Judge orders Clerk to spend non-existent funds

The Chief Judge of the 18th Circuit Court, after accusing me of failing to provide requested financial information and failing to discuss staff and operational changes with the Judges, is issuing an order forbidding the Brevard County Clerk of Courts from implementing cost saving changes in light of a $1.5 million shortfall, 20 layoffs, and the loss of 25 more full-time equivalent employees (out of 330) while we work on reduced work schedules of 36 hour weeks.
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Judiciary in Full Court Press to Obliterate Clerk’s Offices

The Florida Association of Court Clerks held a meeting Wednesday in Tallahassee to discuss the current movement by the Judiciary through the Legislature to take over the Clerk’s Courts employees. Although I rarely go to Tallahassee I drove up very early Wednesday morning, got the scoop, and got back to the Viera Courthouse Wednesday evening.

There is no rumor, there is fact, and the fact is the Office of the State Court Administrator (OSCA), Judge Quince of the Supreme Court, and the current Chief Judges of all Florida Circuits are working overtime on the Legislators to strip the employees and their funding from the Clerk’s Office.
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Does Anyone Appreciate the Gravity of this Situation?

Many of the people on this e-mail list have ties to real estate, banking, title companies, government, business, etc., so I forward this bizarre letter for your information.

The attached letter from Brevard County Court Administration is fairly brief without elaboration. The Courts will not be certifying civilian process servers anymore, no reason given. Read more