Choosing a career path can be extremely intimidating
to a young person. In this Career Exploration series, I interview many
different fields of study to help students explore the possibilities as they
pursue a career path.
Meet Dana Hogg, District Clerk of Hardin County,
Texas.
Why did you choose this career path?
I chose to become a Certified Legal Assistant (aka
Certified Paralegal). After 30 years of being a CLA, I felt called to run for
District Clerk of the county where I live.
I wanted to help people and running for public office seemed the perfect
solution.
What kind of education, training, or
background does your job require?
I attended college and then studied to take the
certification exam given by the National Association of Legal Assistants. District Clerks must complete 20 hours if CLE
each year to keep their office. I also
renew my CLA certification by completing 50 CLE hours over a 5-year period.
What skills, abilities, and personal
attributes are essential to success in this field?
Some of the skills that are essential for success in
this career include strong knowledge of legal terminology, office etiquette,
working knowledge of computer software such as Word, Excel, Adobe Professional
and like software. Patience with people and
the ability to manage an office staff are helpful attributes.
What does a typical work day look like for
you?
I start each day by checking email. I check voicemails
and return calls. I usually have several email requests for records that are
kept in my office. Court hearings
usually begin at 9 am. The electronic
filing system must be checked for new document fillings before the hearings
begin. I take the files that are on the
docket for that particular day into the courtroom. I give the file to the Judge as he calls each
case. After hearing the case, Judge will
return the file to me with any orders he may have signed. I file-stamp the signed orders. A copy of
those orders will be returned to the parties in the case by electronic
filing. The documents are scanned,
indexed and filed into the case file.
Other duties include fulfilling requests for certified copies. A certified copy is a true and exact copy of
the document in my file. I am the keeper
of all district court records. Some
records are sealed and are not available to the public. I report each month to
the State with the number of new cases, types of cases and the resolution of
cases that have been filed. The types of cases filed in district court include
civil and criminal. Other duties include summoning petit and grand juries.
You see, the District Clerk is a constitutional
position, elected every four years to serve as the custodian of all court
pleadings and papers that are a part of any cause of action in the district and
county court at law courts in various jurisdictions. The District Clerk also
serves in the following capacities: Registrar (docketing, indexing and
recording all documents part of felony criminal, family, juvenile, delinquent
tax and civil court cases), Record Manager (manages records to be easily
retrieved for public and court access, preserve records for permanent storage
in archives and dispose of records according to the Texas Library of Archives
Records Retention schedule), Court Collections (responsible for collecting and
distributing court costs and fines), Financial Officer (prepares court cost in
accordance to legislation every two years), Data Manager (responsible for
gathering data and reporting to several state and local agencies), and Juror
Administrator (maintains the jury wheel annually from the Secretary of State
and summons all jurors for the county).
What do you like most about your
work?
What I like the most about my job is that I am able to
assist people as they go through some difficult challenges in life.
What do you like least about your work?
The thing I like the least is dealing with the hiring
and firing of personnel.
What advice would you give someone who is
considering a career in your field?
Attend college and do your best to keep your grades
up. If you are interested in a political
career, I would recommend taking classes that help you learn to speak in front
of large crowds. I will admit that this
is not my strong point!
Happy Homeschooling!
