Judicial Assistant, Judicial Secretary I, or Judicial Secretary II

Overview

The California Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District, located in Sacramento, is accepting applications for Judicial Assistant, Judicial Secretary I, or Judicial Secretary II. Ideal applicants are detail-oriented, exhibit excellent written communication and grammar skills, enjoy working both independently and as part of a small team, and are comfortable using technology to improve workplace processes. Remote work privileges and other generous benefits are available. The individual(s) selected will be appointed at a level commensurate with their qualifications.

Responsibilities

•    Provides legal secretarial support to court attorneys and other professional staff and performs a variety of standard office support work.
•    Tracks assigned work to ensure timely preparation, distribution, and/or filing of draft and final opinions, orders, and correspondence.
•    May serve as judicial secretary to a pro tem. justice, a supervising and/or a writ attorney. May substitute for judicial assistants to appellate court justices on a limited basis during absences or while vacancies are being filled.
•    Is comfortable using Microsoft 365 programs as well as Adobe Acrobat, and is willing to learn other court-utilized software programs. 
•    Assists in development, troubleshooting, and implementation of various computer applications such as macros, templates, autotext, and other technology-based operational efficiencies; organizes and maintains written and electronic information for assigned area.
•    Must be available to work overtime.

In addition to those listed above, responsibilities for Judicial Assistant may also include:
•    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. 
•    Prepares final opinions by checking cited facts for accuracy against all documents in the court’s record; validates legal authorities cited using resources found in the physical and/or electronic law library and computer databases.
•    Organizes and routes work using a document management system and follows 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 timely fashion.
•    Maintains, updates and generates weekly and monthly reports.

Qualifications

Judicial Secretary I: Equivalent to graduation from high school and two years of general secretarial or legal processing experience. Or One year as an Appellate Court Records Assistant or two years as an Office Assistant II in the judicial branch.

Judicial Secretary II: Equivalent to graduation from high school and three years of legal secretarial experience. Or Two years as a Judicial Secretary I in the judicial branch.

Directly related college-level course work may be substituted for required experience on a year-for-year basis

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

Other Information

Please note, if you are selected for hire, verification of employment authorization to work in the United States will be required.

How To Apply

For earliest consideration, please apply by July 17, 2026, with completed online application, cover letter, and resume. The position will remain open until filled.

To complete the online application, please click the Apply for Job button.

The Judicial Council 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.

Pay and Benefits

Judicial Secretary I: $4,760 - $5,787 per month
Judicial Secretary II: $5,239 - $6,365 per month
Judicial Assistant: $6,350 - $7,718 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.

Some 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

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Judicial Council of California Is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Supplemental Questions

To better assess the qualifications of each applicant, we will review your responses to the following questions. Your answers should not exceed a total of two pages.

1.    Describe the method(s) you use for tracking tasks, appointments, and deadlines, using examples to demonstrate how it helps you meet deadlines.
2.    Describe a particularly complex or unusual task that you have previously encountered and how you resolved it.
3.    Describe your experience with the California Style Manual, The Bluebook, or other style manuals as they applied to your previous work or education.