Case administrator

Case administrators supervise the progress of criminal and civil cases from the point of opening to closing. They review the case files and case progression to ensure proceedings occur compliant with legislation. They also ensure the proceedings occur promptly and that everything has been concluded before closing cases.

Case administrators typically perform the following duties:

• maintain and process case information;
• manage the progression of civil and criminal cases from opening to final disposition;
• review court documents for conformity with national and local rules; and
• prepare cases for closing by ensuring all necessary court orders are entered, and proceedings are completed accurately and on time.

The following job titles also refer to case administrator:

legal executive
legal case administrator
probation case administrator
legal administation officer
prison case administrator
domestic abuse case administrator

A bachelor’s degree in business, law, criminal justice, political science, English, or a related field is generally required to work as a case administrator.

Case administrators must go through criminal records checks during the hiring process.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Case administrator is a Skill level 3 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to case administrator.

court clerk
court administrative officer
legal assistant
legal administrative assistant
court reporter

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of case administrator. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of case administrator with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

court administrator
court jury coordinator
justice of the peace
prosecutor
supreme court judge

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of case administrator.

• Legal case management: The procedures of a legal case from opening to closing, such as the documentation that needs to be prepared and handled, the people involved in different stages of the case, and the requirements that need to be met before the case can be closed.
• Legal research: The methods and procedures of research in legal matters, such as the regulations, and different approaches to analyses and source gathering, and the knowledge on how to adapt the research methodology to a specific case to obtain the required information.
• Legal terminology: The special terms and phrases used in the field of law.
• Civil process order: The legal procedures and standards that courts follow in civil lawsuits.

These skills are necessary for the role of case administrator.

• Compile legal documents: Compile and collect legal documents from a specific case in order to aid an investigation or for a court hearing, in a manner compliant with legal regulations and ensuring records are properly maintained.
• Comply with legal regulations: Ensure you are properly informed of the legal regulations that govern a specific activity and adhere to its rules, policies and laws.
• Develop documentation in accordance with legal requirements: Create professionally written content describing products, applications, components, functions or services in compliance with legal requirements and internal or external standards.
• Supervise legal case procedures: Supervise the procedures conducted during or after a legal case to ensure that everything occurred compliant with legal regulations, that the case is finished before closing, and to verify whether no mistakes have been made and all necessary steps were undertaken during the progression of the case from start to closing.
• Manage administrative systems: Ensure administrative systems, processes and databases are efficient and well managed and give the sound basis to work together with the administrative officer/staff/professional.
• Observe confidentiality: Observe the set of rules establishing the nondisclosure of information except to another authorised person.
• Write work-related reports: Compose work-related reports that support effective relationship management and a high standard of documentation and record keeping. Write and present results and conclusions in a clear and intelligible way so they are comprehensible to a non-expert audience.
• Ensure proper document management: Guarantee that the tracking and recording standards and rules for document management are followed, such as ensuring that changes are identified, that documents remain readable and that obsoleted documents are not used.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of case administrator. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Law enforcement: The different organisations involved in law enforcement, as well as the laws and regulations in law enforcement procedures.
• Accounting techniques: The techniques of recording and summarising business and financial transactions and analysing, verifying, and reporting the results.
• Correctional procedures: Tthe legal regulations and policies concerning the operations of correctional facilities, and other correctional procedures.
• Court procedures: The regulations which are in place during the investigation of a court case and during a court hearing, and of how these events occur.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of case administrator. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Show responsibility: Accept responsibility and be accountable for professional decisions of yourself or others as part of a job or one’s role.
• Brief court officials: Brief court officials such as judges, barristers, and other representatives on the day’s events, the details of the cases scheduled for that day, attendance, and other matters pertaining court proceedings which are significant.
• Use different communication channels: Make use of various types of communication channels such as verbal, handwritten, digital and telephonic communication with the purpose of constructing and sharing ideas or information.
• Interpret law: Interpret the law during the investigation of a case in order to know the correct procedures in handling the case, the specific status of the case and the parties involved, the possible outcomes, and how to present the best arguments for the most favourable outcome.
• Facilitate official agreement: Facilitate an official agreement between two disputing parties, ensuring that both parties agree on the resolution which has been decided on, as well as writing the necessary documents and ensuring both parties sign it.
• Ensure information security: Ensure that the information gathered during surveillance or investigations remains in the hands of those authorised to receive and use it, and does not fall into enemy or otherwise non-authorised individuals’ hands.
• Document evidence: Document all evidence found on a crime scene, during an investigation, or when presented in a hearing, in a manner compliant with regulations, to ensure that no piece of evidence is left out of the case and that records are maintained.
• Respond to enquiries: Respond to enquiries and requests for information from other organisations and members of the public.
• Record court procedures: Record all the information necessary for proper record maintenance during court hearings, such as the people present, the case, the evidence presented, the sentence made, and other important matters which were brought up during the hearing.
• Manage accounts: Manage the accounts and financial activities of an organisation, supervising that all the documents are correctly maintained, that all the information and calculations are correct, and that proper decisions are being made.
• Maintain operational communications: Maintain communications between different departments of an organisation, between the staff, or during specific operations or missions, to ensure that the operation or mission is successful, or that the organisation functions smoothly.
• Provide legal advice: Provide advice to clients in order to ensure that their actions are compliant with the law, as well as most beneficial for their situation and specific case, such as providing information, documentation, or advice on the course of action for a client should they want to take legal action or legal action is taken against them.

3411 – Legal and related associate professionals

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References

1. Case administrator – ESCO
2. Featured image: Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash