8 Core Duties of a Court Officer

If you are trying to apply for a civil service job in NYC, a court officer is a good career choice with many benefits and a fast growth track.

Similar to police officers, court officers are required to maintain security and order within a courtroom. It’s a dangerous job that requires dedication, strength, and sharp cognitive skills. However, it comes with many benefits, perks, and an opportunity to serve the community.

If you’re planning to attempt an NYS court officer test, this blog will guide you through the role and duties you’ll be expected to perform.

The Role of a Court Officer

A court officer, also known as a bailiff, plays the role of a criminal justice professional who provides law enforcement and security services to court facilities all over New York State. Their job is to examine the courtroom proceedings and ensure that everything is in order during each hearing.

Courtroom proceedings mainly involve dealing with criminals and dangerous people, which requires a high level of safety that court officers provide. As police officers, the court officers are dressed in uniforms or suits and fully armed. They keep an eye on the prisoners or convicts to keep the people present in the court safe.

Being a court officer is a noble way to play your part in the betterment of the community. Here are some of its core duties:

1. Inspecting the Court Premises

Court officers inspect the premises before, after, and during all proceedings to ensure it is free from contraband, hazards, or any weapon. Anything can happen in a place that sees criminals regularly, and therefore a court officer has to be extra careful to maintain safety.

2. Escorting Prisoners

Prisoners can be the most dangerous individuals who require close surveillance. An armed court officer is responsible for escorting a prisoner from their holding room to the courtroom and back to the prison.

3. Escorting Jury Members

Similarly, they’re also responsible for escorting jury members to and from the courtroom. Jury members or witnesses are at high risk because of their significant role in determining the final verdict. Therefore, court officers are appointed to keep them safe.

4. Intervening in the Event of Violent Behavior or Disruptions

If you’ve watched crime TV shows or movies, you know how things can go down in a courtroom. A courtroom must regularly see the most violent people, which poses a high risk for the other attendants and the general public. Court officers are hired to keep things under control and be ready to offer prompt intervention during disruption or violence.

5. Ensuring the Safety of All Parties

Each court proceeding involves the general public, attorneys, judges, witnesses, defendants, and many other parties who require safety. A court officer is supposed to keep everyone safe and stay with the prisoner at all times.

6. Make Arrests

The judge or magistrate can give a bench warrant order to a court officer when a person doesn’t appear at court. The court officers are responsible for executing this warrant by making arrests. So, if an individual fails to appear for the court hearing for their criminal charges, a court officer has the power to arrest them and bring them to court.

Court officers can also apprehend and arrest individuals breaking the laws or acting violently.

7. Other Courtroom Duties

An NYS Court officer is not only responsible for maintaining safety in a courtroom. They also swear in witnesses, proceed according to the judge’s orders, collect and distribute evidence and other documents during the trial.

8. Secondary Duties

Court officers also have duties outside the courtroom. They can be ordered to be a part of various vital functions such as:

• Assisting case investigations when required
• Making client referrals to social services
• Offering educational programs if needed
• Checking up on the defendant’s attorneys or clients and ensuring area restrictions and curfews

Skills Needed to Perform These Duties

A court officer’s role is demanding and requires a unique skill set and expertise. Here are the skills you need to execute the duties effectively:

• Ability and qualification to use a court-issued weapon
• Familiar with legal terminologies and courtroom protocols
• Adept at quickly interpreting and intervening during disruptive situations
• Ability to handle outbursts and violent behavior
• Physical fitness
• Presence of mind and problem-solving skills
• Practical communication skills to interact with all kinds of people

 

If you think you can perform these duties and have the required skills, you should consider a career in this field. However, this job requires you to take an NYS Court Officer Exam in NYC that determines your chances of employment.

NYS Court Officer Exam

Being the only school to prepare candidates for the NYS Court Officer and NYS Court Officer trainee exam, we have ample information. The exam comprises multiple-choice questions; its duration is 3 hours and 15 minutes. These questions cover five different areas to check your aptitude level. Those five areas are:

• Ability to understand and interpret
• Remembering facts and information
• Applying information to a situation
• Court record-keeping
• Clerical checking

In addition, you have to face tough competition as thousands of people are applying for this job. However, with excellent preparation and guidance from our school, you can easily ace the exam.

 

About Civil Service Success

We successfully prepare candidates for various civil service jobs, including NYS Court officer, Suffolk County Police, NYC Firefighting department, and NYC Sanitation workers. Our experienced and certified trainers will guide you through each step of the court officer exam process and teach you the required course.

 

You can explore  our website for more information and get registered.