About the Clerk of Circuit Court
Circuit Court Clerk Erica W. Conner is an elected official whose first term began
on Jan. 1, 2008. Her office is charged with more than 800 statutory responsibilities, extending beyond judicial-related business to non-judicial and fiscal activities as well. The Clerk is elected by voters to an 8-year term.
As
Chief Operating Officer of the Court, the Clerk ensures judiciary members are provided administrative support during courtroom proceedings. In criminal cases, the Clerk makes certain that all proceedings are recorded and memorialized, administers
all criminal case records, and coordinates case scheduling and other case-related activities with prosecutors and law enforcement. The Clerk's Office also lends overall judicial support by managing juries, maintaining and disposing of evidence, issuing
arrest and other legal documents to be served, investing/distributing monies on the part of litigants or third party beneficiaries, collecting criminal fines and costs and serving as repository for the Court's records.
Inquiries concerning
the Court, procedures, policies and records should be directed to the Clerk's Office, which essentially serves as the Court's clearinghouse for information. In accordance with statutory provisions, the Clerk's Office routinely provides statistical
data, case-related information and court documents to state, local, and federal agencies as well as to the general public, attorneys, litigants and the news media.
On the non-judicial side, the Circuit Court Clerk serves as the probate
judge in admitting or denying wills to probate and in qualifying executors, administrators, guardians and/or conservators.
The Clerk also serves as the County's Register of Deeds and is responsible for recording all deeds, deeds of trust,
powers of attorney, and real estate liens and releases. Other transactions and recordings processed include judgments, financing statements, fictitious names for businesses, marriage licenses, concealed handgun permits, and a variety of appointments
including ministers, notaries, local commission and board members and law enforcement officers.
The Clerk is required by statute to permanently preserve and archive the official records of the Court, in addition to probate (estate), real
estate, and a vast array of other county records. The Clerk's Office maintains records dating to 1773, the year of the County's inception. Records management is an immense and critical responsibility given the volume and types of records maintained,.
Furthermore, because of the nature of the Court's records, the office is a hub for information for use by commercial entities. The Clerk's Office's efficient operation is critical to a vibrant business climate in Montgomery County.
Fiscal
responsibilities include maintenance and investment of trust and condemnation funds as well as the collection of court fines and costs, real estate transfer fees, recordation taxes and a myriad of other fees authorized by statute. This revenue is
used to fund citizen services, while fines and costs collected in criminal cases produce significant revenue for the prosecution and incarceration of criminal defendants.
2022 Audit Information
2020 Audit Information
2018 Audit Information
2017 Audit Information