Clay County Clerk of Court and Comptroller Tara S. Green would like to share this important statewide announcement with Clay County residents and our justice system customers.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – This week, Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers (FCCC) is celebrating 2023 Sunshine Week (March 12–18, 2023), the annual recognition week honoring Florida’s commitment to transparency and government in the sunshine.
“Clerks of Court and Comptrollers play an instrumental role in promoting transparency in county government and the court system,” said 2022-2023 FCCC President and Martin County Clerk of Court and Comptroller Carolyn Timmann. “The court and official records we maintain belong to the public, and we are committed to ensuring access to this information while maintaining processes that protect confidentiality and promote safety. This Sunshine Week, I encourage you to learn more about the records we hold, protect and provide access to.”
Clerks of Court uphold transparency in county government and the court system with accurate record keeping and efficient reporting. Toward this responsibility, Clerks of Court provide citizens access to public documents such as court and official records, offer fraud services for the public to shed light on allegations of fraud and waste, and enhance access to public information by harnessing new technologies to provide more official documents and services online.
In their function as Comptroller, most Clerks promote fiscal transparency in county government by conducting independent audits and reviews of county expenses and activities and maintaining financial records and reports on financial activities for the Board of County Commissioners. Many Comptrollers also develop annual financial reports, often accessible online, to help constituents understand how their tax dollars are managed and spent.
In honor of Sunshine Week, Clerks of Court are providing quick tips for requesting public records from their local offices:
- Get to know the contacts for requesting public records. Many offices have liaisons in the Recording Department. If you request public records frequently, it may be helpful to contact these individuals.
- Be precise with your public records requests. Putting your request in writing and being specific with your request helps improve efficiency.
- Most public records are available online. (Through this website!)
- Don’t know what you’re looking for? Just ask. Public Records liaisons are available to assist you with formulating the most appropriate request to fulfill your needs.
Thank you.
Quick Tips for Requesting Public Records