Lee’s Clerk of Courts addresses North Fort Myers Chamber
Linda Doggett’s job as Lee County’s Clerk of Court is a whole lot more than sending out notices for jury duty. In fact, her role plays a vital service for most people in the area.
That’s what she told those who attended the monthly North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce business luncheon Wednesday at All-Star Lanes on Old 41.
Doggett, who has spoken at the luncheon previously, reviewed her role as well as explained some of the new features her department will perform in the near future.
The main tasks of the clerk’s office is to partner with the court system, preserve the records of the history of Lee County and make sure tax dollars are spent wisely.
It also issues marriage licenses, copies of property deeds, provides forms for court filings and provides a place to pay traffic fines.
Doggett, who was elected clerk of courts after working for longtime clerk Charlie Green, said she quickly learned that the job can be harrowing, but added she has enjoyed her time in the position.
As her background is in technology, Doggett has used it to provide better service, save money and streamline the process.
“The clerk’s office is the record keeper. We process documents and information for the courts and county and we process lots of money,” Doggett said. “We need technology to make that happen effectively, and I push it as a pivotal part of what we do.”
Technology has also allowed nearly 30 percent of Doggett’s workforce to work from home. They perform many of the same duties as those in the office, only they can do it on their time.
“We’ve been doing it for years and we’re still excited about it because it works so well. The people who do it love it,” Doggett said. “They can work anytime, day or night as long as they put in eight hours.”
The website can also be used to check court cases, which could prove handy if you’re looking for a business to perform a service for you. Doggett said she uses it to check up on doctors if she has a medical issue.
“If there are a bunch of malpractice cases, that’s a big red flag because I’m not going to go to that doctor. I want to survive that surgery,” Doggett said.
Jury duty is a good part of what they do, and was the main topic of Doggett’s discussion. She explained how people can check on their status if summoned and what happens if you are summoned and don’t have to show up. She also said that if the jury pool is slim, the judge can start doling out fines on people who blow off jury duty.
The office will introduce more services in the coming months. In the next six months, you will be able to look at court documents online to go with the dockets they already do. The Supreme Court approved the access to documents to the public after a 10-year moratorium.
“You have to redact personal information, you can’t show the faces of family members or probates or wills. But you can see general court cases,” Doggett said. “You can see what the judge decided. It used to be that attorneys had access and everyone else didn’t. The First Amendment people had an issue with that.”
The Clerk’s office will also be able to investigate cases involving legal guardianships to make sure the guardian isn’t taking financial advantage of the people they’re caring for.
Courts are already holding show-cause hearings on these cases.