Custody and Support Hearing Officer - Domestic Relations Branch, Family Court

Company Description

A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact.

As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment, comprehensive health care and benefits, and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.

What we offer

• Impact - The work you do here matters to millions. 
• Growth - Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it? 
• Diversity & Inclusion - Find a career in a place where everyone belongs.
• Benefits - We care about your well-being.

Agency Description

The First Judicial District of Pennsylvania (“FJD”) is the Philadelphia County Court System and is composed of two courts: the Court of Common Pleas and the Municipal Court. The mission of the FJD is to adjudicate cases and provide services to the community within our jurisdiction while ensuring fair, timely, and accessible justice to the people of Philadelphia. The FJD is part of the Unified Judicial System reporting into the Pennsylvania Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

In order to apply and be considered for this position, please visit https://fjdcareers.phila.gov/Cyberweb/ to complete an application and upload a resume.

Job Description

Position Summary:

This is an at-will position with assignment under the direction of the Administrative Judge of Family Court, supervising attorney(s), and other administrative superiors. This is highly professional legal work serving in the capacity of a Hearing Officer with the Domestic Relations Branch of Family Court, specifically to hear Child Support and Child Custody matters. The work is performed in a quasi-judicial setting and involves conducting formal conferences and hearings between parties, both married and non-married, some of whom are represented by attorneys. These proceedings are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedures governing custody and support, and other applicable law.

In order to apply and be considered for this position, please visit https://fjdcareers.phila.gov/Cyberweb/ to complete an application and upload a resume.

Essential Functions:

The following duties are normal for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive, other duties may be required and assigned:

• Conduct conferences and hearings involving parties engaged in Child Support and Custody litigation.
• Schedules, hears, evaluates, and prepares formal recommendations for submission to the Court which require receiving documents and hearing testimony by plaintiff, defendant, and witnesses, as well as arguments by counsel; examining said testimony and the evidence submitted; evaluating the information and filing a report with the Court
• Makes recommendations pertaining to entry of support and/or custody orders.
• May join support matter to custody matter to accept agreement of the parties who wish to concurrently resolve support issues where there are open support matters.

Environmental Conditions:

• Standard office conditions. Direct contact with diverse court clientele.

In order to apply and be considered for this position, please visit https://fjdcareers.phila.gov/Cyberweb/ to complete an application and upload a resume.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Thorough knowledge of the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure governing actions for Child Support and Custody.
• Thorough knowledge of statutory and case law relating to Child Custody and Child Support.
• Thorough knowledge of the proper conduct of hearings held in accordance with Pennsylvania laws.
• Thorough knowledge of the preparation of legal documents and court orders.
• Ability to exercise judgment and discretion in applying law to factual situations and support recommendations made by appropriate legal authority.
• Ability to fairly and objectively rule on a multitude of cases that involve highly emotional issues.
• Ability to present ideas effectively, both orally and in writing.

In order to apply and be considered for this position, please visit https://fjdcareers.phila.gov/Cyberweb/ to complete an application and upload a resume.

Qualifications

1. Minimum of five (5) consecutive years as a licensed attorney and ongoing membership in good standing of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the duration of employment as a Custody and Support Hearing Officer.

2. Current and ongoing compliance with Continuing Legal Education (CLE) requirements mandated by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, as well as any and all other continuing educational requirements applicable to the position of Custody and Support Hearing Officer.

3. Minimum of five (5) years of experience with an active law practice including the field of domestic relations law, or as a judicial law clerk to a Family Court Judge or a court employed attorney in the Domestic Relations Branch.

4. After meeting minimum application standards by a panel review, must complete an evaluation and interview process.

5. Successful completion of a criminal background investigation.

6. Ability to perform the essential functions of the position.

7. Covid-19 Vaccination is recommended.

Additional Information

In order to apply and be considered for this position, please visit https://fjdcareers.phila.gov/Cyberweb/ to complete an application and upload a resume.

Salary Range: $83,945 - $93,445

Discover the Perks of Being a City of Philadelphia Employee:

• Transportation: City employees get unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program. Employees can ride on SEPTA buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail for their daily commute and more.
• Parental Benefits: The City offers its employees 4 weeks of paid parental leave.
• We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available
• Pay off your student loans faster - As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Join the ranks of hundreds of employees who have already benefited from this program and achieved student loan forgiveness.
• Unlock Tuition Discounts and Scholarships - The City of Philadelphia has forged partnerships with over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities in the area, ensuring that our employees have access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships. Experience savings of 10% to 40% on your educational expenses, extending not only to City employees but in some cases, spouse and dependents too!

Join the City of Philadelphia team today and seize these incredible benefits designed to enhance your financial well-being and personal growth!

Effective May 22, 2023, vaccinations are no longer required for new employees that work in non-medical, non-emergency or patient facing positions with the City of Philadelphia. As a result, only employees in positions providing services that  are patient-facing medical care (ex: Nurses, doctors, emergency medical personnel), must be fully vaccinated.

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to [email protected].

For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx