Which kind of duty may a judge delegate to a court clerk?

• A. A ceremonial duty.
• B. A ministerial duty.
• C. A discretionary judicial decision.
• D. A constitutional duty.

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that tasks a judge can delegate are those that are routine and require no personal judgment. These are ministerial duties—action in a fixed, rule-based way that simply follows established procedures. In a court, a clerk can handle such steps under the judge’s supervision, like docketing cases, filing documents, preparing standard forms, and entering routine orders. They don’t involve deciding how the law should apply to a particular situation.

Discretionary judicial decisions, on the other hand, require the judge’s legal reasoning and evaluation of facts, so they cannot be delegated to a clerk. Constitutional duties are vested in the judge’s official powers and likewise aren’t delegable. Ceremonial duties involve formalities, not the core decision-making or procedural tasks, so they aren’t the type of duties typically delegated to a clerk.