Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Complete Court Monitor and Court Clerk Training In Two Semesters

With multiple cases being called, lawyers going in and out of the courtroom, defendants wanting to ensure their voices are heard, and more, the courtroom can be a hectic place. Ensuring that despite the activity, court proceedings move forward as scheduled are those who have received municipal court training and work with The Ministry of the Attorney General (Ontario Court of Justice, Ontario Superior Court of Justice), municipal courts, tribunals and boards, official examiners, and court reporting services.

More specifically, those with municipal court training serve as either court monitors or court clerks. Each role comes with its own distinct set of responsibilities. For example, a court monitor asks speakers to clarify inaudible statements; provides transcripts of proceedings upon request of judges, lawyers, or the public; records verbatim proceedings of courts, legislative assemblies, committee meetings, and other proceedings, using computerized recording equipment, electronic stenograph machines, or stenomasks; transcribes recorded proceedings in accordance with established formats; and responds to requests during court sessions to read portions of the proceedings already recorded. On the other hand, a court clerk: prepares dockets or calendars of cases to be called; records case dispositions, court orders, and arrangements made for payment of court fees; prepares documents recording the outcomes of court proceedings; instructs parties about timing of court appearances; explains procedures or forms to parties in cases or to the general public; swears in jury members, interpreters, witnesses and defendants; and more.

Centennial College in Toronto, Ont. offers court monitor and court clerk training through its Court Support Services program. Designed to be completed in two semesters, this program has been approved by the Ministry of the Attorney General. And the School has maintained its relationship with the ministry as Ali Maqbool, Supervisor, Court Operations, Family & Small Claims Court, Ministry of the Attorney General demonstrates with his thoughts: “We look forward to the opportunity of working with the graduates of the Centennial College Court Support Services program.”

But just how does this court monitor and court clerk training prepare students? First and foremost, students learn in small-sized classes that ensure individual attention from instructors as they work their way through courses such as: Ethics and Professional Conduct, Current Issues in Canadian Law, Introduction to Word Processing, Court Monitor, Word Processing Applications, Court Clerk – Family, Court Clerk Criminal – OCJ and more. Secondly, the court monitor and court clerk training allows students access to newly upgraded computer labs, where they complete practical, career-oriented assignments. These aspects combined with trips to the various courtrooms and tribunals in order for them to see first-hand exactly how their career roles work is great preparation — as is the use of an on-campus simulated courtroom. Lastly, students partake in two practicum experiences that allow them to apply what they have learned in class and gain true real world experience

Municipal court training in Toronto applicants are required to have completed at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. Academic requirements include compulsory English 12 or U, or skills assessment, or equivalent.

Jason wrote this article about Centennial College’s two-semester Court Support Service program, which includes both court monitor and court clerk training.

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