Grant Maloy was elected Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller of Seminole County in November 2016 and began serving on January 3, 2017. He grew up in Seminole county and is a graduate of Lake Howell High School and the University of Florida.

Grant has been active in the community as a local business owner and served as a Seminole County Commissioner from 1996 through 2004. He is also very active in various church ministries and is a member of a bluegrass band as their banjo player. Grant currently serves on the Civitek, Communications for FCCC and Clerk of Court Operations Corporation Budget Committees.

Some of Grant’s hobbies include playing the banjo, playing bass and guitar, sailing, kayaking and mountain biking.

 

 

Duties of the Clerk & Comptroller

A public officer is a public trust. The people have the right to secure and sustain that trust.”

Article I, Section 8, Florida Constitution

The Florida Constitution, which has governed Florida citizens for more than 175 years, established a Clerk & Comptroller as an elected public trustee in 1838 and established at the county level a system of checks and balances that has served the public well. The functions and duties of Clerk & Comptrollers vary from state to state. In most jurisdictions, the Clerk & Comptroller is generally vested with a large number of administrative duties. The Florida Clerk is not only Clerk of the Circuit Court, but also the County Treasurer, Recorder, Auditor, Finance Officer, and Ex-Officio Clerk of the County Commission in most counties.

“There shall be in each county a Clerk of the Circuit Court who shall be selected pursuant to the provisions of Article VIII, Section 1.” Article V, Section 16, Florida Constitution

The Office of the Clerk & Comptroller performs a wide range of record keeping, information management, and financial management for the judicial system and county government. Because the Clerk & Comptroller’s duties affect the rights and property of county citizens, it is essential that the Clerk & Comptroller remain accountable for his or her actions. For this reason, the constitution and statutes require that the Clerk:

  • is governed by statutory authority in carrying out the duties and functions of the office,
  • as auditor and custodian of county funds, is subject to state Auditor General rules and regulations, and
  • is subject to annual audits by independent firms.

Public evaluation and scrutiny in the election process every four years also ensures accountability of your locally elected Clerk & Comptroller.

“The Clerk of the Circuit Court shall be Ex-Officio Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners, Auditor, Recorder and Custodian of all county funds.” Article VIII, Section 1(d), Florida Constitution

The Joint Select Committee on Judicial Personnel of the Florida Legislature calculated that the Clerk & Comptroller’s Office performs 926 different constitutional and statutory functions and duties (this number does not include responsibilities required by court rule and administrative order). The number of tasks continues to grow with changes in legislation, regulations and reporting requirements.

Clerk of the Circuit and County Court Duties

  • Attend Court hearings and trials
  • File indictments, information, and verdicts
  • Process all civil and criminal cases
  • Prepare appellate records
  • Jury management
  • Collect and disburse fines, court costs, forfeitures, fees, and service charges
  • Conduct mortgage foreclosure sales
  • Maintain custody of all evidence and exhibits entered by the court
  • Assist in completing paperwork required to file a Small Claims action
  • Assist in completing paperwork required to file petitions for protective injunctions (domestic, repeat, sexual, and dating violence)
  • Issue process service documents
  • Maintain court registry
  • Audit guardianship reports
  • Audit child support payments

Recorder of Deeds Duties

  • Record and index deeds, mortgages, and descriptions of all county property
  • Process tax deed applications and conduct sales
  • Record public defender liens and judgments entered by the court, record tax liens and claims against an estate, instruments of conveyance, agreements, contracts, maps and plats of subdivisions and surveys
  • Maintain a public records library
  • Collect and disburse intangible taxes
  • Collect and disburse documentary stamp monies

Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners Duties

  • Attend meetings of the Board of County Commissioners and committees of the board
  • Produce, record, index and distribute the official minutes of these meetings
  • Maintain legal custody of the Official County Seal
  • Maintain custody of all county resolutions, ordinances, and contracts
  • Process appeals for Value Adjustment Board
  • Attestation

Accountant and Custodian of County Funds Duties

  • Provide accounting services to all departments under the Board of County Commissioners
  • Provide an accounting system for all fiscal changes implemented by the Board
  • Handle investments of available county funds
  • Provide financial reporting to the Board and all federal and state agencies
  • Process accounts payable
  • Process the county payroll

County Auditor Duties

  • Pre-audit all County expenditures before payment
  • Review proposed contracts before adoption
  • Conduct internal post-audits to determine if financial controls are sufficient
  • Prepare reports suggesting improvements to management

Other Duties of the Clerk

  • Issue and record marriage license applications
  • Compile and provide statistical data for state agencies and the judiciary
  • Maintain records storage facilities
  • Process passport applications
  • Issue home solicitation permits

References:

Florida Constitution
Article VIII, Section 1, Article V, Section 16, Florida Constitution establishes the Office of the Clerk & Comptroller

Florida Statutes
Title V, Chapter 28 – Clerk of the Circuit Court
Title X, Chapter 119 – Public Records

Clerk Budget

The Florida Constitution established the Clerk & Comptroller as a public trustee, independently elected to safeguard public funds and public records. Since the Clerk is responsible for Seminole County finances and Official Records as well as all court records of the 18th Judicial Circuit, portions of the Clerk’s budget have different revenue sources, different expenditure rules, and different approval authorities.

Our Budget includes personnel and operating costs from four funding sources: Seminole County Board of County Commissioners, Official Records Recording fees, State of Florida funding, and Court Technology fees.

Code of Ethics

Code of Ethics

The Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller is committed to the highest standards of ethics:

  • We shall faithfully carry out all our appropriate duties striving at all times to perform our work diligently, efficiently, equitably, thoroughly and courteously; observing the highest standards of conduct and professionalism.
  • We shall conduct clerk business to further the public interest.
  • We shall avoid both impropriety and the appearance of impropriety.
  • We shall conduct our work without bias or prejudice.
  • We shall express the truth as best we know it.
  • We shall notify the appropriate authority whenever we or anyone in our immediate family are named in any action pending before the court.
  • We shall use our official position solely for its intended purpose.
  • We understand the clerk’s office has a “no gift” policy.
  • We shall avoid relationships that would impair our impartiality and independent judgment.
  • We shall recruit, select and advance personnel based on demonstrated knowledge, skills, abilities and bona fide work-related factors, not favoritism.
  • We expect our fellow deputy clerks to abide by the standards set out in this code.
  • We shall immediately report any attempt to compel us to violate these tenets in any manner to the appropriate authority.
  • We shall not inappropriately destroy, alter, falsify, mutilate, backdate or fail to make required entries on any records within the clerk’s control unless ordered in writing to do so by the court.
  • We shall maintain the legally required confidentialities of the office, not disclosing information, whether or not confidential, to any unauthorized person for any purpose.
  • We shall at all times respect litigants and the public.
  • We shall use the resources, property and funds under our official control judiciously and solely in accordance with prescribed procedures and appropriate law(s).
Submit Your Feedback

We Want To Hear From You! Submit Your Feedback!

Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public record. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public-records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.

Submit Feedback
How was our customer service? *
Did you find us to be friendly and helpful? *
What location did you contact for service? *
May we contact you regarding your experience with our office?

 

Website by MuniCreative