Perform clerical duties in court of law; prepare docket of cases to be called; secure information for judges; and contact witnesses, attorneys, and litigants to obtain information for court.
U.S. Workers
170,010
Median Salary
$47,700
10-Year Growth
+3.0%
Annual Openings
18,500
Typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
23 of 23 tasks have some AI capability
Exposure Trend
This score reflects estimated AI technical capability for tasks in this occupation. It does not predict employment changes, and it does not account for company-specific constraints, regulation, or adoption barriers.
Prepare dockets or calendars of cases to be called, using typewriters or computers.
AI: Fully automatable - Compiling dockets and calendars from case-management data is routine scheduling work that AI can fully automate and update in real time.
Collect court fees or fines and record amounts collected.
AI: Fully automatable - Collecting and recording fees or fines is routinely automated with secure payment and recordkeeping systems, so AI can fully perform this transactional and bookkeeping function within integrated platforms.
Answer inquiries from the general public regarding judicial procedures, court appearances, trial dates, adjournments, outstanding warrants, summonses, subpoenas, witness fees, or payment of fines.
AI: Fully automatable - Integrated AI chatbots and portals can fully handle routine public inquiries and provide authenticated status updates and procedural guidance, with escalation for complex or legal-advice cases.
Instruct parties about timing of court appearances.
AI: Fully automatable - Providing timing and scheduling instructions for court appearances is a deterministic, data-driven task that AI can fully automate and deliver to parties reliably.
Explain procedures or forms to parties in cases or to the general public.
AI: Fully automatable - AI can accurately explain procedures and forms and generate jurisdiction‑specific guidance and resources when connected to up‑to‑date court information, so it can fully perform this informational role.
Prepare staff schedules.
AI: Fully automatable - By 2025 AI/scheduling software can fully generate optimized staff schedules, respect constraints, and integrate with calendars and shift systems with minimal human intervention.
Record court proceedings, using recording equipment, or record minutes of court proceedings, using stenotype machines or shorthand.
AI: Partial - Automated transcription systems can capture proceedings but currently lack the consistent accuracy, realtime reliability, and legal certification required for official stenographic records, so AI can only partially perform this task.
Follow procedures to secure courtrooms or exhibits, such as money, drugs, or weapons.
AI: Partial - Physical security tasks and chain‑of‑custody handling (money, drugs, weapons) require human physical intervention and legal accountability, while AI can only support via monitoring, checklists, and alerts.
Read charges and related information to the court and, if necessary, record defendants' pleas.
AI: Partial - AI can read scripted charges and record pleas via speech‑to‑text, but legal and procedural requirements typically require a human clerk to administer, verify, and certify defendants' pleas.
Prepare and issue orders of the court, such as probation orders, release documentation, sentencing information, or summonses.
AI: Partial - AI can draft and populate court-order templates accurately but cannot legally issue or authenticate official judicial orders without human/authorized signatory oversight.
Record case dispositions, court orders, or arrangements made for payment of court fees.
AI: Partial - AI can record dispositions and payment arrangements into systems automatically, but official recording often requires human verification and handling of edge cases.
Prepare documents recording the outcomes of court proceedings.
AI: Partial - AI can generate documents summarizing court outcomes, yet finalization, legal validation, and official filing typically need human review or authorization.
Examine legal documents submitted to courts for adherence to laws or court procedures.
AI: Partial - AI can check documents for procedural and formal compliance and flag issues, but nuanced legal interpretation and final admissibility judgments still require human legal expertise.
Swear in jury members, interpreters, witnesses, or defendants.
AI: Partial - Administering oaths is a formal legal act normally performed by a person with authority; AI can provide the oath text and record responses but cannot generally assume the legal authority to swear individuals in.
Conduct roll calls and poll jurors.
AI: Partial - AI and digital systems can automate roll calls and juror polling workflows, but in‑court verification, handling exceptions, and legal oversight typically require human supervision, so only partial automation is realistic.
Perform administrative tasks, such as answering telephone calls, filing court documents, or maintaining office supplies or equipment.
AI: Partial - Many administrative tasks (call routing, e‑filing, inventory alerts) are automatable, but physical tasks and exceptions still need human intervention.
Prepare and mark applicable court exhibits or evidence.
AI: Partial - AI can prepare labels, documentation, and tracking records for exhibits, but the physical marking, handling, and custody transfer of evidence require human action and legal chain‑of‑custody control.
Search files and contact witnesses, attorneys, or litigants to obtain information for the court.
AI: Partial - AI can search files and automate outreach (emails/messages/scheduling), but contacting witnesses and handling sensitive, authenticated communications require human oversight and discretion.
Amend indictments when necessary and endorse indictments with pertinent information.
AI: Partial - AI can draft and propose amendments and populate endorsement information, but formally amending indictments requires legal judgment and official authorization by humans, so AI can only partially perform this role.
Meet with judges, lawyers, parole officers, police, or social agency officials to coordinate the functions of the court.
AI: Partial - AI can schedule, prepare agendas, and summarize coordination items, but substantive meetings with judges, lawyers, and agencies involving judgment, negotiation, and confidentiality require human participants and oversight.
Direct support staff in handling of paperwork processed by clerks' offices.
AI: Partial - AI can provide workflow instructions, task assignments, tracking, and quality checks for paperwork but cannot fully replace human supervisory judgment and hands‑on coordination.
Prepare courtrooms with paper, pens, water, easels, or electronic equipment and ensure that recording equipment is working.
AI: Partial - AI can generate checklists, remotely test and configure electronic equipment, and schedule staff, but cannot perform the physical placement of supplies or on‑site hardware fixes by itself.
Open courts, calling them to order, and announcing judges.
AI: Partial - AI can produce and play standardized announcements and reminders, but the official act of opening court and announcing judges typically requires an authorized human presence and legal accountability.