Fines, fees, service charges, and court costs are important sources of revenue that help fund the state courts system. Judges are responsible for assessing and enforcing these obligations and court clerks are responsible for collecting them. In Fiscal Year 2005‑06, clerks of court remitted $93.7 million in court-related collections to the state after funding their own operations. These funds offset 23% of the $405.4 million cost of the state courts system for that year.
Statewide, collection rates are generally high and clerks generally meet or exceed performance standards, although civil traffic and juvenile delinquency collections pose difficulties.
The Clerks of Court Operations Corporation should consider modifying the collection standard for the juvenile delinquency division as collections are small, thereby allowing clerks to target their resources toward divisions where defendants are more likely to be able to pay.
In keeping with its technical assistance mandate, the corporation should identify best practices for using collection methods that maximize collections.

Assessment, Collection, and Distribution of Fines and Fees in Criminal Cases
Report 19-14 November 2019
Clerk and Court State Funded Court-Related 2009-10 Fiscal Year Budget Information
Report 10-11A January 2010
Little Duplication in Court-Related Services; Clerk/Court Cooperation Should Be Improved
Report 10-11 January 2010
Court Fine and Fee Collections Can Increase
Report 04-07 January 2004

Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.