Court Programs
Overall management responsibility is maintained by the Court Administrator’s Office for numerous court related programs. These programs have been established to assist the Circuit and County Court Judges in the day-to-day functions of the court.
Case Management Unit: Case managers are assigned to the domestic relations, mental health, domestic violence, foreclosure, dependency and delinquency courts.
Court Interpreters: Provides translation and interpretation services for felony probation, misdemeanor, dependency and juvenile, child support and domestic violence cases.
Court Reporting Services (CRS): Responsible for accurately recording proceedings for: county criminal court, juvenile court, domestic violence court, mental health court and drug court. Services are provided for proceedings at the main courthouse and the three satellite courthouses.
Foreclosure Program: Please visit the Circuit Civil Foreclosure Program webpage for new procedures for residential mortgage foreclosure hearings.
General Counsel: The General Counsel serves as the legal advisor to the Chief Judge, Trial Court Administrator, and the judicial officers of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit.
Judicial Information Systems(JIS): Provides computer hardware and software to the Judiciary and staff of the Court Administrator’s Office.
Mediation and Arbitration: Provides efficient and cost-effective alternative dispute resolution processes to the overburdened court system.
Personnel: Provides personnel services to all court employees, both County and State funded positions. This Unit coordinates job recruitment, selection, evaluation, training, classification and pay benefits, and employee/labor relations for the Circuit and County Court Judiciary and court related programs.
Probate and Guardianship: Handles all matters relating to: determinations of incapacity for individuals over the age of 18, appointment of guardian advocates for developmentally disabled adults, estates (disposition without administration, summary administration and formal administration), guardianships, trusts, mental health (Baker Act), substance abuse (Marchman Act), tuberculosis, sexually transmissible diseases, and expedited judicial review for medical treatment.
Teen Court: Provides a diversion program designed to offer an alternative to formal juvenile court proceedings. Teen Court defendants are misdemeanor offenders generally aged 12-17, who voluntarily agree to participate. Cases are referred by the State Attorney’s Office and law enforcement agencies.