Intake/Docket Clerk

Salary : $61,707.00 - $100,341.00 Annually
Location : San Francisco, CA
Job Type: Full time
Job Number: FY26-23
Department: Operations Department
Division: Intake/Docket
Opening Date: 08/27/2026

Description
This position offers an excellent opportunity to advance a career in Federal court service.

Example of Duties
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.
Typical Qualifications
Minimum 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.

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.

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

Supplemental Information
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

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

We offer a competitive salary along with full federal benefits, including health, dental, vision, and life insurance, a federal retirement plan, the Thrift Savings Plan with employer contributions, paid holidays, and paid annual and sick leave.

For more information about federal court benefits, please visit: .

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.

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).

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Applicants must submit the following:

1. Cover Letter

2. Resume

3. Three professional references.

4. GitHub (optional)

To be considered for this position, visit our agency website at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/uscourtscandto submit the online application, along with the above-listed documents. Please be sure to fully complete your application by providing all work history from the past ten years. Attachments should be submitted as Adobe Acrobat (PDF) files. Other formats are not acceptable.
Applications will be considered complete when the online application and all required attachments, in the appropriate format, are received by the Human Resources Unit.

Judicial Branch employees are "at will" employees and are not subject to the employment regulations of competitive service. However, full-time judiciary employees are entitled to:

• A minimum of 11 paid holidays per year
• Paid annual leave in the amount of 13 days per year for the first three years, 20 days per year after 3 years, and 26 days per year after fifteen years.
• Paid sick leave in the amount of 13 days per year
• Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS)
• Optional participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (with up to 5% employer matching contributions), the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), Federal Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP), the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI), the Flexible Benefits Program, the Commuter Benefit Program, (Public Transportation subsidy up to $130 per month), Long-Term Care Insurance, and Professional Liability Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Work Life Services