Municipal Court Judge

 

The City of Orangeburg is seeking a well-qualified attorney to fill the position of Municipal Court Judge. This position operates under the Executive Administration Division and reports to the Mayor and City Council. The Judge exercises supervision over the Clerk of Court and related office staff. The position is governed by City ordinances, related state and federal laws, and the South Carolina Supreme Court.

DESCRIPTION:

Performs the professional judicial work as required by matters coming before the municipal court with all such powers, duties and jurisdiction in criminal cases as conferred by state and local laws.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Presides at the Municipal Court over all jury and non-jury trials involving a violation of City ordinance or state criminal law.

Holds preliminary hearings for General Sessions court cases generated by the City.

Make returns from the Municipal Court to the Court of Common Pleas in appeals, consisting of a written report of the charges preferred, the testimony, the proceedings and the sentence or judgment

Issues arrest warrants, bench warrants, and search warrants.

Imposes fine and jail sentences not exceeding the limits set forth in state law and local ordinances on defendants found.

Maintains all court records and files monthly reports with the South Carolina Court Administration.

Performs other related duties as required and set forth in South Carolina Code Ann., Title 14, Chapter 25, Municipal Courts.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Graduation from an accredited American Bar Association college or university with a Doctor of Laws (JD) or Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB), and

Minimum three (3) years of trial experience.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

License to practice law in South Carolina is preferred;

Valid State driver’s license or ability to obtain one prior to employment; and

Some experience as a municipal judge or magistrate is also preferred.

Must reside in or near the corporate limits of the City of Orangeburg.

NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Thorough knowledge of all City ordinances and related State laws falling within the jurisdiction of the court; thorough knowledge of the body of judicial decisions which constitute relevant precedents;

Skill in handling attorneys, witnesses and court room proceedings; computer skills.

Ability to apply the theory and intent of the law to specific trial cases; ability to render judicial decisions impartially, accurately and in a legally correct form; ability to conduct legal research into complex judicial questions; ability to preside at and expedite the work of a municipal court; ability to communicate effectively verbally and n writing; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with court personnel, City officials and the public.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

Proficiency in Microsoft Office Tools, i.e., Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint and other related software.

General office equipment as required by the nature of the work.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here a representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls and reach with hands and arms.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENTS

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations my be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderately quiet.

PAY RANGE

Compensation commensurate with relevant work experience, work history and other personal factors such as hard and soft skills and level of education.

Average starting range $75,000 - $83,000 DOQ with a full benefits package including employer-paid medical, dental, vision, paid holidays, state retirement, life insurance, long term disability insurance and more.

Conditional offer of employment based upon satisfactory results from pre-employment physical, drug screen and criminal background check.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER STATEMENT

It is the policy of the City of Orangeburg not to discriminate against qualified individuals on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, veteran status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status or disability (in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act) with respect to employment and promotional opportunities. THE CITY OF ORANGEBURG IS AN AT-WILL, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

Apply online: www.orangeburg.sc.us