The duties of the Clerk of the Courts of Osceola County are divided into two major categories: Clerk of the Circuit and County Courts and County Recorder. These duties are vested in the Clerk by the State Constitution and are implemented and expanded by numerous state statutes, regulations, county ordinances, and judicial orders.
The Clerk is not only a Constitutional Officer of the State but also an officer of the Court. Along with the Judges and Sheriff, the Clerk and his deputies are an important, necessary, and integral part of the judicial branch of the government.
In his capacity as an officer of the Court, the Clerk has the responsibility for the clerical part of the Court’s business. The Clerk keeps the Court’s record and seal, issues process, enters judgments and orders, attends court, gives certified copies from the record, maintains custody of court records and all related pleadings filed, secures evidence entered in court, and performs other court-related duties.
The Clerk is also the official recorder of all instruments that may, by law, be recorded in Osceola County. Examples of instruments recorded are deeds, leases, agreements, mortgages, satisfactions of mortgages, tax warrants, notices of claims of liens, and any instruments relating to ownership, transfer, or encumbrance of real or personal property.
All documents in the custody of the Clerk are available for public inspection with the exception of juvenile delinquency and dependency records, mental health records, and any records ordered sealed by the Judge.
Further responsibilities of the Osceola County Clerk are the issuance of marriage licenses, passports, collection and disbursement of court fines and assessments (including traffic), and court-ordered child support/alimony.