FAMILY SPOTLIGHT - RACHEL MARTINEZ
Posted by: Marsha Bills
RACHEL MARTINEZ IS RECOGNIZED FOR HER WORK AFTER LESS THAN A YEAR IN FAMILY COURTS
In less than a year in the District Clerk’s office, Family Court Clerk Rachel Martinez has already gained a reputation for hard work and dedication to her role in helping Dallas County District Courts meet their challenges. Additionally, she is known as a compassionate and caring person in dealing with both colleagues and customers.
“Although there is an overwhelming amount of work to be done, I do enjoy interacting with the public,” says Rachel, who is currently support clerk in the 255th. “It's nice to feel that you have helped someone who is going through a difficult time. Just being warm and compassionate can mean the world to someone.”
“One challenge of being a court clerk is handling the multitude of documents,” adds Rachel. “So I am excited about the Digital Courts Project and its benefits. There will be no need to hold paper documents until files are located and the entire process will be changed for the better, alleviating much of the workload for the clerks and benefiting the public.”
Rachel says that her supervisor, Danitra Wilkerson, has been a valuable role model for her as she learned about the family courts and dealing with people. “I try to follow her example in being a positive person who goes out of her way to help people and to be as dedicated to my work as she is.”
“One thing that I've learned being a court clerk is that it requires a great deal of patience. It could become very frustrating dealing with the public answering the same questions again and again, so I remind myself that each one deserves to be treated with the utmost respect,” concludes Rachel. “I try to follow the golden rule and treat them the way I would hope to be treated in the same circumstance.”
Born and raised in Grand Prairie, she still calls the city her home. Married for more than 13 years, Rachel is the mother of three boys for whom she interrupted her career. Before she came to the District Clerk's office, she worked as a legal secretary until the birth of her first child, when she decided to stay at home and raise her children. She was also the full-time caregiver for her disabled grandfather.
Rachel has shown in her personal and professional life that she is committed to leading her life with a great sense of responsibility, integrity and compassion, which are all qualities that bode well for her success at home and in the courthouse.