The small claims sections should be supervised by an assistant clerk-magistrate or small claims supervisor and should be staffed by specially designated clerical personnel where possible.
Commentary
Where numbers of personnel permit, one assistant clerk-magistrate should be given administrative responsibility for the operation of the small claims section. If numbers do not permit, one clerical employee of appropriate title and experience should be designated as the small claims supervisor. The small claims assistant clerk-magistrate or small claims supervisor should supervise any clerical personnel involved in small claims matters and oversee the general processing of small claims cases. Other court personnel should direct all inquiries and complaints regarding small claims to the small claims assistant clerk-magistrate or the small claims supervisor.
The small claims assistant clerk-magistrate or the small claims supervisor, if qualified, should routinely act as courtroom clerk for the small claims session. This person should be responsible for reviewing the list of scheduled cases, calling the small claims list in the courtroom, and otherwise assisting the clerk-magistrate, assistant clerk-magistrate, or judge assigned to adjudicate small claims cases.
In those courts with available funds and sufficient small claims business, one or more clerical employees should be designated to work primarily with small claims. These employees should be afforded whatever small claims training is available and should be regularly apprised of changes in small claims procedures and practices. In those courts with insufficient small claims business to justify a clerical employee assigned solely to small claims, the responsibility for dealing with telephone or in-person inquiries about small claims should be designated to a specific employee whenever possible. This arrangement will provide continuity of contact for litigants and will also allow the designated employee to develop expertise in small claims.
All courts should have back-up clerical employees who are trained in small claims practices and are capable of assuming responsibility for the processing of small claims should the "primary" small claims employee be on vacation, out sick, or otherwise unavailable. To avoid any problems that may arise in the handling of money, court personnel should not accept any payments from small claims debtors for transmittal to creditors unless a judge or a clerk-magistrate or an assistant clerk-magistrate has issued an order stating that payment must be made through the court. Uniform Small Claims Rule 7(g).