The St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller Reopening to the General Public
May 29, 2020
The St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller (SJC COCC) will reopen to the general public on Monday, June 1st. SJC COCC has partnered with St. Johns County Administration, The Chief Administrative Judge for St. Johns County, St. Johns County Emergency Management, St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, St. Johns Country Fire Rescue and Flagler Health+ to ensure public safety while still providing quality customer service.
The public entering the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center will only be allowed to enter through the south entrance and are required to be medically screened by Flagler Health+ with a temperature check and questionnaire. Their temperature must be less than 100.4 degrees to enter. The following will be asked in the questionnaire:
- Do you have any of the following symptoms (excluding those due to a known medical reason): cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell?
- Are you currently awaiting the results of a test to determine if you have COVID-19?
- Are you under instructions to self-isolate or quarantine due to COVID-19?
- Have you had close contact with someone with a COVID-19 diagnosis or who is awaiting test results for COVID-19?
- Have you travelled to an area with notably high concentration of COVID-19 cases?
After a person has completed a medical screening, they will proceed through security. If they do not have a mask, they will be issued a mask by a SJC COCC employee who will direct them to the appropriate service area based on their needs. Signage will also be posted to help guide persons to the appropriate area.
Customer service for the following departments will be provided in-person on a walk-in basis to accept payments and filings: Family, Civil, Traffic, Criminal, and Small Claims. General recordings which include Deeds and Notices of Commencement--which can also be completed at County Permitting department--will be provided on a walk-in basis. All other Recording functions including passport applications, issuance of marriage license, performance of marriage ceremony will remain available by appointment only.
St. Johns County Clerk of Court to resume issuing marriage licenses and processing passports May 11
May 7, 2020
Phased reopening of services announced via new weekly Facebook video
ST. AUGUSTINE—The St. Johns County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller’s office announced today that they will begin issuing marriage licenses and processing passport applications on Monday, May 11 for St. Johns County residents by appointment only.
St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller Brandon Patty said the resumption of marriage license and passport services is the first step in a phased reopening of the clerk’s office.
“Our office has been closely tracking the pandemic while fulfilling our essential court and county functions,” said Patty, who announced the resumption of services Thursday in a video on the clerk’s office Facebook page. “We believe our state and county has us in a place where resuming limited face-to-face services by appointment only will give us the ability to minimize customer wait time, reduce the public’s interaction with each other and ensure social distancing for those we value most, our staff and the people of St. Johns County.”
Marriage licenses and passports
Beginning Monday, May 11, the public will be admitted by appointment only through the north entrance of the St. Johns County Courthouse at 4010 Lewis Speedway in St. Augustine. All persons entering the courthouse must practice social distancing.
Appointments for marriage licenses and simple marriage ceremonies conducted at the front counter will be scheduled on weekdays between 9:15 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. Admittance will be for the two individuals applying for the license and/or ceremony only; no family members, friends or guests may be admitted into the building at this time. Payment must be in the form of credit card or check, as cash cannot be accepted at this time. Please call (904) 819-3632 to schedule an appointment.
Passport appointments may be scheduled between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays for the individual applying only; no friends, family members or guests may be admitted at this time. A money order or personal check payable to the U.S. Department of State will be required for processing fees. Acceptance fees must be paid by credit card or check, as cash cannot be accepted at this time. Passport applicants are encouraged to call (904) 819-3632 to schedule an appointment and to verify which application to complete prior to coming to the clerk’s office.
The U.S. Department of State’s website advises passport applicants to expect significant delays of several months in the processing of their application.
New video updates
The clerk’s office announced the resumption of marriage license and passport services through a Facebook video – a new weekly service that Patty instituted during the quarantine lockdown.
“With so many residents staying at home,” he said, “we thought a weekly Facebook video would be a great way to share our office’s background and mission as well as how we are working to make the office even more responsive to residents’ needs during this crisis.”
To be posted each week on the St. Johns County Clerk of Court Facebook page, the brief videos will continue even after the clerk’s office resumes full in-person services, Patty added.
“It’s a great way for us to raise awareness of the critical services the clerk’s office provides and help county residents access those services as easily and efficiently as possible.”
Richard O. Watson Judicial Center Closed to the Public Outside Mission Critical Court Proceedings
April 9, 2020
Per Florida Supreme Court Administrative Order SC20-23 (link opens in new window), all suspended activities except those deemed mission critical (identified below) have now been extended through May 29, 2020. This administrative order supersedes all previous orders.
Additionally, per administrative order Z-2020-035 (link opens in new window) from Seventh Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Zambrano, the current reduction in services will remain in effect until 8:00 a.m. on June 1, 2020.
Additional COVID-19 related information is available here.
UPDATED March 30, 2020
The St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller’s Office suspended all public services at 5 p.m. on March 19, 2020 through April 20, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. except those deemed to be "mission critical" as defined in Circuit Judge Howard Maltz’s March 27, 2020 [amended] Administrative Order regarding court closure and emergency procedures.
"The health of the public and our clerks is our number one priority during the COVID-19 pandemic," said St. Johns County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller Brandon Patty. "Suspending those activities that can wait until the crisis is over will curtail virus transmission opportunities." In accordance with the March 27, 2020 [amended] Administrative Order signed by Judge Maltz, the following procedures will be in effect:
- Only the following court proceedings deemed mission critical will be conducted as necessary through April 20, 2020 at 8:00 a.m.:
-
- First appearances;
- Bond hearings;
- Juvenile detention hearings;
- Juvenile shelter hearings;
- Domestic violence, repeat violence, sexual violence, dating violence and stalking injunctions, as well as all chapter 39 injunctions;
- Risk protection orders;
- Marchman Acts;
- Baker Acts;
- Family law (including juvenile) cases where the imminent safety of children is an issue;
- Vulnerable Adult injunctions;
- Emergency incapacity petitions and appointment of guardians;
- Proceedings involving requests for “do not resuscitate” orders;
- Adult Protective Service Act proceedings;
- Requests for search warrants and arrest warrants;
- Violations of quarantine or isolation orders;
- Violations of orders to limit travel;
- Violations of orders to close public or private buildings;
- Seizure of bodily fluids;
- Mandatory vaccinations proceedings;
- Enforcement of curfew orders;
- Extraordinary writs;
- Any other “emergency” proceedings or hearings as authorized by the Chief Judge.
All other court proceedings are hereby cancelled and will be rescheduled. All other filings, recordings, and marriage services are hereby suspended until April 17, 2020 at 8:00 a.m.
For a complete copy of the order, click here.
Brandon Patty
St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
Clerk of Court Online and In-Person Services
March 23, 2020
The St. Johns County Clerk of Court’s Office is closed to the public for non-mission critical court functions; however, you can still take advantage of several of our online services while the Judicial Center is closed.
If you need to record in the official records, please follow this link https://stjohnsclerk.com/erecording-vendor/ to use one of our e-recording vendors.
We have also partnered with the county to provide recording of your real estate related documents at the permitting office.
At this time, marriage ceremonies and passport services have been suspended.
The St. Johns County Clerk of Court’s Office remains open to the public for mission critical functions.
All other filings can still be processed through our e-filing services. If you need to file in your court case, please follow this link https://stjohnsclerk.com/courts/efile/.
Those with courthouse business are strongly encouraged to call (904) 819-3600 or email coc@stjohnsclerk.com prior to coming to the courthouse to confirm that the needed services are currently available in person.
The public may also visit https://stjohnsclerk.com to pay court fines, file court documents and more.
Jury Duty
PLEASE NOTE: Due to the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19), the Florida Supreme Court has suspended all grand jury proceedings, jury selection proceedings and criminal and civil jury trials from Monday, March 16, 2020, through Friday, April 17, 2020.
Those who have been summoned for jury duty through April 17, 2020 are hereby excused and do not need to report. The courthouse remains open for all other services, many of which may be performed online at https://stjohnsclerk.com.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding through this time. We stand ready to serve in any way we can.
Brandon Patty
St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
Richard O. Watson Judicial Center Closed to the Public Outside Mission Critical Court Proceedings
March 19, 2020
The St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller’s Office suspended all public services at 5 p.m. on March 19, 2020 through April6, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. except those deemed to be "mission critical" as defined in Circuit Judge Howard Maltz’s March 18, 2020 Administrative Order regarding court closure and emergency procedures.
"The health of the public and our clerks is our number one priority during the COVID-19 pandemic," said St. Johns County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller Brandon Patty. "Suspending those activities that can wait until the crisis is over will curtail virus transmission opportunities." In accordance with the March 18, 2020 Administrative Order signed by Judge Maltz, the following procedures will be in effect:
- Only the following court proceedings deemed mission critical will be conducted as necessary through April 5, 2020:
-
- First appearances;
- Bond hearings;
- Juvenile detention hearings;
- Juvenile shelter hearings;
- Domestic violence, repeat violence, sexual violence, dating violence and stalking injunctions, as well as all chapter 39 injunctions;
- Risk protection orders;
- Marchman Acts;
- Baker Acts;
- Family law (including juvenile) cases where the imminent safety of children is an issue; j. Vulnerable Adult injunctions;
- Emergency incapacity petitions and appointment of guardians;
- Proceedings involving requests for “do not resuscitate” orders;
- Adult Protective Service Act proceedings;
- Requests for search warrants and arrest warrants;
- Violations of quarantine or isolation orders;
- Violations of orders to limit travel;
- Violations of orders to close public or private buildings;
- Seizure of bodily fluids;
- Mandatory vaccinations proceedings;
- Enforcement of curfew orders;
- Extraordinary writs;
- Any other “emergency” proceedings or hearings as authorized by the Chief Judge.
- The north entrance will be open for public access, limited to those matters specified above.
All other court proceedings are hereby cancelled and will be rescheduled. All other filings, recordings, and marriage services are hereby suspended until April 6, 2020 at 8:00 a.m.
Brandon Patty
St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
Courthouse Access Now Through North Entrance Only
March 18, 2020
As part of the Clerk’s office COVID-19 precautionary measures, public access to the St. Johns County Courthouse will now be limited to the building’s north entrance, across from the Sheriff’s office on Lewis Speedway.
Those with courthouse business are strongly encouraged to call (904) 819-3600 prior to coming to the courthouse to confirm that the needed services are currently available in person. The public may also visit https://sjcclerkcourt.com to pay fines, file court documents and more.
Brandon Patty
St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
Limitation of Services
March 16, 2020
Effective immediately, The St Johns County Clerk's Office is limiting certain non-essential services to reduce courthouse traffic amid concerns about the Coronavirus outbreak.
Passport services: All passport related services are suspended until further notice.
Marriage ceremonies: We will continue issuing marriage licenses; however, all ceremonies will be limited to just the couple getting married. In an effort to reduce exposure, no parties other than the couple getting married will be allowed to participate.
To pay fines, file court documents and perform other services online, visit https://sjcclerkcourt.com. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding.
St. Johns County Clerk of Court