Administrative officer (courts)
Organise information and paperwork for law courts and tribunals to make sure the Scottish justice system runs efficiently.
About the job
What it's like
You would do administrative work to make sure the Scottish law courts and tribunals provide an efficient and effective service.
You could be based in a court or another office.
You’d handle important legal documents like writs, summonses, divorce papers and records of fines.
You would:
Answer enquiries from the public at a counter, on the phones and by letter
Sort out mail and get important legal documents to the right people
Create and update records on the computer system
Produce court documents
Carefully organise case papers and prepare files for court hearings
Prepare court minutes, issue letters, order reports and file processes or complaints
Do photocopying and filing
Assist with the custody co-ordinator desk
Process search warrants and production warrants
Deal with money and maintain financial records
Move files and documents between offices and courtrooms
Help to prepare statistics and reports
You would have contact with a wide variety of people in the justice system including Sheriffs, Justices and lawyers. You’d need to be confident dealing with people and give consistent and reliable answers to their queries.
You need to able to deal with people in what could be a difficult situation for them. They might be anxious and worried about being in court so it would be important to be calm and tactful in dealing with them.
With experience you might also supervise colleagues.
Hours
Flexible working arrangements would be available.
Environment
This role can be court-based or non-court-based.
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Top specialised skills
These are the top specialised skills that have been found in job vacancies across Scotland. From March 2024 to March 2025.
- legal document revision
- legal writs
- legal correspondence
- finance
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- reliable
- time management
- developing a plan
- sorting
- attention to detail
- respecting
- observation
- verbal communication
- reading
- cooperating
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Administration and Information Technology
English
English and Communication
People and Society
Foundation Apprenticeship: Business Skills
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
You will require qualifications at SCQF level 4/5 including English and often maths.
You would be employed by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service. It will give you specialised training so you are equipped to do the job and help you develop new skills.
Though you can apply with SCQF level 4/5 qualifications it is useful to have Highers (SCQF level 6) and relevant qualifications and experience such as a Scottish Vocational Qualification in Business and Administration (SVQ level 2/3/4) or Courts and Tribunal Operations (SVQ level 2/3).
To be approved for membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme run by Disclosure Scotland for some jobs.
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