RESPONSIBILITIES
• Provides legal secretarial support to central staff or other court attorneys and/or other professional staff.
• Performs complex administrative, paralegal, and legal secretarial support that may involve substituting for judicial assistants to appellate court justices during absences or while vacancies are being filled.
• Edits, proofreads, and reviews opinions and court orders and other related documents, using the electronic case management and document management systems, for correctness and accuracy with respect to grammar, spelling, punctuation, content, and organization; conforms opinions to uniform style using the California Style Manual and other style manuals, ensuring compliance with California Rules of Court.
• Maintains scheduling and tracks cases calendared for oral argument and submission.
• Prepares final opinions by checking cited facts for accuracy against all documents via electronic case management and document management systems, from the lower tribunal such as the clerk's and reporter's transcripts, administrative record, exhibits, and correspondence; validates legal authorities cited using resources found in the electronic law library and computer database such as state and federal reporters, state and federal statutes, citators, textbooks, handbooks, restatements, and legislative intent materials.
• Communicates with the Reporter of Decisions regarding stylistic requirements and content of opinions; proofreads and carefully inspects galley proofs of all published opinions for complete accuracy; may transmit opinions and modifications to the Clerk's Office for submission to the Reporter of Decisions.
• Provides training and guidance to new staff.
• Organizes and routes work using a document management system and follow up to ensure coordination and completion of assigned work; exercises skill in setting priorities; works closely with the Clerk's Office to ensure that materials are received and sent out in a timely fashion.
• May draft correspondence; independently initiate specified correspondence for signature by appropriate staff, as assigned.
• Maintains, updates, and generates weekly and monthly reports.
• Maintains office equipment and supplies.
Working Conditions WORKING CONDITIONS
Light Work: Incumbents generally work in a typical office environment with adequate light and temperature. May occasionally exert up to 30 pounds of force, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Positions in this class typically require sitting for extended periods of time, walking, reaching, standing, grasping, pushing, pulling, lifting, keyboarding, kneeling, crouching, stooping, seeing, hearing, talking, and repetitive motions.
May be required to work overtime; may be required to travel, as necessary.
Minimum Requirements This position does not have a Classification Specification. Requirements and qualifications for this position can be found in this announcement. For additional questions, please contact the hiring department listed below.
- Judicial Assistant to Appellate Justice
Additional Documents - Job Application Package Checklist
Position Details Job Code #:
JC-537059
Position #(s):
156-100-2362-XXX
Working Title:
Judicial Assistant JO#6790
Classification:
Judicial Assistant to Appellate Justice $8,136.00 - $6,693.00
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.
# of Positions:
1
Work Location:
Santa Clara County
Telework:
In Office
Job Type:
Permanent, Full Time
Department Information OVERVIEW
The State of California, Court of Appeal, Sixth Appellate District located in San Jose is accepting applications for the position of Judicial Assistant.
This position provides complex paralegal, legal secretarial and office administrative support to appellate court justices and attorneys. The Judicial Assistant serves the entire division and is assigned as needed to substitute during illnesses, vacations, and other absences as well as to assist with added workload assignments and special projects. Remote and flexible work options are available.
Application Instructions Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.
Final Filing Date: 11/27/2026
Who May Apply
This is a non-testing Classification, therefore, anyone meeting the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification may apply for this position. Individuals in specific programs, such as the Welfare to Work Program, are encouraged to apply and will be given priority according to the applicable Laws and Rules. Please note on your application your current participation in these programs. Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).
How To Apply
Completed Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. A completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included, when submitting your application in hard copy.
Address for Mailing Application Packages
You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:
Judicial Council of California
Primary Cert Contact
Attn: Please Apply in the Benefits Section Below
455 Golden Gate Avenue
San Francisco , CA 94102-3688
Required Application Package Documents
The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:
- Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
- Resume is optional. It may be included, but is not required.
Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.
Desirable Qualifications In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:
Minimum Qualifications:
Judicial Assistant:
Equivalent to six (6) years of legal secretarial experience, including four (4) years of technical legal research.
OR
Bachelor's degree and two (2) years of legal secretarial experience, including technical legal research.
Additional directly related experience and/or college-level coursework may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for either of the paths outlined above.
OR
One (1) year as a Deputy Clerk OR two (2) years as a Lead Judicial Secretary or Assistant Deputy Clerk III OR three (3) years as a Judicial Secretary II with the judicial branch.
Equivalent years of experience performing the duties of a class comparable in the level of responsibility to the classes listed above in a California Superior Court or California state-level government entity also qualify.
Desirable Qualifications:
Ability to accurately type 55 words per minute
Please note: If you are selected for hire, the Sixth District Court of Appeal will require verification of employment eligibility or authorization to legally work in the United States .
Benefits HOW TO APPLY:
To ensure consideration of your application for the earliest round of interviews, please apply by 5:00 P.M. on November 3. This posting will remain open until filled. This position requires the submission of our official application, a resume, and a response to the supplemental questions.
To complete an online application, go to job opening # 6790 at https://www.courts.ca.gov/careers.htm .
The Court of Appeal, Sixth Appellate Court District provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities who request such accommodation. Reasonable accommodation needs should be requested through Human Resources at (415) 865-4260. Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) is available by dialing 711. Once connected, provide the relay operator with the number for Human Resources: 415-865-4260.
PAYMENTS & BENEFITS
$8,136 - $6,693 per month
Please note due to statewide fiscal conditions, the posted salary range is subject to a temporary 3% reduction. In exchange for this reduction, judicial branch employees accrue an additional 5 hours of paid personal leave per month through June 30, 2027.
Highlights of our benefits package include:
• Health/Dental/Vision benefits program
• 14 paid holidays per calendar year
• Choice of Annual Leave or Sick/Vacation Leave
• 1 personal holiday per year
• Up to $130 per month reimbursement for qualifying commuting costs
• CalPERS Retirement Plan
• 401(k) and 457 deferred compensation plans
• Employee Assistance Program
• Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
• FlexElect Program
• Pretax Parking
• Long Term Disability Program (employee paid/optional)
• Group Legal Plan (employee paid/optional)
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligibility
Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.
Supplemental Questionnaire SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS
These questions are intended to provide more detailed information about your work experience. Your answers to the following questions will allow us to better assess your qualifications.
1. Describe your experience with the following:
• Proofreading legal documents;
• Cite checking;
• Writing routine memos and letters.
2. Describe your experience completing tasks by utilizing software such as Microsoft Word, spreadsheets, presentations, shared calendars, and/or database management.
3. Describe your experience using Lexis, Westlaw, or law library research.
