The Clerk of Court in Citrus County is key to keeping the court system honest. They handle many types of court records and legal documents. This makes sure everything is clear and easy to get for everyone.
People can look up court cases and public records through the Clerk’s office. They can also find out how to file documents in court. The office also deals with court fees, jury duty, and other key court tasks.
Introduction to Citrus County Clerk of Court
The Citrus County Clerk of Court is key in the local court system. It keeps court records safe and handles many court services. The office makes sure documents are correct and easy to get, helps with court papers, and makes the legal process clear.
Overview of Court Services
The Citrus County Clerk of Court gives many services to the community. It keeps and cares for court records, deals with legal papers, and helps with court papers and steps. The office also makes sure the government is open by giving the public access to documents.
Importance of the Clerk’s Office
The Citrus County Clerk of Court is a big part of the local court system. It connects the court, the public, and the government. By keeping court records right and easy to find, the office makes sure the justice system is fair and open. It also makes the court work better by making legal papers and filings easier.
During National Sunshine Week, from March 11-15, 2024, the Citrus County Clerk of Court will highlight open government and public info access. This event shows the office’s dedication to giving citizens what they need to interact with their government and keep it in check.
“The Clerk’s office enhances access to public information by providing more official documents and services online. We encourage people to utilize the public information available year-round.”
– Traci Phillips, Chief of Staff, Citrus County Clerk of Court
The Citrus County Clerk of Court is key in making the local court system clear and accountable. It follows open government rules and gives the public easy access to info. This makes the office a vital link between the community and the courts.
Court Records and Legal Documents
The Citrus County Clerk of Court is key in keeping and giving access to many court records and legal papers. They have a big collection of case files, judgments, orders, and more. People can look up and get copies of these important documents at the Clerk’s office.
Starting January 1, 2024, all documents recorded in Citrus County must have the post office address of each witness. This rule is for documents about real property, like deeds. It’s important for keeping track of who owns property.
Now, witnesses on Florida-notarized documents must write their names and addresses under their signature. If there are no witnesses, you don’t need to include addresses. The addresses must be clear and can be a physical address or a PO Box, not an email.
If documents are missing the witness address, the Citrus County Clerk won’t accept them. This rule helps keep records accurate and safe.
People can ask to remove some info from public websites, like military discharges or death certificates. The request must be notarized and explain why the info should be removed. You can also ask to add info about someone who got a final judgment for protection.
The Citrus County Clerk of Court does more than just handle court records and legal papers. They offer many services like online searches, recording notifications, and help with court filings. This makes it easier for people to understand the legal system.
Public Records and Official Documents
The Clerk of Court in Citrus County keeps public records safe. They make sure everyone can see important documents. You can find things like property records and birth certificates here.
Online Records Search
The Citrus County Clerk of Court has an online search tool. It lets people find public records easily without going to the office. You can look up deeds and mortgages from 1980 on the official records site. You can even download PDF copies.
For older records from 1887 to 1979, you can see them in person or on microfilm. The Clerk follows Florida’s public records laws. This means everyone can see the records they need.
Recording Activity Notification (RAN)
The Clerk also offers a Recording Activity Notification (RAN) service. With it, you can get updates on certain official documents. This includes property records and court documents. It helps you keep up with the public records you care about.
The Clerk’s office works hard to make public records easy to get online and in person. This helps Citrus County folks get the info they need. They can stay informed about their local government easily.
“Florida has the most expansive open government laws in the United States, and the Citrus County Clerk of Court is dedicated to upholding this transparency.”
Court Filings and Procedures
The Citrus County Clerk of Court is key in handling court filings and procedures. They help with the first steps of filing for domestic relations and other documents. The Clerk’s office also has a Self-Help Office for those representing themselves in court. This office gives advice and tools to make sure documents are filed right.
Self-Help Office for Self-Represented Litigants
The Citrus County Clerk of Court’s Self-Help Office helps those representing themselves in court. It offers forms, instructions, and info to make sure filings are done right.
Some main services of the Self-Help Office are:
- Guidance on court procedures and what’s needed
- Help with filling out and filing court papers
- Explaining legal terms and court steps
- Pointing to other resources and help services
Using the Self-Help Office, those representing themselves can better understand court filings and court procedures. This can lead to a better chance of success in their legal cases.
“The Clerk’s Self-Help Office has been an invaluable resource for me as a self-represented litigant. The staff has been incredibly helpful in guiding me through the process and ensuring I file all the necessary documents correctly.”
– Jane Doe, Self-Represented Litigant
The Citrus County Clerk of Court’s Self-Help Office shows their commitment to helping self-represented litigants. They offer full court services to the community.
Citrus County Clerk of Court
The Citrus County Clerk of Court keeps official records and court documents safe. They have offices all over the county for easy access to services. This makes it simple for locals and visitors to get what they need.
Office Locations and Contact Information
The main office is in Inverness, right in the middle of the county. It’s where you can do many court-related things and ask for records. There are also smaller offices in other parts of the county. This makes it easy for people to get services near where they live or work.
To talk to the Citrus County Clerk of Court, call +1 (352) 341-6424. You can ask about court records, file documents, or get help with other services. You can also check the Clerk’s website for more info and contact details for each office.
| Office Location | Contact |
|---|---|
| Inverness Main Office | +1 (352) 341-6424 |
| Homosassa Satellite Office | +1 (352) 628-3344 |
| Crystal River Satellite Office | +1 (352) 795-4242 |
Citrus County became Florida’s 44th county on June 2, 1887. Its old courthouse was made by Willis R. Biggers in 1912. It was the government’s home for over 80 years.
The courthouse mixes different architectural styles. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. Now, it looks just like it did before, thanks to restoration.
“The Citrus County Clerk of Court plays a vital role in preserving the county’s history and ensuring the efficient administration of justice.”
Court Fees and Payment Options
At the Citrus County Clerk of Court, we make sure you know about court fees and how to pay. We handle court records and legal documents. We want to help you understand the costs of going to court.
The Clerk’s office collects court fees for things like filing documents or getting copies. These court fees help the court work well. They are set by Florida laws.
We offer many ways to pay, like cash, check, or credit/debit card. We know paying court costs can be hard. That’s why we have flexible payment plans.
Florida law lets us set up payment plans for traffic tickets and court costs. This way, you can pay slowly until you’re all paid up. It makes it easier to meet your legal duties.
Starting a payment plan costs $25.00, as the law says. If you don’t pay on time, you might face extra fees. You could even lose your driver’s license. Not paying can also send your case to a collection agency, costing more money.
We’ve teamed up with Citepayusa.com for easier payments. This site lets you pay automatically if you have many cases. It makes keeping up with payments simpler.
If you want to pay with a credit card, call nCourt at 844-400-6727. They’re open Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 12 a.m., and Saturday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST. Remember, there’s a fee for using credit cards.
The Citrus County Clerk of Court aims to be clear about court fees and payment options. Knowing what’s available helps our community feel more confident when dealing with the court.
Jury Services and Online Jury Excusal
The Citrus County Clerk of Court is key in managing the jury process. They call potential jurors, manage the jury pool, and help with the jury service. They also have an online system for excusing jury duty easily.
Jurors are picked randomly from a list of driver’s license and ID card holders in Citrus County. To be a juror, you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, and live in Citrus County. People not on the list can also serve if they meet these requirements.
There are many reasons to ask to be excused from jury duty. These include being a convicted felon without rights, not a U.S. citizen, or not living in Citrus County. You can also be excused if you’re over 70, a lawyer, doctor, or a student under 21. Other reasons include being sick, a law enforcement officer, a caregiver, pregnant, a parent of a child under 6, or a new mom with a doctor’s note.
| Jury Service Compensation | Amount |
|---|---|
| Jurors compensated by their employer | Not entitled to state compensation for the first three days of service |
| Jurors not compensated by their employer | $15 per day for the first three days of service, increasing to $30 per day from the fourth day of service onwards |
Not showing up for jury duty without a good reason can lead to a fine of up to $100 and court contempt. To ask for an excuse from jury duty, send a doctor’s note to 352-341-6413 or JuryExcusals@citrusclerk.org. If your excuse is denied, you must go for jury service as told on the summons.
About 15,600 jurors are called each year. The Jury Services Department is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed on holidays. People over 70 can ask for a permanent exemption or reschedule for another time. You can also ask to reschedule if the summons date doesn’t work for you.
“Jury service is a key civic duty, and the Citrus County Clerk of Court works hard to make the jury services fair and efficient for everyone.”
For more info on jury services and how to excuse yourself online, check the Citrus County Clerk of Court’s website. Or call JuryExcusals@citrusclerk.org or 352-341-6424 (option 7 for TDD users, 800-955-8771).
Passports and Marriage Licenses
The Citrus County Clerk of Court is key in giving out passports and marriage licenses. People can go there to get or renew passports and get papers for their weddings.
Passports
The Clerk’s office makes sure passport applications are done right and fast. They help with new or renewed passports. The team offers personal help and makes getting a passport easy.
Marriage Licenses
The Citrus County Clerk also gives out marriage licenses. Couples can go there to fill out the papers and get married. The team knows all about marriage licenses and makes it easy for everyone.
The Clerk’s office is very professional and accurate with these important records. They play a big part in the community’s life, making sure these documents are right.
Marriage License Fees and Requirements
- Regular marriage license fee: $86.00
- Fee with premarital course completion: $61.00
- Fee for Affirmation of Common Children form: $7.00
- Florida law requires a 3-day waiting period between application and the effective date of a marriage license, which can be waived with proof of 4 hours of marriage counseling from a registered provider.
- Florida marriage licenses are valid for 60 days from the effective date.
- One certified copy is included in the marriage license fee, with additional certified copies available for $3 each or $9.00 for an electronic certified copy.
- Individuals younger than 18 years need parental consent, while those over 17 require written consent from parents or a legal guardian.
- No citizenship requirement to obtain a marriage license.
- Vow renewals do not require a new marriage license.
- Licenses are provided for partners of any gender.
- Accepted payment methods: cash, checks, and credit cards.
The Citrus County Clerk of Court offers great services for passports and marriage licenses. They make sure these important documents are done right and fast. This helps the people of Citrus County a lot.
Board Meetings and Minutes
Accessing Board Meeting Information
The Citrus County Clerk of Court keeps track of board meetings and minutes. We know how important it is for the public to see this info. That’s why we make it easy for everyone to get to it.
It usually takes about two weeks to finish and get the meeting minutes approved. You can get minutes for different Advisory Boards by contacting the Board Recorder. This includes the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee and the Aviation Advisory Board.
To find board meeting info and minutes, visit the Citrus County Clerk of Court website. There, you can see agendas, minutes, and watch videos of meetings. Getting copies of meeting records costs $0.15 per page.
You can also get info from the Clerk’s office in other ways. You can download audio/video recordings of meetings from August 22, 2006, for free. These can also be copied to CD for $6. Meeting minutes from August 1, 1887, to now are free to view and print on the Meeting Portal.
If you want to speak at a board meeting, you can use Public Speaker Forms. Groups get five minutes, and individuals get three minutes per day. This is during the “Open to the Public” part of the meeting.
For more help or questions, call the Commission Records team at (352) 341-6455 or email CommissionRecords@citrusclerk.org.
| Information Type | Availability | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Board Meeting Minutes | Approved within 2 weeks | $0.15 per page |
| Advisory Board Minutes | Available by request | $0.15 per page |
| Audio/Video Recordings | Available since August 22, 2006 | Free to download, $6 to copy to CD |
| Public Speaker Forms | Available for Board Meetings | No cost |
“Transparency and public access to government information are essential for a healthy democracy. We are committed to making the Citrus County board meeting records readily available to our citizens.”
Public Information Sessions
The Citrus County Clerk of Court’s office holds public information sessions often. These sessions teach citizens about the services and projects of the Clerk’s office. People can learn how to use the Clerk’s website, find court records, understand jury services, and get other services from the Clerk’s office.
Citizens are encouraged to join these sessions. This helps make the Clerk’s office more open and teaches people about its resources.
At these sessions, people learn a lot about the Clerk’s office. They find out how to get official records, understand court rules, and use online tools. The goal is to make citizens more knowledgeable and involved with their local government.
The Citrus County Clerk of Court is dedicated to serving the community. These public information sessions show their commitment to keeping people informed. They are a great way for the Clerk’s office to talk to the public, answer questions, and make services more open and easy to use.