News, Notices, and Court Orders

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Chief Judge for the 7th Judicial Circuit released the First Amended Emergency Court Procedures (COVID-19) Administrative Order effective March 30th at 8:00 a.m. until April 20th at 8:00 a.m. Chief Judge Raul Zambrano also released an accompanying Memo. The Order continues most current provisions postponing non-critical proceedings and setting forth emergency procedures with some notable changes.

Highlights:

• Beginning April 6th through April 19th, criminal arraignments (including VOP's), competency hearings, and negotiated pleas/sentences involving persons incarcerated at the Volusia County jail, will take place at 1:30 p.m. at the Jail. See Order for more details.
• The Clerk of Court is directed to cancel foreclosure sales, cease issuance of writs of possession, and cease driver's license suspensions for failure to pay fines.
• Juvenile Shelter and Shelter Reviews will be held electronically or in person at the DeLand Courthouse.
• For Volusia, the Courthouse locations in Daytona remain closed to the public. Clerk services that require an in-person visit continue to be available at the DeLand Courthouse at the exterior walk-up windows.

Attorneys and parties may continue to file pleadings electronically with the Clerk in all case types. The Clerk will also continue to accept documents for recording in the Official Records, issue marriage licenses and passports, accept traffic citation or criminal case payments, accept child support payments, and assist with emergency injunction filings. We offer many remote services on our website (including payment of traffic citation payments and free records research). You can also reach us with questions or requests by emailing clerk@clerk.org or calling 386-736-5915.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Supreme Court has extended all current orders suspending jury service and limiting court proceedings through close of business on Friday, April 17th. However the Chief Judge of the Seventh Judicial Circuit will soon issue an administrative order with more specific information for Volusia County Courts. Updates and current information will continue to be posted to our website and on our official Facebook. All clerk services will continue as currently offered at the exterior service area of the DeLand Courthouse at this time.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Courthouses are closed to the public throughout Volusia County except for limited Clerk services and mission-critical judicial proceedings beginning March 18th at 5 p.m. until April 6, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. The Courthouse and Clerk's office are open for business tomorrow March 18th. Please read the Administrative Order entered March 17, 2020.

Highlights:

The Order details mission-critical court proceeding types and locations, and some set times. Most proceedings will take place either at the Volusia County Branch Jail or the Volusia County Courthouse in DeLand. Public entry is very limited.

Any proceedings not deemed critical are postponed:

"17. All court proceedings/events not mentioned herein that are scheduled to take place in any court facility in the Seventh Judicial Circuit are hereby postponed and are to be rescheduled by the parties or the court."

There will be no court proceedings held and no public entry at either Daytona courthouse per the Order:

"22. The S. James Foxman Justice Center and Volusia County Courthouse Annex in Daytona Beach are both closed to the general public. Persons wishing to conduct business with the Clerk of the Court related to the mission-critical functions enumerated in this Order may continue to do so using the exterior public access area on the south side of the Volusia County Courthouse in DeLand. The public may also record documents, obtain marriage licenses, pay child support, file injunctions, or pay tickets at the public access area."

Limited Clerk services will continue to be available:

• 1) All in-person public business with the Clerk of Court MUST be conducted at the exterior public access area on the south side of the Volusia County Courthouse in DeLand from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
• 2) The Clerk will provide services relating to those case types deemed mission critical as described below. The Clerk will also accept documents for recording in the Official Records, issue marriage licenses, accept child support payments, assist with all injunction filings, and accept traffic citation payments. We are unable to perform marriage ceremonies beginning Thursday, March 19th until operations resume. We will continue to process completed passport applications at the exterior service area - you must bring your own passport-compliant photo.
• 3) Many electronic services are still available through the Clerk's website at www.clerk.org and through normal electronic filing processes.

Court proceedings that will continue to be held are limited to those deemed "mission critical" as defined by the Order:

• a) First appearances;
• b) Bond hearings;
• c) Juvenile detention hearings;
• d) Juvenile shelter hearings;
• e) Domestic violence, repeat violence, sexual violence, dating violence and stalking injunctions, as well as all chapter 39 injunctions;
• f) Risk protection orders;
• g) Marchman Acts;
• h) Baker Acts;
• i) Family law (including juvenile) cases where the imminent safety of children is an issue;
• j) Vulnerable Adult injunctions;
• k) Emergency incapacity petitions and appointment of guardians;
• l) Proceedings involving requests for "do not resuscitate" orders;
• m) Adult Protective Service Act proceedings;
• n) Requests for search warrants and arrest warrants;
• o) Violations of quarantine or isolation orders;
• p) Violations of orders to limit travel;
• q) Violations of orders to close public or private buildings;
• r) Seizure of bodily fluids;
• s) Mandatory vaccinations proceedings;
• t) Enforcement of curfew orders;
• u) Extraordinary writs;
• v) Any other "emergency" proceedings or hearings as authorized by the Chief Judge.

If you have been scheduled to appear at a court proceeding in a case type not deemed to be mission critical, your appearance will be automatically postponed. See the Administrative Order for further direction.

Traffic citation and court obligation payments, records research, and requests for Clerk services related to mission-critical cases may be made by visiting www.clerk.org or emailing clerk@clerk.org or calling (386) 736-5915.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: ALL JURY TRIALS are suspended for the next two weeks but NON-JURY PROCEEDINGS OR APPEARANCES ARE STILL SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE. The Florida Supreme Court issued No. AOSC20-13 COVID-19 Emergency Procedures in the Florida State Courts on March 13, 2020, suspending all "grand jury proceedings, jury selection proceedings, and criminal and civil jury trials" from Monday, March 16, 2020, through Friday, March 27, 2020, due to the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

IMPORTANT NOTICE: At this time when safeguarding your health is top priority, remember that the Clerk's office offers many services and access to free court and land records online for your convenience. You can pay traffic tickets and obtain information remotely by visiting our website at www.clerk.org. Or email us with your questions or needs at clerk@clerk.org. Before you visit in person, give us a call to see how we can help remotely at (386) 736-5915.

2019 10895 PRDL: ESTATE OF LOUIS P. MINELLA - ORDER GRANTING MOTION TO DETERMINE CONFIDENTIALITY OF COURT RECORDS

• Effective January 2020 Small Claims will increase to $8,000.00.
• Effective January 2020 County Civil will increase from $15,001.00 to $30,000.00. The filing fee will remain the same at $400.00.

Effective July 1, 2018, if either of the parties is under the age of 18, the Clerk's Office is authorized to issue a marriage license only if the following conditions are met:

• The prospective party must be at least 17 years of age and provide an affidavit from his or her parents or legal guardian consenting to the marriage, which is acknowledged by a Notary Public or a Deputy Clerk.
• The older party to the marriage cannot be more than 2 years older than the younger party to the marriage.

In accordance with F.S. 741

Effective April 2, 2018, the passport execution fee will increase from $25.00 to $35.00. The $10.00 execution fee increase only applies to U.S. passport applicants using the DS-11 form, such as first-time applicants over 16, children under 16, and applicants who re-apply after reporting their previous passport lost or stolen.

By Order of the Chief Judge, the New Smyrna Beach Courthouse Annex will be permanently closed on December 23rd, 2017. Services previously provided at this location will be relocated to the Daytona Beach Courthouse Annex and the Volusia County Courthouse, DeLand. Click here to view a copy of the order.

The Clerk’s new Official Records application is fully implemented and we hope you are benefitting from this new mobile-friendly technology. We will discontinue offering the “old” Official Records application on Monday, December 4th. If you have bookmarks to the original Official Records Document Inquiry, you will need to remove them and start using the new inquiry after that date.

Supreme Court of Florida:The Supreme Court of Florida has issued Administrative Order AOSC17-69 regarding extension of time periods due to Hurricane Irma.

The Clerk of the Circuit Court is pleased to offer a mobile device friendly version of the Volusia County Official Records Document Inquiry. The New Document Inquiry has an updated design and we hope that you find searching the official records more efficient. Please feel free to provide feedback by using the Customer Service Survey found on the home page.

The Clerk's office now has an automated kiosk accepting payments for traffic citations and child support located in the hallway outside of the Traffic department, Room 109, at the City Island Courthouse Annex. It accepts cash, debit and most credit cards for your convenience. To make child support payments you'll need your case number and social security number. For traffic, please have your driver's license number and traffic citation number. Please be aware there is a convenience fee charged by the vendor for use of the kiosk.

Consumers targeted for payment of fraudulent citations

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) is warning consumers that they may be targeted by a company representing itself as the DHSMV demanding payment for fraudulent citations. The company, which is not associated with the DHSMV in any way, will send emails to consumers requesting payment of a citation within a certain timeframe and if the payment is not received on time, the company will falsely require a daily late fee payment.

The email sent to consumers includes a linked payment page and email address. While the linked payment page appears to be inactive at this time, the DHSMV is warning consumers that this is a scam and no payment should be made. If a consumer has made a payment, they should refute the charge and take the appropriate security measures with their financial institution.

Consumers should note the following:

• The DHSMV and Clerks of Court do not email citations to customers;
• The DHSMV and Clerks of Court do not require citation payment via email;
• Citation numbers are always seven alpha-numeric digits;
• If a consumer receives a notice regarding a suspicious citation, they should contact the local Clerk of Court or call the DHSMV immediately.

We are finding that some people that access forms from the website are still getting forms with Diane M. Matousek, while other people that access the same form are getting Laura E. Roth. This is occurring even after clearing all browser cache.

This issue can occur due to Adobe PDF Reader caching previously viewed documents in order to speed up display. Adobe Reader suggests the following steps to clear cache:

• Start Adobe Reader.
• From the menu, select Edit ~ Preferences ~ General.
• Select Startup. The Opening Documents option is displayed.
• Clear the Use Page Cache option to prevent Adobe Reader from storing the next page of a PDF image in a local cache.
• Shut down Adobe Reader.

Be aware that different versions of Adobe Reader exist with varying menu options. The version number usually can be found selecting Help and then About. Specific instructions may be available via a Google Search.

Credit and debit card payments can now be made online for all types of court cases such as Felony, Misdemeanor, Circuit Civil, County Civil, Family Law, and Probate. See Court Case Payments under Online Payment Options.

Effective Friday, December 2, 2016, the Clerk of Court is expanding the eService pilot to include Circuit Civil in addition to Family Law documents. Pursuant to Volusia County Administrative Order P-2016-152, attorneys will receive most court and clerk originated documents via their email address(es) registered on the Florida Statewide ePortal. If you receive service on a case in which you no longer represent a party, you must remove yourself from the service list for that case on the Statewide ePortal. Instructions on how to remove yourself from a case on the ePortal can be found here. Non-attorney parties who have registered on the Florida Statewide ePortal or who have filed a Permission to Use E-Mail form with the Clerk of Court, will also receive most court and clerk originated documents via the email address they have provided.

Notice - Effective August 1st, 2016, upon receipt of the summons issuance fee, the Volusia County Clerk's Office will prepare and electronically sign and seal the summons. The summons will then be mailed back to the filer and the filer is responsible for effectuating service on the party. The Clerk's office will no longer accept the Sheriff's fee and summons packets to be forwarded to the Sheriff, with the exception of evictions and pro se cases. Be advised the Clerk's office will begin eServing electronically signed summonses as well in the near future. Notices will be posted to our website advising of the date.

If you receive a mailing offering to provide a copy of your property deed in exchange for a fee, please be aware many of these documents are available for free, or certified copies for a nominal fee, on the Clerk of Court's website in Volusia County. You may use "Search Public Records Online" on our homepage and chose document inquiry under "Official Records" and find many recorded deeds, mortgages and other recorded public records. You may print these documents at no charge.

Effective immediately, subscriber access will be required in order to make image viewing requests on all sex-related criminal cases.

To obtain subscriber access, please refer to our Request Online Viewing page.

If you receive a call from someone claiming to represent the Clerk's office threatening you with a warrant or arrest as part of an attempt to get payment from you, this is an imposter and is NOT the Clerk's office. The most recent scam is sophisticated and may even appear to be the Clerk's office on your caller ID. However the official Clerk's office will never call you discussing a warrant or threatening you for payment over the phone. If you receive such a call, please call your local law-enforcement agency. Do not give money to the imposter.

We are pleased to announce that pursuant to Supreme Court Administrative Order AOSC 15-18, the Clerk is now authorized to make many public court document images available for online viewing. This Order specifies the security level permissions of various users depending on the case and document type. Cases and documents made confidential by statute or court order are excluded.

Using Case Inquiry on the Public Records page you will now see many public document images displayed automatically on the docket tab within the case. Some documents must be requested and reviewed by a Clerk before they can be released for online viewing. Of course, some case types and documents are nonpublic and may not be viewed.

Also, you may apply to receive login information for increased viewing permissions. These applications require a notarized signature and other information pursuant to the Supreme Court Order. To register for additional online viewing, see the options on the Request Online Viewing page.

NOTICE: Fraud Alert - Please review Notice Concerning Scams Targeting Jurors.

Volusia County Florida Clerk of the Circuit Court was awarded the 2015 Best of NIEM for their effort to standardize and centralize crucial court data and case files across Florida.

The Clerk's Office efforts in piloting of the Comprehensive Case Information System (CCIS 3.0) was so successful that the Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers (FCC) received a $1.8M grant to distribute among those needing funding assistance with implementing the model for information sharing state-wide. Data elements from CCIS 3.0 will be re-used, adapted, and extended not just in the state of Florida, but in communities across the country.