/NCIC and TLETS
   * Skill in the operation and use of standard office software which includes databases and presentation programs, along with standard Microsoft products
   
   SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
   
   * The ability to work rotating shifts to include nights, weekends and holidays.
   * The work schedule, subject to modification, will be 1:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
   * The ability to pass a criminal background check.
   
   LICENSE AND CERTIFICATES
   
   * Municipal Court Clerk I Certification (Preferred)
   * Valid driver's license with good driving record and ability to maintain while employed.
   
   WORKING CONDITIONS
   
   Position requires mobility within an office environment and requires little physical effort in working with light materials generally weighing ten (10) pounds or less.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right deputy court clerk for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your deputy court clerk job on Zippia to find and recruit deputy court clerk candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit deputy court clerks, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new deputy court clerk

   Once you've found the deputy court clerk candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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