F R O M T H E C L E R K O F C O U R T & C O M P T R O L L E R C i n d y S t u a r t – C l e r k o f C o u r t & C o m p t r o l l e r , T h i r t e e n t h J u d i c i a l C i r c u i t
rollingupourSleevestomeet thechallengesof2021
iwillputahighpriorityonfindingmorewaysforthepublictodo moreworkremotely . it ’ snotonlysafer ; it ’ smuchmoreconvenient andcost-effective .
Iwas honored in
September to be elected your new Clerk of Court & Comptroller , and I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself and tell you about some of my plans that will help the legal community .
Because I was elected in a universal primary , I had the benefit of a few extra months to work with outgoing Clerk Pat Frank and her staff to ensure a smooth transition . I will always be grateful for the support Pat gave me during the election and in the months that followed . She spent 16 years as Clerk & Comptroller and my goal is to build on the strong foundation she created .
One thing that became crystal clear during the transition is how complex the Clerk ’ s Office is . Most people don ’ t realize the many things the office does for the public every day . Pat was fond of saying the office helps people from cradle to grave , and that ’ s certainly true : From adoptions to marriages , deeds to divorces , all the way to probate . The office also pays all of the bills for Hillsborough County government , audits the books and even delivers the mail .
But its core responsibility revolves around the courts , its biggest division by far . The Clerk ’ s Office has made tremendous strides toward the goal of creating a paperless environment . The digital revolution that has transformed the office has increased efficiency not only for the more than 600 employees who work there , but for all of its customers . Of course , technology is constantly changing , and it ’ s important we stay on top of it .
You may know me best for the eight years I spent on the Hillsborough County School Board . But what you may not know is that I earned a degree in Management
Information Systems and Programming from Florida International University . So I am very comfortable in the world of Information Technology . I speak the language and I ’ m eager to roll up my virtual sleeves .
I ’ m sure we are all relieved to put 2020 behind us , but the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic linger with no end in sight . I will put a high priority on finding more ways for the public to do more work remotely . It ’ s not only safer ; it ’ s much more convenient and cost-effective . Among the court-related technology projects we will focus on are :
• Expanding electronic certification of court records , already available for electronically-filed records and expanded to request paper documents to be converted to electronic images and then eCertified .
• Creating text message alerts for new activity in court cases and for court hearing reminders .
• Expanding online court payments to provide the ability to pay online for most case-related assess - ments through the Clerk ’ s excellent HOVER court case system .
• Expanding the electronic service of court-related documents to include service of final judgment and sentences in criminal cases .
• Enhancing the jury experience by allowing potential jurors to submit required questionnaires electronically before they arrive , much like you do when you check in with an airline or a doctor ’ s office . We also want to allow for text notifications for jurors whose service is not required . continuedonpage17
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