UPDATE 10/13/2020
The Clerk’s office remains open to the public at full staff as we are considered critical, essential workers. The offices are being cleaned and sanitized on an ongoing basis. Employees are encouraged to wash their hands, use hand sanitizer, and wipe surfaces frequently. We have plexiglass desk shields to provide separation from our customers, and employees are wearing masks and social distancing separation is occurring as we continue to do everything possible to combat COVID-19.
Florida Supreme Court Administrative Order AOSC20-23, Amendment 3, and AOSC20-32 established a four-phase plan for the Judicial Branch to respond to the pandemic. Under Administrative Order 2020-13 executed by Chief Judge, Hon. Jonathan Sjostrom in the Second Circuit, Franklin County has satisfied the benchmark criteria for transition to Phase 2. Phase 2 allows court proceedings to be held with limited in-person attendance, with screening questions to be asked to those appearing along with requirements for masks to be worn and social distancing to be in place. Franklin County’s courtrooms have been modified to comply.
A date for jury trials has been scheduled. Jury selection is scheduled for October 26, 2020 in County Court before County Judge, Hon. J. Gordon Shuler, and jury summons have been mailed. The docket for the trial cases is currently scheduled on October 19, 2020, and after that date, it should be known if the trials will go forward.
Many Clerk services and forms are available online. See my update here from 3/20/2020 which contains links to online services. The office can be reached by telephone at 850-653-8861. You can select a zero (0) when you call, and someone will respond.
UPDATE 7/29/2020
The Clerk’s office is back to full staff at the Main Courthouse. There were some employees who tested positive for Covid-19 and there were other employees who had to quarantine because of close contact. All employees who returned to work presented release paperwork from the Department of Health upon their return.
The offices are being thoroughly cleaned and sanitized on an ongoing basis, and a special cleaning from a professional company was performed. Employees are encouraged to wash their hands, use hand sanitizer, and wipe surfaces frequently. Our plexiglass desk shields are providing some separation from our customers, and employees are wearing masks and social distancing separation is occurring. We are doing everything we possibly can to combat Covid-19.
The Franklin County Clerk of Court remains open for business as we are considered critical, essential workers. Please be aware that safety protocols are in place for those who must visit the office in person. This is for the safety of our team and the public.
To further limit in-person contact, many Clerk services are still available by phone at 850-653-8861 and online. You can select a zero (0) when you call, and someone will respond. Many forms are also available for download and update 3/20/2020 contains important links to online services.
UPDATE 7/16/2020
More Clerk’s office employees tested positive for COVID-19.
The Health Department is aware of this, and all protocols are being followed.
The office has been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized on an ongoing basis, and a special cleaning from a professional company will be done this weekend. Recently, plexiglass was installed to provide some separation from our customers, and employees will wear masks and social distance.
The Franklin County Clerk of Court remains open for business as we are considered critical workers, while limiting non-essential services to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Be aware that safety protocols are in place for those who must visit the office in person. This is for the safety of our team and the public.
As affected employees are in quarantine, our office is short-staffed; please be patient as we do our best to assist you.
To further limit in-person contact, many Clerk services are still available by phone at 850-653-8861 and online. You can select a zero (0) when you call, and someone will respond. Many forms are also available for download and update 3/20/2020 contains important links to online services.
UPDATE 7/6/2020
Two Clerk’s office employees tested positive for COVID-19. Both employees were asymptomatic and tested positive after random testing of Clerk staff.
All employees having direct contact with those who tested positive are quarantining for a period of 14 days.
The office will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized on an ongoing basis. Recently, plexiglass was installed to provide some separation from our customers, and employees will wear masks and social distance when they are not behind the plexiglass windows.
The Franklin County Health Department is aware of the situation, and the Clerk’s office is following their recommended protocols.
The Franklin County Clerk of Court remains open for business, while limiting non-essential services to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Be aware that safety protocols are in place for those who must visit the office in person. This is for the safety of our team and the public.
As affected employees are in quarantine, our office is short-staffed; please be patient as we do our best to assist you.
To further limit in-person contact, many Clerk services are still available by phone at 850-653-8861 and online. You can select a zero (0) when you call, and someone will respond. Many forms are also available for download and update 3/20/2020 contains important links to online services.
UPDATE 04/20/2020
The Department of Homeland Security through the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released their new Essential Critical Infrastructure worker list. The Franklin County Clerk of Court remains open as our operations and services provided are classified as essential. The services provided are crucial to community resilience and continuity of essential functions.
The Clerk of Courts provides operational support to essential county departments (emergency management, public works, solid waste, mosquito control, animal control, building department, planning and zoning, veteran’s services, extension, library and administration) by processing payroll and vendor payments for those performing essential services and programs to residents. The Clerk’s office also processes budget transfers for other constitutional offices such as the Sheriff’s Department and Tax Collector, transfers the operational subsidy for the hospital and ambulance service and distributes MSBU proceeds to the local fire departments. Our finance department is here to support the efforts of other critical agencies.
The Clerk’s office has continued to record Official Records documents which are vital to our public sector, especially to those who may be trying to get their ownership paperwork in order. We continue to offer services to our customers seeking injunctions for protection, dissolutions of marriage, and other civil proceedings, not including foreclosure and evictions which have been put on hold. We continue to file criminal arrest cases and traffic cases as these things have not stopped, and we must be present for video court sessions. We attend all county commission meetings and prepare the minutes. Just in March, we had two regular meetings and four special meetings. Our staff is continually answering telephone calls, and although many of those calls are not related to our tasks, we try to assist everyone and point them in the right direction because we are here to help.
Recognizing that the COVID-19 environment is unique, all employees are encouraged to take leave time if they feel sick, wear masks if they desire, practice social distancing and to wash and sanitize their hands and office spaces frequently.
The Franklin County Clerk of Court continues to limit in-person, non-essential services to prevent the spread of coronavirus COVID-19, but we are still seeing customers in person. It’s not easy to balance social distancing and helping our citizens with their needs; however, we are getting the job done.
The Clerk will still serve customers by phone at 850- 653-8861 and online. Many of the services provided are available online as well as Forms. Visit www.franklinclerk.com and look for Coronavirus/COVID-19/Clerk’s Office Status and then select Office Status Page and look at the Update 3/20/2020 information for important links to online services.
UPDATE 04/08/2020 REGARDING COURT SESSIONS
UPDATE RELATIVE TO COURT SCHEDULED ON MAY 7TH FOR COUNTY CRIMINAL CASES
COUNTY COURT SCHEDULED WITH JUDGE SHULER ON MAY 7TH HAS BEEN CANCELLED AND RESET FOR JUNE 4TH AT THIS TIME. IF YOU WERE NOTICED TO APPEAR, AND IF YOU HAVE AN ATTORNEY REPRESENTING YOU, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR ATTORNEY TO DETERMINE ANY ACTION YOU SHOULD TAKE. THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF ATTORNEYS AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS THAT MAY BE HELPFUL:
Courtenay Miller, Assistant Public Defender: 850-653-9506
Craig Brown: 850-580-1529
Katelyn Crosson: 850-767-3330
Donna Duncan: 850-653-8976
Baya Harrison: 850-997-5554
Lucas Lanasa: 850-296-2047
Robert Morris: 850-792-1111
Robin Myers: 850-559-9750
Ethan Way: 850-412-0142
Jessica Yeary: 850-997-8181
IF YOU ARE NOT REPRESENTED BY A LAWYER AND HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU MAY CALL THE CLERK’S OFFICE STAFF REGARDING CASES SET FOR MAY 7TH. CALL BETTY SASNETT AT 850-653-8861, EXT 108 OR LISA ZINGARELLI AT 850-653-8861 EXT 185.
The Franklin County Clerk of Court continues to limit in-person, non-essential services to prevent the spread of coronavirus COVID-19.
The Clerk will still serve customers by phone at 850-653-8861 and online. Many of the services provided are available online as well as Forms. Visit www.franklinclerk.com and look for Coronavirus/COVID-19/Clerk’s Office Status and then select Office Status Page and look at the Update 3/20/2020 information for important links to online services.
UPDATE 04/07/2020 REGARDING COURT SESSIONS
UPDATE RELATIVE TO COURT SCHEDULED ON APRIL 13 AND 14 FOR FELONY CASES AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY CASES
HEARINGS WILL BE CONDUCTED REMOTELY BY TELEPHONE. IF YOU WERE NOTICED TO APPEAR, AND IF YOU HAVE AN ATTORNEY REPRESENTING YOU, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR ATTORNEY TO DETERMINE ANY ACTION YOU SHOULD TAKE. THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF ATTORNEYS AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS THAT MAY BE HELPFUL:
Courtenay Miller, Assistant Public Defender: 850-653-9506
Joseph C. Bodiford: 850-222-4529
Craig Brown: 850-580-1529
Katelyn Crosson: 850-767-3330
Jonathan Dingus: 850-218-8108
Stephen Dodson III: 850-425-7500
Donna Duncan: 850-653-8976
John Eagen: 850-894-1859
Baya Harrison: 850-997-5554
James P. Judkins: 850-224-9115
Stephen Knight: 850-513-3151
Lucas Lanasa: 850-296-2047
Robert Morris: 850-792-1111
Robin Myers: 850-559-9750
Luke Newman: 850-224-4444
Ethan Way: 850-412-0142
Jessica Yeary: 850-997-8181
The Franklin County Clerk of Court continues to limit in-person, non-essential services to prevent the spread of coronavirus COVID-19.
Clerk employees are still working to support Franklin County and the Second Judicial Circuit. Clerks will continue to serve customers in person who have essential business with the courts, as outlined in Administrative Order 2020-03, including:
- Injunctions of cases of domestic violence, repeat violence, sexual violence, and stalking
- Petitions for Risk Protection Orders
- Baker or Marchman Act proceedings
The Clerk will still serve customers by phone at 850-653-8861 and online. Many of the services provided are available online as well as Forms. Visit www.franklinclerk.com and look for Coronavirus/COVID-19/Clerk’s Office Status and then select Office Status Page and look at the Update 3/20/2020 information for important links to online services.
UPDATE 03/24/2020
The Franklin County Clerk of Court continues to suspend in-person, non-essential services to prevent the spread of coronavirus COVID-19.
Clerk employees will still be working to support Franklin County and the Second Judicial Circuit. Clerks will continue to serve customers in person who have essential business with the courts, as outlined in Administrative Order 2020-03, including:
- Injunctions of cases of domestic violence, repeat violence, sexual violence, and stalking
- Petitions for Risk Protection Orders
- Baker or Marchman Act proceedings
Marriage licenses will be issued, and people are encouraged to call 850-653-8861, ext. 102 or 109, to make an appointment. Couples must come into the office with required proof of identification and must complete the marriage license application. The application form can be printed out, completed, and brought into the office which will save time. Go to the Clerk’s website select Records, Select Marriage and print the form or access marriage information here.
The office shall continue to accept and record documents in the Official Records. The Clerk strongly encourages the use of e-recording, and there are two companies that perform that service for the office. Go to the Clerk’s website, click on the blue box that says “eRecording” to see the contact information for the vendors or access eRecoding information here.
The Clerk will still serve customers by phone at 850-653-8861 and online. Many of the services provided are available online as well as Forms. Visit our site and look for Coronavirus/COVID-19/Clerk’s Office Status and then select Office Status Page and look at the Update 3/20/2020 information for important links to online services.
UPDATE 03/20/2020
The Franklin County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller is working with our judicial and government partners to closely monitor the situation and take necessary steps to deal with the spread of COVID-19. Although the clerk’s offices will remain open for normal business hours, persons who do not have essential business in court facilities are requested to refrain from coming into the courthouse buildings and to conduct their business online.
We will continue working diligently to provide you options and access to services you need. Should this event require any changes to our daily operations, we will post news on our website when possible. Our telephone number is 850-653-8861 (Mon-Fri, 8:00 AM -5:00 PM).
Online Services
You can conduct business with our office online by visiting our website.
- Pay a traffic ticket (or through the main website, select the blue box that says Traffic Citations)
- Pay a Compliance Citation (or through the main website, select the blue box that says Compliance Citations)
- Pay court costs and fines (or through the main website, select the blue box that says Court Payments)
- Electronically record mortgages, deeds, and other official records (or through the main website, select the blue box that says eRecording)
- File court documents (or through the main website, select the blue box that says E-File)
- Search court and official records (or through the main website, select the blue box that says Records Search)
- Forms (or through the main website, select Filing & Forms on the menu bar at the top of the screen).
Court
For individual cases here in Franklin County, you can click on the search court records at the Clerk’s website. If you are represented by an attorney, stay in contact with your attorney. If you don’t have an attorney, you can call our office to check on court dates at 850-653-8861. You can also get text or email regarding calendar events by registering for e-notify here. For court updates, visit the Second Judicial Circuit’s website.
Jury Duty
At this time, all Franklin County jury selection proceedings are suspended through March 31, 2020.