Court clerks feel $90M budget pinch
TALLAHASSEE (AP) – Florida’s 67 county clerks of court say $90 million in budget cuts have forced them to eliminate 1,300 positions, furlough employees, close branch offices and reduce services.
The Florida Association of Court Clerks on Thursday said it asked Supreme Court Chief Justice Peggy Quince to set priorities for the service reductions.
The budget cuts have resulted in insufficient courtroom staffing and delays in completing appellate records and foreclosure sales. Phone calls to clerks’ offices also are going unanswered.
Clerks also have been training staffers to handle a broader range of duties, allowing lawyers to file documents electronically and urging the public to conduct business online.