ARTICLE 2.     EMPLOYMENT                                        EFFECTIVE DATE:  05/04/98
RULE 204.        EXAMINATIONS                                     REVISED DATE:

A.    GENERAL: Applicants shall be examined to determine if they possess the acceptable qualifications 
        and skills needed for immediate employment or to appear on an employment register for possible 
        future employment. In no case shall selection of an applicant as a candidate or admittance to the 
        examination process constitute assurance of a passing rating on any aspect of the examination 
        process.

B.    CONTENT AND NATURE OF EXAMINATIONS:

                a.    Oral interview;

                b.    Written examination (including standardized tests);

                c.    Skill test;

                d.    Physical ability;

                e.    Polygraph;

                f.    Review of application and/or required supplemental information;

                g.    Medical exam/evaluation;

                h.    Psychological exam/evaluation;

                i.    Reference and background check, including criminal history.

        2.     In compliance with laws and regulations governing sound examination procedures, examinations 
                shall be  designed to evaluate acceptable qualifications for a classification and/or to determine 
                relative suitability among those qualified.

        3.    Division Heads will determine the minimum rating of standing through which eligibility on a hiring
               register may be earned in consultation with the Court Administrator or Presiding Judge.

        5.    All examinations, evaluations, ratings, and other selection devices or items will be rated impartially.

C.    CONDUCT OF EXAMINATIONS:

        2.    Division Heads may limit admittance to an examination or any portion thereof.

        3.    When an oral board examination is used as part or all of the examination process, the oral board
                examination will be conducted and a rating made by a panel of two (2) or more individuals 
                selected by the Division Head. Any member of an oral examination panel who is a member of 
                the immediate family of a candidate being interviewed, or who has any known conflict of interest 
                with the candidate, shall be disqualified.

D.    INTERNAL EXAMINATIONS: All regular status employees who apply for positions in the 
        Judicial service shall be required to meet the acceptable qualifications and testing standards in effect 
        at the time of application except as otherwise provided by these Rules. Standards may include 
        written documentation from an employee's current division attesting to their satisfactory performance.

        1.    The Court Administrator shall establish procedures and standards relating to the retaking of 
                examinations.

        2.    A written test shall not be retaken by a candidate for period of ninety (90) days from the date of 
                the last examination. In each case of a repeated test, the most recent test score achieved shall 
                be used to determine the eligibility of the candidate.

        3.    The Court Administrator shall establish procedures and take such precautions as necessary to 
               safeguard the security and confidentiality of examination materials.

F.    INSPECTION OF WRITTEN EXAM SCORING SHEETS: Applicants may request to
        inspect written examination scoring sheets, according to such procedures as may be established 
        or required by the Court Administrator. Inspection of score sheets shall be limited to visual inspection 
        and verification of numerical scoring accuracy. No copies of the examination or scoring devices may 
        be made, nor may any written, mechanical or electronic notes be taken. Applicants who have inspected 
        written examination scoring sheets may not retake the involved exam within ninety (90) calendar days 
        of having completed such inspection.

G.    PREFERENCE POINTS: Applicants claiming preference points for those positions allowing credit 
        for same, must supply such reasonable documentation prescribed by the Court Administrator for the 
        purpose of proving eligibility for the claimed preference points.

H.    EXAMINATION RECORDS: The Court Administrator shall be responsible for the maintenance of 
        all records pertaining to applications and examination processes. Applications and other records shall 
        be kept as long as may be required by law. Upon completion of recruitment and selection processes, 
        all records, reports, applications, documents and other records related to such processes shall be 
        forwarded to the Court Administrator, and shall be maintained by the Court Administrator for the 
        period required by law.

        1.    In situations wherein the needs of the division will be best served by so doing, conditional offers 
               of employment may be extended subject to the written qualification that initial and ongoing
                employment are subject to satisfactory results being received from the pre-employment back-
                ground investigation.

        2.    General background, prior employment and reference checks of candidates may be completed to 
               ensure that individuals under consideration for Judicial employment are well qualified and have a 
               strong potential for success after hire. Individuals contacted in the course of such process need 
               not be restricted to former supervisory personnel.

        3.    Candidates shall disclose any criminal convictions, including plea agreements and pleas of nolo 
                contendere. Additional criminal history checks may be conducted after employment has 
                commenced to ensure no conflicts exist between any criminal convictions and the employee's
                assigned duties.

        4.    Criminal background checks may be conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal 
                Bureau of Investigation, Arizona Department of Public Safety or any other agency deemed 
                appropriate by the Presiding Judge. Prospective and current employees shall also be fingerprinted 
                as a condition of employment. Only candidates with the highest degree of moral integrity and 
                personal character will be employed and retained by the Superior Court.

        5.     All pre-employment background investigations shall be completed prior to an applicant 
                commencing work, except in those instances wherein the Presiding Judge has authorized 
                conditional employment pending satisfactory completion of such processing.

J.    MANIFEST ERROR: The Court Administrator, after appropriate review and concurrence of the 
        Presiding Judge, may adjust the status of an applicant, candidate or eligible in order to correct a 
        manifest error. Such adjustment shall not, however, invalidate any certification or appointment 
        action already taken.