When a candidate is running for office, it is important to get as much information on that individual as possible to depict how this candidate will be as an official. If Senator Victor Crist was running for Congress, I would search a number of databases to find information on his financial contributions for supporters, his voting habits and his relationship with lobbyist.
I would first start by going to http://www.moneyline.cq.com/. This website is full of helpful information concerning candidates and donations they receive from supporters. I would be able to search for donors by inputting the candidate’s name. Since there is a limit on the amount an individual can donate, this site would provide useful information.
This site is very helpful in confirming illegal contributions. For example, if it is suspected that a manager of a company is forcing their employees to donate to his or her political party, one can use this site to help confirm this story.
I would visit the fl senate website, http://www.flsenate.gov/, and the Florida senate in person to obtain bill information reports. These reports would provide me with reports on bills that have been passed and/or brought before the Florida senate. I would also be able to see how Crist voted on these bills.
I would then go to http://www.opensecrets.org/ to obtain more information on contribution patterns including the date the contribution was made. It is very important to see if there is a contributor donating above and beyond what is allowed because this could lead to swayed votes; the large contributor may try to buy the elected official’s vote when the reason the candidate was selected in the first place is because he or she sides with majority of the population’s views on certain issues.
I would also access http://www.sunbiz.org/. This site is resourceful for searching contribution patterns amongst entities, such as a corporation or a partnership.
I would use http://www.election.dos.state.fl.us/ to obtain more information of the Senate hopeful. There is a search engine on the site where one can search PACs which are political action committees. The engine provides much information on the various PACs, such as: the address, the treasurer, and campaign finance registration. I could use this information to see if Crist is affiliated with any of these types of organizations.
I would also use auto track to obtain a National Comprehensive Report on Crist. This detailed sheet includes property ownerships and deed transfers, possible vehicles the person may own, personal information, such as: address, date of birth, full name, and also vehicle accident information.
This information could also be used to support suspicion of illegal contributions such as an employer forcing an employee to contribute money. Getting the information from the National Comprehensive Report might lead one to hypothesize that the employee may have not contributed money on his own free will seeing that he does not own any property, or has an old car or not car at all for that matter.
There are many resourceful avenues out there for one to access on potential elected officials. It is important for us to access these sources to make sure the person that we want in charge is a trustworthy individual.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Midterm: Question #2
Florida’s Sunshine Laws allow for anyone to be able to attend public proceedings whether they are on a local level or state level as under article 1 section 24b of the Florida Constitution. Most people are unaware of this law or the magnitude of power if possesses for the people of Florida. This law, which was enacted in 1967 and can be found in Chapter 286 of the Florida Statutes.
A public meeting does not necessarily have to be a big official meeting in a board room with all of the board members. A public meeting can be considered a conversation or meeting between two or more members of the same public board discussing public business. For example, if two members of the Board of County Commissioners for Hillsborough County are having lunch and discussing business related to the board, people have the right to listen. Even this type of informal setting would be considered a public meeting. This is a tricky situation because how does one know the individuals are discussing public business? Or how does one know when and where the board members are getting together (outside of the broadcasted meetings)? Or are we to be sure that board members will only discuss public business while they are on “the clock”?
The Sunshine Laws do not apply when one is at a social event. If a member or members of a board are at a gathering and not discussing public matters, a person does not have the right to invade their privacy. The only peculiar thing about this is how would one know when public matters are being discussed?
Minutes of meetings have to be made readily available to the public. If you attend a public meeting, you’re likely to see a recording secretary taking minutes of the meeting to coincide with this law. These minutes can usually be found on the internet. If they are not available on the agency, one can request them in person.
Under these laws, public meetings must be open to the public and must provide notice to the public as well. Throughout the local newspaper, one can find meeting notices providing dates and times of upcoming public meetings. In each of these meetings, there has to be a time designated for public comment.
Having a law such as the Florida Sunshine Laws provides citizens with the rights inherent when electing officials to represent and make decisions for them. This law that allows one to attend meetings and get minutes gives the citizen the opportunity to make sure the person they’ve elected as an official is capable of doing the job they’ve been assigned to do. Being that the citizens vote for the people whom they want to be in charge, the citizens are indirectly in charge themselves so these laws can be used as a report card to make sure the officials handle business appropriately.
Governor Charlie Crist created the Governor’s Commission on Open Government Reform . It was created so that the people are more trusting of government because government is open and accessible to them.
The Commission is responsible for reviewing government laws regarding public meeting and public records and making recommendations when necessary. The are 9 Governor-appointed officials that make up this commission.
A major issue with the open government reform is that it is difficult to enforce the Sunshine Laws on the agencies they are applicable to. It’s difficult to constantly track each agencies at all times to make sure the agencies is acting within each law. For example, many individuals are denied public records that they are guaranteed by law. But some agencies either don’t educate their people on the laws or just do not want to go through the hassle of finding the documents or they may have something to hide. This leads to the individual being denied documents they should have access to.
Another downside to that is one must file suit and go to court to reprimand the agency. This action may not be taken because either the person does not know they were denied a document that they should have access to or they do not want to deal with the legalities behind filing suit. Either way, the agency may get to slip by the law and not follow the Sunshine Laws or Chapter 119.
Also, the agency may not have resources needed to comply with the Sunshine Laws. An agency may not be able to afford a book keeper to keep track of all files so it may be difficult to quickly produce certain documents. This may lead the agency to deny the document instead of going through tons of paperwork to find the document requested. Or the agency may give the wrong paperwork because they did not feel like going through the documents to find which one is really being requested.
Another big issue is deciphering whether documents are considered public or private. If an individual asks for emails or phone records and part is marked out because they agency SAYS that information is private, how is one really to know that the information is private? Maybe the agency is trying to cover up some details about the official that the public should know. The only way to challenge this is by going to court and letting the judge determine whether the document is private or public property.
The elected official may also use their private accounts, such as: phones, or computers, to discuss public matters. How is one to know that the official is not discussing public matters without invading their privacy?
Fees and charges are another major concern of the open government reform. There is generally no fee for inspecting public records, but there could possible be a copying fee or an extensive use fee. How is one to know that they aren’t being overcharged?
There are many advantages provided to “the people” as a result of the Governor’s Commission on Open Government Reform. This group provides a system so that citizens are better able to understand and utilize their rights to access to public records as well as public meetings as granted to all via the Florida Sunshine Laws and Chapter 119.
A public meeting does not necessarily have to be a big official meeting in a board room with all of the board members. A public meeting can be considered a conversation or meeting between two or more members of the same public board discussing public business. For example, if two members of the Board of County Commissioners for Hillsborough County are having lunch and discussing business related to the board, people have the right to listen. Even this type of informal setting would be considered a public meeting. This is a tricky situation because how does one know the individuals are discussing public business? Or how does one know when and where the board members are getting together (outside of the broadcasted meetings)? Or are we to be sure that board members will only discuss public business while they are on “the clock”?
The Sunshine Laws do not apply when one is at a social event. If a member or members of a board are at a gathering and not discussing public matters, a person does not have the right to invade their privacy. The only peculiar thing about this is how would one know when public matters are being discussed?
Minutes of meetings have to be made readily available to the public. If you attend a public meeting, you’re likely to see a recording secretary taking minutes of the meeting to coincide with this law. These minutes can usually be found on the internet. If they are not available on the agency, one can request them in person.
Under these laws, public meetings must be open to the public and must provide notice to the public as well. Throughout the local newspaper, one can find meeting notices providing dates and times of upcoming public meetings. In each of these meetings, there has to be a time designated for public comment.
Having a law such as the Florida Sunshine Laws provides citizens with the rights inherent when electing officials to represent and make decisions for them. This law that allows one to attend meetings and get minutes gives the citizen the opportunity to make sure the person they’ve elected as an official is capable of doing the job they’ve been assigned to do. Being that the citizens vote for the people whom they want to be in charge, the citizens are indirectly in charge themselves so these laws can be used as a report card to make sure the officials handle business appropriately.
Governor Charlie Crist created the Governor’s Commission on Open Government Reform . It was created so that the people are more trusting of government because government is open and accessible to them.
The Commission is responsible for reviewing government laws regarding public meeting and public records and making recommendations when necessary. The are 9 Governor-appointed officials that make up this commission.
A major issue with the open government reform is that it is difficult to enforce the Sunshine Laws on the agencies they are applicable to. It’s difficult to constantly track each agencies at all times to make sure the agencies is acting within each law. For example, many individuals are denied public records that they are guaranteed by law. But some agencies either don’t educate their people on the laws or just do not want to go through the hassle of finding the documents or they may have something to hide. This leads to the individual being denied documents they should have access to.
Another downside to that is one must file suit and go to court to reprimand the agency. This action may not be taken because either the person does not know they were denied a document that they should have access to or they do not want to deal with the legalities behind filing suit. Either way, the agency may get to slip by the law and not follow the Sunshine Laws or Chapter 119.
Also, the agency may not have resources needed to comply with the Sunshine Laws. An agency may not be able to afford a book keeper to keep track of all files so it may be difficult to quickly produce certain documents. This may lead the agency to deny the document instead of going through tons of paperwork to find the document requested. Or the agency may give the wrong paperwork because they did not feel like going through the documents to find which one is really being requested.
Another big issue is deciphering whether documents are considered public or private. If an individual asks for emails or phone records and part is marked out because they agency SAYS that information is private, how is one really to know that the information is private? Maybe the agency is trying to cover up some details about the official that the public should know. The only way to challenge this is by going to court and letting the judge determine whether the document is private or public property.
The elected official may also use their private accounts, such as: phones, or computers, to discuss public matters. How is one to know that the official is not discussing public matters without invading their privacy?
Fees and charges are another major concern of the open government reform. There is generally no fee for inspecting public records, but there could possible be a copying fee or an extensive use fee. How is one to know that they aren’t being overcharged?
There are many advantages provided to “the people” as a result of the Governor’s Commission on Open Government Reform. This group provides a system so that citizens are better able to understand and utilize their rights to access to public records as well as public meetings as granted to all via the Florida Sunshine Laws and Chapter 119.
Mid Term: Question #1
If I was assigned to do an in-depth report on Al Zimmerman related to the child pornography charges I would first start by doing an arrest inquiry on him at http://www.hcso.tampa.fl.us/. One can obtain information by simply having the first and last name of the person in question. Records are held here for up to 5 years so since this incident is new, information would definitely populate for Zimmerman.
From the arrest report, I can get quite a bit of useful information. The initial page provides date of birth, race, sex, name and booking date. From there, I can get more details by clicking on the icon. The next page will show me his booking picture, address, height, weight, arrest location and charges.
From the clerk of Circuit Courts, I would then review the arrest warrant and affidavit. These documents would provide me with some of the same information from the hcso website, but I can also find the date of when the alleged act/s occurred.
Through FDLE (either through the website http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/ or in person in Tallahassee) I can obtain a copy of Zimmerman’s criminal background check. These records at least date back to 1940 so this would be useful information because it holds an large range. Most public records request do not entail a fee, but this particular record includes a $15 fee.
I would use the 411 tab on Myflorida.com to get information on Zimmerman as an employee of DCF. You can obtain information here, such as: phone number and email address.
I would also go to the tax collector’s website (for his county) to view information. I can see if he was current on his taxes, his assessed property value, etc. From this site I would likely find his wife’s name.
After finding his wife’s name, I would head to http://www.myfloridacounty.com/ to look for their marriage license. On the marriage license, I can use the name of the witnesses and minister to in turn ask them questions about Zimmerman’s character. Most likely if the individual stood as a witness for the wedding, he/she will have a lot of information to provide about him.
I would ask people where he worked (before DCF), how many times he has been married, if they know any of his other wives(if there are any), what he likes to do for fun, where he went to school (for high school and college) , what kind of person is he, etc.
At the tax collector’s office, I could get the motor vehicle registration and tag information, too. This would provide me with the vehicles he own (which all must be registered if in the state of Florida), and the driver’s license number.
I can obtain driver’s license information and driving record form the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The driving record would provide me with violations, accidents, driver’s license statuses, convictions, issue date and expiration date.
I would also search popular networking sites like http://www.myspace.com/, http://www.facebook.com/, and http://www.twitter.com/ to view his account if he has one. I do realize that on these types of sites information may not be factual.
Since Zimmerman is the PIO of DCF, I would try contacting them directly to see what information they can provide me with, if any. I would ask them the specific role/duties of the PIO. I would also want to know if Zimmerman had to do any traveling, if so I would want a copy any travel expenses. I would try to see if they could direct me to people that know him well.
As far as DCF is concerned, I would request any emails between Zimmerman at work and whomever. I would read through all the extensive emails to see if anything suspicious stands out. (Reporter Rule 101: read EVERYTHING).
If DCF denied me any request, I would make sure they told me why I can not have the requested document, and I would also make them site the statute that gives them authority to do so.
I would want to find out everything I possibly can about Zimmerman, not only through public records but by speaking with other people. Interviews with people could lead to more information that I didn’t know about him which could lead to more public records that I hadn’t thought of searching.
From the information I’d obtain earlier from the tax collector, I would mapquest his address and go door-to-door to speak with neighbors. I would ask them what Zimmerman is like as a neighbor, have they ever noticed any peculiar behavior, etc.
Doing an in-depth report on Zimmerman would be rather time-consuming, but using public records can lead one to discover more than what one anticipated to find!
From the arrest report, I can get quite a bit of useful information. The initial page provides date of birth, race, sex, name and booking date. From there, I can get more details by clicking on the icon. The next page will show me his booking picture, address, height, weight, arrest location and charges.
From the clerk of Circuit Courts, I would then review the arrest warrant and affidavit. These documents would provide me with some of the same information from the hcso website, but I can also find the date of when the alleged act/s occurred.
Through FDLE (either through the website http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/ or in person in Tallahassee) I can obtain a copy of Zimmerman’s criminal background check. These records at least date back to 1940 so this would be useful information because it holds an large range. Most public records request do not entail a fee, but this particular record includes a $15 fee.
I would use the 411 tab on Myflorida.com to get information on Zimmerman as an employee of DCF. You can obtain information here, such as: phone number and email address.
I would also go to the tax collector’s website (for his county) to view information. I can see if he was current on his taxes, his assessed property value, etc. From this site I would likely find his wife’s name.
After finding his wife’s name, I would head to http://www.myfloridacounty.com/ to look for their marriage license. On the marriage license, I can use the name of the witnesses and minister to in turn ask them questions about Zimmerman’s character. Most likely if the individual stood as a witness for the wedding, he/she will have a lot of information to provide about him.
I would ask people where he worked (before DCF), how many times he has been married, if they know any of his other wives(if there are any), what he likes to do for fun, where he went to school (for high school and college) , what kind of person is he, etc.
At the tax collector’s office, I could get the motor vehicle registration and tag information, too. This would provide me with the vehicles he own (which all must be registered if in the state of Florida), and the driver’s license number.
I can obtain driver’s license information and driving record form the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The driving record would provide me with violations, accidents, driver’s license statuses, convictions, issue date and expiration date.
I would also search popular networking sites like http://www.myspace.com/, http://www.facebook.com/, and http://www.twitter.com/ to view his account if he has one. I do realize that on these types of sites information may not be factual.
Since Zimmerman is the PIO of DCF, I would try contacting them directly to see what information they can provide me with, if any. I would ask them the specific role/duties of the PIO. I would also want to know if Zimmerman had to do any traveling, if so I would want a copy any travel expenses. I would try to see if they could direct me to people that know him well.
As far as DCF is concerned, I would request any emails between Zimmerman at work and whomever. I would read through all the extensive emails to see if anything suspicious stands out. (Reporter Rule 101: read EVERYTHING).
If DCF denied me any request, I would make sure they told me why I can not have the requested document, and I would also make them site the statute that gives them authority to do so.
I would want to find out everything I possibly can about Zimmerman, not only through public records but by speaking with other people. Interviews with people could lead to more information that I didn’t know about him which could lead to more public records that I hadn’t thought of searching.
From the information I’d obtain earlier from the tax collector, I would mapquest his address and go door-to-door to speak with neighbors. I would ask them what Zimmerman is like as a neighbor, have they ever noticed any peculiar behavior, etc.
Doing an in-depth report on Zimmerman would be rather time-consuming, but using public records can lead one to discover more than what one anticipated to find!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
WFLA: Steve Andrews
Tuesday we went to WFLA to visit Senior Investigative Reporter and Executive Producer of Investigations’ Steve Andrews. Andrews provided us with numerous accounts where investigative reporting helped him tell the story that no one knew about or that could only be properly told through news.
Andrews emphasized the importance of the internet. “The internet is where the future is,” Andrews stated.
Andrews relies heavily on public records to uncover his stories. He was very knowledgeable with regards to the Chapter 119 Florida Statutes on public records. This is very important information for reporters especially, because knowing the law will make obtaining documents an easier process.
Knowing information pertaining to Chapter 119 is essential to reporting. As Professor Thelen told us, an agency may try to deny one documents, inundate one with documents to discourage reading them, or take a long time to produce the documents. If a reporter already knows the regulations regarding public records, they’re already one step ahead.
According to Andrews, investigative reporting can take anywhere from two hours or 18 months.
“If you get a public record, make sure you sit and read it,” Andrews suggested. He told us of a story where an organization bombarded him with a load of documentation; they probably assumed he wouldn’t read this massive amount of paper.
Andrews read through all that paperwork he received and came up with a compelling story for the audience. He was able to find details that the organization itself hadn’t even discovered.
Andrews also told us of a story where an elderly man wasn’t being properly cared for at Palmetto Guest Home. The elderly man had a cancerous lesion and wasn’t receiving proper care. The sad thing about this story is that the man was autistic so he didn’t say much and wasn’t capable of speaking up for himself. Andrews gave him a voice through his investigative reporting.
Andrews showed us many different stories he created through investigative reporting and document requests. These stories reiterated the importance of public records.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
We had the pleasure of meeting with the Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Director of Administration and Special Projects Preston Trigg. Trigg provided us with an ample amount of information on obtaining public documents. He also gave us a number of different agencies/websites to obtain these documents.
Trigg advised us that when requesting a public record, which according to Trigg is, “Everything government produces,” one doesn’t have to give a name, reason or put the request in writing. Sometimes when requests are submitted in writing, competitors from other outlets may access a reporter’s request to try to get information on what that reporter is researching.
“Records are the back-bone of investigative reporting,” Trigg explained.
If an agency ever denies anyone (not just a reporter but any person) a public record, that agency must explain why the record isn’t attainable and also must site the statute that warrants the request being denied.
The Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s website (http://www.hillstax.org/) is full of detailed information regarding property taxes. Trigg advised us that the section on this site that receives the most traffic is the property tax database.
Through this link, one can see if a property owner paid his/her property taxes for a particular year. That year’s taxes are due on Nov 1 and become delinquent April 1 of the following year. For example, the 2008 property taxes are due Nov 1, 2008 and become delinquent April 1, 2009.
As far as property taxes are concerned, there are three kinds of agencies: one that accesses the property (appraiser), one that levies the property tax, and one that collects the property tax (tax collector).
Using this helpful information, such as looking up an official’s property taxes or requesting other public documents related to that official can be very helpful in discovering a story that no one ever knew existed. Most people don't even realize that this infomation is available to them. I agree with Trigg, "Records ARE the back-bone of investigative reporting!".
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
On September 22, I attended the Victim Impact Panel at the County Center on Kennedy Blvd as my public meeting . I decided to pick this meeting because the panel is conducted by the organization MADD (Mother’s Against Drunk Driving). I predicted that this meeting would be interesting and stimulated; it was!
MADD was started in 1980 as an organization designed to help people who have been impacted by drunk driving. It later revised its purpose by working toward change as it relates to drunk-
driving.
When I first arrived at the County Center I realized that there were a lot of people waiting in the lobby area to attend this panel, not like at my last public meeting where there were only a few attendees. I also noticed that most people had a piece of paper with them, I asked one of the men in the crowd if the paper that everyone is carrying is required. He told me that he got the paper from his probation officer.
“Everyone in here is on probation with Salvation Army”, explained Deputy T. Philpott of Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputy Richards of Hillsborough County Sherrif's Office advised me that the people who were waiting outside had to come to this panel in order to avoid jail time. He said jail was their next option.
This panel was required for people with alcohol or drug-related offenses. Richards advised me that in this panel, different people who have been affected by drunk driving, either directly or indirectly, speak about the affect this has had on their lives.
The speakers provided personal accounts that were hopefully eye-opening to these offenders. I was truly touched by the speakers.
The first speaker was Mrs. Susan Baker. Her daughter, Jennifer, was killed by a drunk driver on October 15, 1995. She expressed to the audience how she missed how daughter. “My husband and I had no choice; it was made for us”, Baker said of her daughter’s death.
She also told the audience of a panel she spoke in before where a young woman had received a DUI and was forced to attend this meeting. Baker explained how the woman wasn’t paying attention and showed no interest in the information being provided to her.
Baker said the young woman later got another DUI and this time killed two people in the process. She received 21 years in prison as a result.
One thing that I find really peculiar about drunk drivers is that they never seem to die in the accident; it’s always the innocent passenger or people in the other car.
When I was in this meeting, it made me thing of one of my favorite poems in middle school that I read in “Chicken Noodle Soup for the Teenage Soul” called "Somebody Should've Taught Him":
http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/picket/414/somebody_taught_him.html
http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/picket/414/somebody_taught_him.html
I really enjoyed this public meeting and am very inspired by the efforts that MADD puts forth to better our society. I hope that the individuals who were forced to listen to the speakers walked away with a life-changing message; I did.
Last Thursday, our guest speaker for class was The Tampa Tribune’s chief political reporter, William March. March provided us with a lot of helpful information and tools that can be used when a reporter is attempting to gather information related to a politician or politics in general. This information March provided us with will also be helpful on our profile assignment.
March provided us with url addresses, such as: http://www.sunbiz.org/, http://www.moneyline.cq.com/, http://www.election.dos.state.fl.us/, where one can check the political contribution a particular person or an organization gives to a certain candidate. This is a very important tool to have because the maximum amount that one can donate by law is $1,000, but of course people try to get around the law.
March told us of a situation in Miami where many employees who worked for businessman Mark Jimenez were giving donations to the Bill Clinton campaign. The interesting thing about this is through these search engines, it was easy to denote that these all-of-a-sudden donators had never donated before. Some of them were registered republicans, and some of them had very little assets, which would lead one to infer that these individuals would most likely not have donated their own money.
This information is important to track because wealthy people can try to buy our elected officials and sway their way of thinking.
Another helpful piece of information March provided us with was the National Comprehensive Report. This information isn’t free, but it does contain an ample amount of information that can help one when investigating a situation as mentioned above or many others. This report contains the individual’s address, phone number, properties owned, vehicles owned, accidents, and even hunting and fishing licenses.
With this document and the other search engines on candidate donations, one can make an educated guess on whether or not it’s feasible for an individual to donate to have donated to a particular campaign. From there, the reporter can determine if it’s necessary to do a more thorough investigation to detect foul play.
March provided us with url addresses, such as: http://www.sunbiz.org/, http://www.moneyline.cq.com/, http://www.election.dos.state.fl.us/, where one can check the political contribution a particular person or an organization gives to a certain candidate. This is a very important tool to have because the maximum amount that one can donate by law is $1,000, but of course people try to get around the law.
March told us of a situation in Miami where many employees who worked for businessman Mark Jimenez were giving donations to the Bill Clinton campaign. The interesting thing about this is through these search engines, it was easy to denote that these all-of-a-sudden donators had never donated before. Some of them were registered republicans, and some of them had very little assets, which would lead one to infer that these individuals would most likely not have donated their own money.
This information is important to track because wealthy people can try to buy our elected officials and sway their way of thinking.
Another helpful piece of information March provided us with was the National Comprehensive Report. This information isn’t free, but it does contain an ample amount of information that can help one when investigating a situation as mentioned above or many others. This report contains the individual’s address, phone number, properties owned, vehicles owned, accidents, and even hunting and fishing licenses.
With this document and the other search engines on candidate donations, one can make an educated guess on whether or not it’s feasible for an individual to donate to have donated to a particular campaign. From there, the reporter can determine if it’s necessary to do a more thorough investigation to detect foul play.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
On Tuesday we visited the Clerk of the Circuit Court at the County Center on Kennedy Blvd. We were privileged enough to get to receive vital information from Pat Frank herself. She is the clerk of the Circuit Court as well as the Comptroller. During our visit, we were made aware of the many tasks and responsibilities taken care of in this office.
Frank is responsible to keeping track of public records related to the courts. As comptroller, she is responsible for the money of the board, which has to be approved by her office. It must also be verified that the money is legally dispersed. Franks said she handles about 1.7 billion dollars a year.
The Clerk of Circuit Court also sits in the courtroom and takes notes on the trial before the judge. Another task of the clerk is to accept papers for cases in the courtroom.
Passports can also be issued here (by appointment only). Getting a passport here tends to be a quicker process.
The Clerk of the Circuit Court also keeps the records for board and committee meetings. Soon, records of how each member of the board or committee voted on a particular issue will be available.
It was also brought to our attention that revenues received from official records are decreasing based on the current status of our economy. All of these documents are stored in what’s called the docket. I didn’t have a clue of what the docket is. Supremecourtus.gov defines the docket as “the Court’s case tracking system”.
The Clerk of the Circuit Court also handle traffic citations. Last year, about 350,000 tickets were processed! The Clerk of Circuit Court receives a percentage of the fines, fees and costs associated with traffic citations. This percentage is set by the state.
I enjoyed our trip downtown and was able to take away a lot of information from this session.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
