That's one thing I like about my job-I don't have to justify my use of time. As long as the work is done, they really don't care. I am responsible for reviewing all incoming Civil and Domestic new case filings in our county superior court, verifying that the data on the documents matches the data input into the computer by the clerk who filed the document. I also receive all problem documents that have defects-filed in wrong court, name doesn't match the case number, no signature or file date, etc. I also administer the local component of the Arizona Process Server program, processing license applications, performing background checks, administering and grading the written examination and receiving all complaints against process servers in the county. I am responsible for maintaining certain registries and making reports to the Administrative Office of Courts. I also log all responsive pleadings assigned and maintain the judge assignment and case number assignment books.
I should note that I do all of than in addition to answering the phone, inputting new cases and backing up the public filing counter if they are understaffed. In addition, I have to attend mandatory continuing education classes and occasionally am required to be present at court hearings. All that and I'm not alone-every Specialist does the work of two employees.
See, that's one of the reasons I like being a cashier: I show up, do my job and go home. Starts when I get there, ends when I leave. I've worked the jobs where one does the work of two or three before myself, and felt frustrated by that sort of thing. I'm much better with customers than management that uses no logic.
I also cashier in addition to all the rest. Collecting fees from pro se litigants at the counter, collecting fees from the attorneys and attorney service companies is all part of the job. When i was on the night crew, cashing out could be real fun if you were the bond clerk-we took criminal bond payments. Bond clerk had to fill out two deposit tickets as the bond money is required to be deposited in a separate account. Sometimes the cash bond might be as much as $60,000.00+ or more. My biggest cash bond was only $15,000.00-all in twenties. I had to count the amount and then have the shift supervisor count it-department policy. Once we agreed that the total amount was there, I executed the release orders and the money was placed in a lock box. On cashing out, we again counted out the cash twice.
As you have undoubtedly discovered, cash is pretty nasty. I don't really like handling it and prefer checks and cards to cash. One night, I was working the counter and we began to notice a REALLY NASTY, ALMOST TOXIC SMELL. We were trying to figure out where the odor was coming from and discovered that a cash bond payment had just been made. The cash was what we were smelling. Of course, much of the cash that we get is suspected drug money-this cash smelled like it had been buried in a damp, moist place and grown mold.
Work stays at work-nothing comes home and that is always the case. I do prefer to work with management, as they do use a good bit of logic-everything we do is based on the authority granted by law. Our customers (on the other hand), don't understand that and usually have no clue as to what they are doing.
Sounds exciting! May I ask how you found my journal? I'm not hugely popular, so I do get curious when new people show up. I've enjoyed reading your replies.
That was through a response to a posting on another friended journal. Which exact one I don't remember offhand. Actually, handling bonds wasn't terribly exciting. The bill counter we had wasn't terribly useful either. Most of us preferred not to use it as it would sometimes miscount the bills if you put too many in at one time.
What makes cashiering exciting is when you don't balance at the end of the day. The counter gets busy and you ring up a transaction and enter the amount in the wrong category. Our register system is combined with our case management program which means that the amount paid must be manually entered into the computer by the clerk. They type in the name of the payer and the name of the party for whom they are paying-might be the same person but often is another party (ie. the attorney's office paying a fee on behalf of a client). Then the amount paid must be entered in the payment form field. The three choices are cash, check and credit. You have to tell it what the payment form is. The most common error is that the clerk accidently puts the amount in the wrong field, since the computer has no way of knowing the actual form of payment. In that case, once the error is discovered, the receipt can be voided by a supervisor and the transaction rung up properly.
The days that present the biggest opportunity for errors are the days that we work overtime. Our office runs two shifts-8 AM to 5 PM and 2 PM to 10 PM every weekday. The evening shift has one supervisor and three clerks-if any of them call in or take vacation, someone from the day shift has to cover their vacancy. Our office does a lot of public business in the evening as the filing counter is open until 9 PM. When I started out, the evening shift was 3:30 PM until 12 AM and we ran both the filing counter and the file room. That required a staff of about twenty persons to accomplish and everyone who hired on started as a clerk on the evening shift. A few years ago, there was a major realignment of duties and the file room work became the responsibility of Legal Records. That resulted in those who were excess to the needs of the reduced evening shift being transferred to other job assignments. I ended up in Legal Records, but transferred back to the Civil Department as soon as possible. In my time working here, I have issued plenty of marriage licenses to people from other towns-particularly the Phoenix area. Can't get time off work to go to the court clerk's office and get a marriage license? Drive down to Tucson after work-that office has extended hours.
I should note that I do all of than in addition to answering the phone, inputting new cases and backing up the public filing counter if they are understaffed. In addition, I have to attend mandatory continuing education classes and occasionally am required to be present at court hearings. All that and I'm not alone-every Specialist does the work of two employees.
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As you have undoubtedly discovered, cash is pretty nasty. I don't really like handling it and prefer checks and cards to cash. One night, I was working the counter and we began to notice a REALLY NASTY, ALMOST TOXIC SMELL. We were trying to figure out where the odor was coming from and discovered that a cash bond payment had just been made. The cash was what we were smelling. Of course, much of the cash that we get is suspected drug money-this cash smelled like it had been buried in a damp, moist place and grown mold.
Work stays at work-nothing comes home and that is always the case. I do prefer to work with management, as they do use a good bit of logic-everything we do is based on the authority granted by law. Our customers (on the other hand), don't understand that and usually have no clue as to what they are doing.
Reply
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What makes cashiering exciting is when you don't balance at the end of the day. The counter gets busy and you ring up a transaction and enter the amount in the wrong category. Our register system is combined with our case management program which means that the amount paid must be manually entered into the computer by the clerk. They type in the name of the payer and the name of the party for whom they are paying-might be the same person but often is another party (ie. the attorney's office paying a fee on behalf of a client). Then the amount paid must be entered in the payment form field. The three choices are cash, check and credit. You have to tell it what the payment form is. The most common error is that the clerk accidently puts the amount in the wrong field, since the computer has no way of knowing the actual form of payment. In that case, once the error is discovered, the receipt can be voided by a supervisor and the transaction rung up properly.
The days that present the biggest opportunity for errors are the days that we work overtime. Our office runs two shifts-8 AM to 5 PM and 2 PM to 10 PM every weekday. The evening shift has one supervisor and three clerks-if any of them call in or take vacation, someone from the day shift has to cover their vacancy. Our office does a lot of public business in the evening as the filing counter is open until 9 PM. When I started out, the evening shift was 3:30 PM until 12 AM and we ran both the filing counter and the file room. That required a staff of about twenty persons to accomplish and everyone who hired on started as a clerk on the evening shift. A few years ago, there was a major realignment of duties and the file room work became the responsibility of Legal Records. That resulted in those who were excess to the needs of the reduced evening shift being transferred to other job assignments. I ended up in Legal Records, but transferred back to the Civil Department as soon as possible. In my time working here, I have issued plenty of marriage licenses to people from other towns-particularly the Phoenix area. Can't get time off work to go to the court clerk's office and get a marriage license? Drive down to Tucson after work-that office has extended hours.
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