Court clerk

About this occupation

Court clerks provide assistance to judges in a court institution. They handle enquiries on court proceedings, and assist judges in various tasks such as performing legal research in preparation of cases or writing opinion pieces. They also contact parties involved in cases and brief judges and other court officials.

• Plan or direct the maintenance, filing, safekeeping, or computerization of all municipal documents.
• Examine legal documents submitted to courts for adherence to laws or court procedures.
• Record case dispositions, court orders, or arrangements made for payment of court fees.
• Answer inquiries from the general public regarding judicial procedures, court appearances, trial dates, adjournments, outstanding warrants, summonses, subpoenas, witness fees, or payment of fines.
• Perform general office duties, such as taking or transcribing dictation, typing or proofreading correspondence, distributing or filing official forms, or scheduling appointments.
• Question applicants to obtain required information, such as name, address, or age, and record data on prescribed forms.

Preparation

Job Zone 2 of 5

Interests

Conventional, Enterprising, Social

Top skills: Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Critical Thinking, Monitoring

US median pay: US$48,700 a year (2025), 179,750 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.

Subjects this work relies on

How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).

• English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (4.2)
• Government and PoliticsO*NET: Law and GovernmentVery important (4.0)
• Computer StudiesO*NET: Computers and ElectronicsVery important (3.7)
• Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsImportant (3.0)

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

Preparation needed

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Education

Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Experience

Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Training

Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.