A court administrator plans and oversees a courthouse’s administrative operations, facilities, budget and case management procedures. An administrator also might act as a liaison between the court and public or private organizations, as well as the state or federal government. The duties of court administrators vary, depending on the jurisdiction, location, and size of the court in which they are employed. The court administrator typically functions in administrative areas, rather than legal areas, and therefore requires the specialized skills of any professional position with managerial responsibility. Some administrators manage a specific division of a courthouse, such as the trial court, while others manage the entire courthouse. Additionally, court administrators can work for a single courthouse or a group of courthouses in the same area.
Justice of the peace courts and municipal (or city) courts have limited jurisdiction, meaning that their authority is restricted to certain cases. The cases these courts decide may be limited by the subject, the amount of a money involved, or the sentence that can be imposed.