Annual Report of the Sarasota County Clerk and Comptroller

e-Pay e-Filing Real Property Sales Records Search SERVICES T he Clerk of the Circuit and County Court is an independent elected official responsible for many court related activities. The Florida court system consists of the Florida Supreme Court, five District Courts of Appeal, 20 Circuit Courts, and 67 County Courts. Sarasota is one of three counties in the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, which also includes Manatee and DeSoto counties. Serving as Clerk to both the circuit and county courts, trial court records are maintained in an electronic manner and data sharing of important judicial decisions are reported in accordance with law to many different agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Department of Children and Families, and Bureau of Vital Statistics, to name a few. It has been said that the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit and County Courts touches the lives in its community from cradle to grave; Cases range from adoptions to estate matters, family law, domestic violence, mental illness, small and large claims, evictions, mortgage foreclosures, and more, which affect every community. Services provided by this office are available to all in need of assistance. CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT AND COUNTY COURTS JURY SERVICES – Trial by jury is a right in this country and serving as a juror when called is a duty. Jury service is designed to be as convenient as possible, and summoned jurors may request a postponement or excusals for cause. Service is completed after serving one day or one trial, with most trials lasting one day. The Clerk summons eligible jurors using the driver’s license file, assembles the jury, assists with prevenire questions, administers the oath, and pays eligible jurors for service. PUBLIC RECORDS – Access to public records has been designed to be convenient, while protecting lawful confidentiality. Florida has a very broad public records law, and while court records are governed by the court most records can be seen by all interested persons. Twenty-four hour access to records is available. Requests to view documents currently not viewable online may be submitted electronically. Visit www.SarasotaClerk.com and see how convenient access to court records can be. COURT SERVICES – Each case begins with an initiating document, and many subsequent documents to follow. The type of case, the complexity of the case and the number of issues to be resolved drives the level of involvement of the Clerk of the Circuit and County Court, who documents the record electronically, makes it available to all those whom are permitted to have lawful access, attends court hearings and trials, and reports the final disposition of the case to the appropriate authority. Document processing is done with great care, as each document has legal implications to the parties. Warrants for arrest, Incapacity Orders, orders releasing prisoners, certificates of sale from a property sold in foreclosure, and domestic violence orders all require precision in processing. After trial, all evidence is released to the custody of the Clerk, where it remains until all appeals have been exhausted, and enhanced security is provided for the storage of such evidence. Cases on appeal are prepared by the Clerk and submitted to the appellate court. All fees, fines and costs— including victim restitution and child support—are collected by the Clerk. Assisting self-represented citizens is one of the most important responsibilities the Clerk has to the community. Open 8:30 to 5:00 Monday- Friday, with 24 hour and 7 days per week information available online, self-represented citizens will find assistance at the Clerk of the Circuit and County Court’s office. Sarasota’s Historic Courthouse FINES 4