Trainee court registrars

Trainee court registrars work in the Magistrates' and Children's Courts of Victoria. Trainees complete an internal training program called the
Trainee Court Registrar Program to learn how to manage court processes.
If performance standards are met, trainees have the opportunity to become a deputy court registrar.

Watch the A day in the life of a trainee court registrar webinar recorded during Law Week 2021. The webinar covers the duties that trainees perform, what MCV recruiters look for in applicants, and the recruitment process.

About the role

As a trainee court registrar (TCR) you will be part of a workforce who facilitate the provision of justice to Victorian communities. You will provide quality administrative and customer service support to the judiciary of the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria and to court users.

TCRs complete an 18-month internal training program to develop their skills and experience across a variety of court processes. Once the training program is complete, TCRs can apply to become a deputy registrar which may then lead to a wide variety of roles throughout the
Magistrates’ Court of Victoria and other jurisdictions.

The main duty of a TCR is bench clerking in a courtroom, either in a physical courtroom or online, dealing with a wide variety of cases. This involves:

• supporting the magistrate or judicial registrar in the courtroom
• making announcements and swearing in witnesses
• operating a range of complex technology, including facilitating the audio recording of cases and using various case management systems and videoconferencing platforms
• liaising with stakeholders such as police officers, legal representatives and other court users
• coordinating the movement of parties within a courtroom environment.

When not performing duties in the courtroom, TCRs will assist with various duties in the registry including:

• assisting a range of stakeholders with their enquiries via telephone, email or at the counter
• providing procedural advice to court users
• performing a range of other administrative tasks as required.

About you

You have:

• a confident and professional demeanour and enjoy public speaking
• great time management, organisational skills and you work well under pressure
• excellent interpersonal skills and enjoy working as part of a team.

Refer to the position description and frequently asked questions for more information.

Application process

1. Please visit careers.vic.gov.au to apply.
   When applying, you will be asked to answer the following:
   • what attracted you to apply for the TCR position, and why do you believe you would be suitable for this type of role
   • to detail your knowledge of the TCR position.
     
     You will need to submit the following documents as part of your application:
     • cover letter
     • resume.
2. Applicants will complete several recruitment steps:
   • psychometric testing (approximately 45 minutes)
   • telephone interview
   • panel interview
   • reference checks
   • criminal history check. 
3. If all recruitment steps are successfully completed, successful applicants are placed on a waiting list until a position arises at their preferred court location.

Please note: Employees of Court Services Victoria are required to comply with any applicable government pandemic order, as well as any policy implemented by Court Services Victoria, in relation to mandatory vaccinations against COVID-19. It is a condition of any offer of employment that applicants for vacant roles with Court Services Victoria agree to comply with any applicable pandemic order or policy regarding mandatory vaccinations.

For more information see the frequently asked questions above or email: courtregistrar@courts.vic.gov.au.