The Clerk of Court is typically an elected position that is held for a set number of years. While the exact length of term varies from county to county and state to state, the average length is roughly four to six years. When serving as a Clerk of Court, one is responsible for performing several different tasks on a daily basis. One of the primary functions is serving as a record keeper for the circuit court. Whenever anything goes through the local court, it first must go through the Clerk of Court. Cases are filed through the Clerk, and he or she is also responsible for attending hearings and trials. After the trial, the Clerk files all the relevant information such as the outcome of the case. The Clerk is also in charge of other things such as marriage applications as well. When someone is in search of court records regarding cases, property deeds, or other public information, the Clerk of Court handles this as well. Because the Clerk is directly responsible for handling such a large number of tasks on a regular basis, he or she will often be assisted by a staff of individuals who are able to perform the majority of these tasks while serving as a representative of the Clerk.

While the Clerk of Court is primarily in charge of serving as a record keeper, he or she also holds the title of being the financial officer of the court. As such, whenever the court is owned fines or fees, they are paid to the clerk. In situations where money must be paid out by the court, the Clerk is in charge of this as well. When performing financial transactions, the Clerk must keep detailed records of any money that comes into or is paid out by the court. When past due money is owed, the Clerk may also act as a collection agent or hire and outside agent to assist with securing the money that is owed through whatever legal avenues may be available. James B. Jett serves as the Clay County Clerk of Court in Florida.