In most jurisdictions, the docket sheet is used to keep track of everything that happens in a court case. Each court, on average, has a person in charge of entering information on the docket sheet for each case. The docket clerk, as he or she is known, is responsible for a variety of clerical duties in the court office, the most important of which is to keep track of the docket sheets in each case file and, if necessary, on the court’s computer system.
The employees who work in a court office may differ slightly depending on the jurisdiction; however, most court offices have a few key employees. A bailiff, whose job it is to maintain order in the court, a court reporter, who records the proceedings, and a docket clerk, who keeps track of the court files are all present in most courts. The docket clerk may also perform other secretarial duties, depending on the size of the court, or may focus solely on file maintenance.
A physical file must be created when a court case is opened to keep track of all filings in the case. An electronic file is also created on the court’s computer system in many cases. A docket sheet will be one of the first documents added to the file. The docket sheet is simply a piece of paper that allows a record of everything that occurs in the case, as well as the date it occurred, to be kept.
When a pleading is filed in a court case, it is usually submitted to the docket clerk by the initiating party. The document will then be file-stamped with the date and time it was filed by the docket clerk. Depending on the type of filed pleading, the original document may be placed directly in the file or sent to the judge for review. It’s possible that the filing will need to be entered into the court’s computerized record system.
A docket sheet may also include a summary of court proceedings in addition to keeping track of documents filed in a case. For example, if a preliminary hearing or pre-trial hearing is held, the docket sheet will include a basic summary of the proceedings. When a case is in front of the court, the docket clerk is in charge of entering a summary of the proceedings. When the case is finished, the docket clerk is in charge of closing the file properly.