The Florida Constitution established the Clerk and Comptroller as an elected public trustee in 1839 and established a system of checks and balances at the county level. The Florida Clerk is not only the Clerk of the Circuit Court, but also the County Treasurer, Recorder, Auditor, Finance Officer, and Clerk of the County Commission.
The statues and constitution require that the Clerk:
- Is governed by statutory authority in carrying out the duties and functions of the office,
- Is subject to the state Auditor General rules and regulations as the auditor and custodian of county funds,
- Is subject to annual audits by independent firms.
The Joint Select Committee on Judicial Personnel of the Florida Legislature calculated that the Clerk and Comptroller’s Office performs 926 different constitutional and statutory functions and duties. The number of tasks continues to grow with changes in legislation, regulations, and reporting requirements. The following tasks are just a few of the many duties your local Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller’s Office performs.
As Clerk of the Circuit and County Court
- Attend Court hearings and trials
- File indictments, information, and verdicts
- Process all civil and criminal cases
- Prepare appellate records
- Jury management
- Collect and disburse fines, court costs, forfeitures, fees, and service charges
- Conduct mortgage foreclosure sales
- Maintain custody of all evidence and exhibits entered by the court
- Assist in completing paperwork required to file a Small Claims action
- Assist in completing paperwork required to file petitions for protective injunctions (domestic, repeat, sexual, and dating violence)
- Issue process service documents
- Maintain court registry
- Audit guardianship reports
- Audit child support payments
As Recorder of Deeds
- Record and index deeds, mortgages, and descriptions of all county property
- Process tax deed applications and conduct sales
- Record public defender liens and judgments entered by the court, record tax liens and claims against an estate, instruments of conveyance, agreements, contracts, maps and plats of subdivisions and surveys
- Maintain a public records library
- Collect and disburse intangible taxes
As Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners
- Attend meetings of the Board of County Commissioners and committees of the board
- Produce, record, index and distribute the official minutes of these meetings
- Maintain legal custody of the Official County Seal
- Maintain custody of all county resolutions, ordinances, and contracts
- Process appeals for Value Adjustment Board
- Attestation
As Accountant and Custodian of County Funds
- Provide accounting services to all departments under the Board of County Commissioners
- Provide an accounting system for all fiscal changes implemented by the Board
- Handle investments of available county funds
- Provide financial reporting to the Board and all federal and state agencies
- Process accounts payable
As County Auditor
- Pre-audit all County expenditures before payment
- Review proposed contracts before adoption
- Conduct internal post-audits to determine if financial controls are sufficient
- Prepare reports suggesting improvements to management
Other Duties of the Clerk
- Issue and record marriage license applications
- Compile and provide statistical data for state agencies and the judiciary
- Maintain records storage facilities
- Process passport applications