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Legal Secretary

South Dakota State Government

Pierre, SD

Posted/Updated: Today

Job Description
Job ID: 36656
Agency: Unified Judicial System, South Dakota Supreme Court
Location: Pierre, SD
Salary: $24.30 per hour
Closing date: July 22, 2026

For more information on the Unified Judicial System, please visit http://ujs.sd.gov .

The Unified Judicial System (UJS) is dedicated to providing a fair, impartial, and accessible court system that upholds the rule of law and is worthy of the public's trust and confidence. Our vision is justice for all.

Our employees are our most valuable resource and crucial to accomplishing our mission. We seek talented and motivated individuals to be the face of the court system and help ensure that the Court and all the people that come before it receives the highest level of service. Our dedicated staff work to enhance community safety and ensure victims' rights while treating all individuals with dignity and respect.

Position Purpose:
This is a temporary, part-time (20 hours per week; 4 hours per day), non-benefited position.

This position provides administrative assistance to the Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, Supreme Court law clerks, and Supreme Court staff attorneys by ensuring their written work is correctly formatted and distributed, that they are notified of required timelines, and by managing daily office procedures to facilitate the efficient flow of work. Duties may include:
  • Proofreading memos, legal opinions, and special writings submitted by the Chief Justice, Associate Justices, Supreme Court law clerks, and Supreme Court staff attorneys and facilitating the process of moving an opinion through each stage of drafting to final publication.
  • Providing administrative support to facilitate the appeals process for the Chief Justice and Associate Justices.
  • Providing general administrative support to the Chief Justice and Associate Justices.
  • Performing highly responsible secretarial work involving sensitive and complex work methods to support the procedures of the Supreme Court.
  • Performing other work as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:
Graduation from high school or possession of a GED certificate. Three years of legal secretarial work experience or an equivalent combination of related education and experience.

Successful completion of a criminal background investigation is required for employment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

  • legal terminology;
  • procedures and practices of the Supreme Court;
  • English, grammar, and punctuation;
  • alphabetical and numerical sequences as they relate to sorting and filing.

Skill in:

  • typing or keyboarding at a highly proficient level;
  • proofreading;
  • time management;
  • prioritizing and organizing tasks.


Ability to:

  • learn and proficiently use office machines;
  • prioritize time and make sure assigned work is accomplished in the order that is most effective for the Supreme Court;
  • adjust to ever-changing processes of computer and communication systems;
  • maintain confidentiality;
  • communicate effectively both orally and in writing with a wide variety of people.

The State of South Dakota, Unified Judicial System does not sponsor work visas for new or existing employees. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete an Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9. The Unified Judicial System as an employer will be using E-Verify to complete employment eligibility verification upon hire.

Apply at: https://gen-stateofsouthdako-trn.inforcloudsuite.com/hcm/xmlhttp/shorturl.do?key=4CZ
Unified Judicial System
500 East Capitol Avenue
Pierre, SD 57501-5070
Phone: 605.773.4884
"An Equal Opportunity Employer"

#LI-Onsite
South Dakota State Government
500 East Capitol Avenue
Pierre, SD 57501