Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers Announce Task Force to Improve Guardianships
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – June 30, 2021, the Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers (FCCC) announced the formation of the Guardianship Improvement Task Force (Task Force). The Task Force will be sponsored and supported by FCCC, and members will work together to study the status of current guardianships in Florida and offer positive legislative recommendations leading up to 2022 Legislative Session.
“Clerks of Court have a significant responsibility to ensure our services effectively support the guardianship process,” said Tara. S. Green, FCCC President and Clay County Clerk of Court and Comptroller. “As part of our commitment to residents, we are constantly reviewing ways to improve upon our practices, and we look forward to joining our partners on the Guardianship Improvement Task Force to review improvements across the entire system.”
“The guardianship process is instrumental in ensuring the protection of the vulnerable in communities throughout Florida,” said Ken Burke, CPA, Pinellas County Clerk of Court and Comptroller and Task Force Chair. “With the Guardianship Improvement Task Force, we are looking at opportunities to address gaps and promote recommendations based on expert feedback, so the system works more effectively for those it’s meant to protect.”
The first meeting of the Task Force will be held on July 7, 2021, at the Epicenter at St. Petersburg College in Clearwater, FL. After the first meeting, a total of five bi-weekly meetings will be held virtually at future times and days of the week determined by the Task Force. Details for each event will be announced in advisories in advance.
Members of the Guardianship Improvement Task Force include:
- Ken Burke, CPA, Pinellas County Clerk of Court and Comptroller – Chair
- Crystal Kinzel, Collier County Clerk of Court and Comptroller
- JD Peacock II, Okaloosa County Clerk of Court and Comptroller
- Senator Jennifer Bradley
- Representative Colleen Burton
- Sean Cadigan, General Magistrate, 13th Judicial Circuit
- Retired Circuit Court Judge Jose R. Rodriguez
- Representative from the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar
- Shannon Miller, Elder Law Section Member, The Florida Bar
- Anthony Palmieri, Statewide Investigation Alliance
- Gina Rossi-Scheiman, Executive Director, Florida State Guardianship Association
- Viviana Bonilla Lopez, Esq., Equal Justice Fellow (Disability Rights Florida)
- Hillary Hogue, Ward Advocate
- Zayne Smith, Associate State Director of Advocacy, AARP
- Dennis Moore, Interim Director, Guardian Ad Litem Program
- Mike Donovan, Community Development Attorney, Legal Services of North Florida, Florida Legal Aid Association
- Richard Prudom, Secretary, Florida Department of Elder Affairs
- Representative from the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs
- Michelle T. Morley, 5th Judicial Circuit Judge (Advisory Role)
The Law Library is now offering an Ask A Lawyer Program (ALP). The ALP program is a collaborative effort with the Okaloosa Bar Association whereby patrons can meet with a local attorney for a one-time consultation to get answers to a variety of civil legal questions, assistance with filling out form packets, as well as general procedural information. 
The Clerk’s Inspector General Department is seeking feedback on their work. Members of the public are invited to provide comments to help the department improve its policies and procedures and better serve the citizens of Okaloosa County.