Under general supervision, examine a wide variety of legal documents and determine their recordability according to statutory requirements; receive and process applications for passports, marriage licenses, and fictitious business names; compute, receive and account for fees and taxes and perform other duties as required.
Positions in this class are located in the County Clerk’s Office and the Recorder's Office and independently perform a wide variety of responsible, complex clerical duties related to the processing of legal documents and records, such as applications for passports, marriage licenses, fictitious business names; and examine a wide variety of legal documents to determine their acceptability for public recordation. Incumbents are expected to exercise judgment and independence in applying complex legal codes, policies and procedures while performing the full range of assigned duties.
Accept and examine over 250 different legal documents to determine their recordability according to the codes and statutes relative to each document; review documents for necessary signatures, completeness, acceptability of Santa Cruz County as the legal place of recordation and legally prescribed time limits; cite State and County laws, rules and regulations as the basis for accepting or rejecting documents; research various legal codes and rules; detect and reject fraudulent documents presented for recordation, make efforts to prevent illegal use of vital statistic records by the public and coordinate with law enforcement agencies regarding the presentation of fraudulent documents for recordation; accept documents for recording, compute, receive and account for fees or taxes; issue receipts; operate personal computer with dedicated printer; answer questions from title companies, lending institutions, attorneys, and the general public regarding recording laws, regulations and procedures; assist the public searching for recorded deeds, deeds of trust, and other recorded documents; provide instruction on how to use indexes to locate documents; order copies of legal documents; prepare and type correspondence; enter Marriage, Birth, Death, Map Indexes and Fee Book information into computerized processing system; key and verify vital statistics; determine priorities and organize workload; assist with the selection and training of staff; review and process applications for passports, fictitious business names, abandonment of and dissolution of fictitious business names, marriage licenses, confidential marriage licenses; accept and file notary public appointments; register notary bonds; administer oaths of office; maintain copies of Grand Jury Reports; receive applications for process server, maintain records of expiration dates; maintain roster of public agencies; assist the public at the counter and on the telephone; explain requirements of various processes; provide certified copies of documents on file; prepare and revise forms and informational material to reflect changes in procedures or legal requirements; prepare statistical reports and summaries; may provide vacation and other temporary relief.
Knowledge of:
Working knowledge of:
Some knowledge of:
Ability to:
Education and Experience: Any combination of education and experience that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying, unless otherwise specified. A typical way to obtain these would be:
Two years of responsible clerical experience processing legal documents.
Special Requirements, Conditions: Special Working Conditions: Exposure to individuals who may be hostile and abusive; contact with a diverse population.
PREVIOUS CLASS TITLES: Special Services Clerk, Recording Clerk
Bargaining Unit: 41
EEOC Job Category: 06
Occupational Grouping: 02
Workers' Comp Code: 0053
Revised Date(s): 6/91, 6/93, 10/97, 07/10