InTucker Magazine

Team Tucker – Vanessa Santiago

Senior Municipal Court Clerk

How did you get to Tucker?
I applied for the Senior Court Clerk position as an opportunity to expand my career. Prior to this position, I was working as a Police Records and Court Services Clerk. Although my degree isn’t in Criminal Justice, I’ve been working in the criminal justice field for going on three years now.

What does an average day on the job look like?
Not every day is the same. We have a lot of paperwork and data entry that must be done daily. I also answer a lot of phone calls and emails from defendants, citizens and attorneys regarding court related questions. In this job, you must pay very close attention to detail because we are dealing with individuals’ livelihoods.  

What are some of the advantages of working in Tucker?
The one thing that I would say is the best advantage is “Team Tucker.”  We have such a great team here, and it makes the job so much more enjoyable. The communication, the team player mentality, and the bonding is so incredible and makes it great to work in Tucker.

How does Tucker’s court function?
Tucker Municipal Court has traffic court and environmental court. Traffic court is held two Wednesdays a month, where we see defendants who have a misdemeanor traffic ticket and/or city ordinance violation. Environmental Court is only held one Wednesday a month, where citizens of Tucker have been cited with violating an environmental city ordinance. We also do non-jury trials once a quarter for those who want a bench trial on their charges.

You are certified trilingual. How does that help you in your job?
Being trilingual is a great asset to have with any job, but especially within the criminal justice system. This helps me in my daily job as I can communicate with and assist others effectively.

Off The Wall

What is your favorite thing to do on a sunny June day?
Personally, I am not a summer person, but I do enjoy cookouts and pool days with family and friends.  

Have any favorite Tucker restaurants?
Oh, absolutely! My favorite restaurant in Tucker is Bell Street Burritos! I love their pulled chicken quesadilla with chips and queso. The food is always fresh and satisfying.

What is your favorite streaming service and what are you bingeing right now?
I would say right now that my two favorite streaming services would be Netflix and Disney+. I just finished “The Crown” on Netflix and “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” on Disney+.