Court Administrator

According to the National Association for Court Management (NACM), the increasing complexity of American life and the scope of litigation in the United States have created an administrative burden on the courts that cannot be handled by judges and traditional court staff alone. 

The Court Administrator, a relatively new position, fills this gap by handling the managerial duties and administrative functions within the court system.

This includes paying court employees, balancing the budget of the court system, and making sure that all of the proceedings run smoothly.

In addition, a court administrator will make sure that each of the courtroom employees is performing their duties correctly and efficiently.

A court administrator will work to organize the records and manage the flow of cases so that court activities and trials do not get behind schedule.

Responsibilities

Most of these positions require an individual to be in charge of all of the human resources operations of a court building.

Some of these duties include hiring and training all new employees, settling disputes between employees, and assessing the performances of employees.

In addition, the court administrator will work with judges and executives to create professional development strategies in order to create new procedures and policies to maximize the efficiency of the court building.

court administrator

Court Careers

It is common for one court administrator to be in charge of the entire HR department and have all of the bookkeeping responsibilities in a smaller, local court.

In larger court systems an administrator will work with an executive or judge and there will be several professionals that work together on the budget and efficiency issues of the court.

Education

A court administrator will be required to have at least an undergraduate degree.

Many of these professionals have a graduate or other professional degree as well.

Recommended majors for those interested in the court administrative field include public administration, business, or judicial administration or a field that is related to these.

In some states, a person will be required to become certified in order to act as a court administrator.

The requirements for certification will vary based on the state.

Experience and Key Skills

The amount of experience required to become a court administrator will vary based on the state and the size of the court building.

There are some states that will require a person to have experience in judicial administration or court management before they are eligible to become certified as a court administrator.

A person who is interested in court administration will need to have clerical skills.

In addition, a person needs to have management and administration skills.

Court administrators must have great personal service skills as they are required to handle any employee disputes that may arise.

Business management students are often qualified for these positions as they will learn the skills needed during their courses of study.

Computer skills are also required for this position.

This includes being familiar with the systems that are used by the court such as docket systems and electronic case flow systems.

Salary Information by State

State Employed Avg. Annual Salary Avg. Hourly Pay Top 10% Annual Salary Bottom 10% Annual Salary
Alabama2,090$35,880$17.25$48,520$24,440
Alaska520$50,320$24.19$68,830$33,280
Arizona2,660$46,120$22.17$63,030$32,310
Arkansas1,940$34,640$16.66$46,620$25,010
California12,620$56,670$27.25$73,800$40,650
Colorado6,050$48,790$23.46$63,130$34,740
Connecticut1,270$55,280$26.58$73,170$44,850
Delaware920$38,120$18.33$46,540$30,270
Florida10,800$42,660$20.51$58,420$31,780
Georgia4,430$38,700$18.61$51,510$28,730
Hawaii510$51,760$24.88$65,810$40,100
Idaho1,250$42,360$20.37$59,820$30,780
Illinois5,260$50,120$24.09$80,580$30,300
Indiana2,140$40,240$19.34$58,060$28,550
Iowa1,880$44,810$21.54$59,220$32,900
Kansas1,250$39,780$19.13$51,750$30,790
Kentucky2,760$35,190$16.92$44,410$28,290
Louisiana2,570$39,900$19.18$57,630$25,230
Maine1,150$43,640$20.98$53,440$35,930
Maryland2,490$50,820$24.43$61,090$38,670
Massachusetts2,190$56,670$27.24$78,830$37,550
Michigan6,280$44,160$21.23$58,270$29,260
Minnesota6,390$52,400$25.19$65,920$39,420
Mississippi2,830$36,190$17.40$50,950$24,150
Missouri4,440$38,160$18.35$59,080$28,810
Montana1,160$38,570$18.54$49,300$29,150
Nebraska1,010$47,170$22.68$63,420$30,260
Nevada1,390$49,970$24.03$65,230$35,190
New Hampshire500$44,210$21.25$61,910$30,900
New Jersey6,190$54,120$26.02$74,190$38,370
New Mexico770$42,710$20.54$52,770$33,430
New York10,060$60,080$28.89$97,180$37,610
North Carolina4,030$40,450$19.45$50,460$30,830
North Dakota540$51,090$24.56$71,720$36,570
Ohio9,860$43,230$20.79$61,400$29,110
Oklahoma3,030$38,500$18.51$52,000$23,190
Oregon1,140$51,290$24.66$62,280$40,250
Pennsylvania1,960$46,440$22.33$68,580$29,330
Rhode Island780$54,090$26.00$67,180$43,740
South Carolina1,620$41,430$19.92$58,670$29,600
South Dakota780$39,160$18.83$51,360$29,530
Tennessee2,490$40,160$19.31$50,290$27,920
Texas15,090$41,280$19.85$50,320$29,990
Utah1,240$43,560$20.94$62,530$30,660
Vermont910$47,680$22.92$61,940$35,340
Virginia2,740$40,600$19.52$52,980$29,280
Washington2,990$57,960$27.86$73,460$42,410
West Virginia1,070$38,300$18.41$50,240$27,830
Wisconsin1,070$49,420$23.76$63,310$33,240
Wyoming620$43,980$21.15$63,380$31,200

Annual Average Salary: Top 10 States

The top earning state in the field is New York, where the average salary is $60,080.

These are the top 10 earning states in the field:

  • New York - $60,080
  • Washington - $57,960
  • Massachusetts - $56,670
  • California - $56,670
  • Connecticut - $55,280
  • New Jersey - $54,120
  • Rhode Island - $54,090
  • Minnesota - $52,400
  • Hawaii - $51,760
  • Oregon - $51,290
* Salary information based on the May 2022 Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks, OCC Code 43-4031, BLS.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.

Becoming a Court Administrator

The first step in becoming a court administrator is obtaining an undergraduate degree in an appropriate field of study such as judicial administration, business management, or public administration.

There are some states that require an individual to have graduate degrees in these fields in order to apply for this position.

The next step is to gain experience by working in jobs that are related to judicial or public administration.

Court internships are a great way to get training and experience and some courts offer administrator certificate programs that will count towards the experience requirements.

Consider certification programs that are offered by the state.

These programs will help provide an individual with a competitive edge when it comes to applying for a position.

Michael Morales

About Michael Morales

Michael Morales is the Webmaster and Editor in Chief for Legalcareerpaths.com. With a strong background in Web Publishing and Internet Marketing, he currently works as an independent consultant. A former paramedic and ems educator, he enjoys punishing himself doing triathlons and endurance sports. Michael currently lives in sunny Northern California, home of the highest tax rates in the world.

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