Q: When will it be possible to get passports at our county annexes in northern St. Johns County again?
A: Passport application services at the Julington Creek Annex (725 Flora Branch Blvd.) and Ponte Vedra Annex (151 Sawgrass Corners Drive) resumed on Monday, July 19, 2021. The annexes are open for processing passport applications by appointment only, which are available between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays. Passport applicants are encouraged to call (904) 819-3632 to schedule an appointment and verify which application must be completed before coming to the clerk’s office annex.
Q: Can you give an update on the redaction rule changes in civil cases?
A: Based on a recent Florida Supreme Court amendment to Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420 regarding access to court records, “the clerk shall not be required to identify and designate information as confidential,” in circuit civil, county civil, and small claims court documents. Filers are now responsible for ensuring any confidential information contained in court records are appropriately identified for redaction. This only applies to small claims, county civil, and most circuit court civil cases.
Q: Do you have anything else to share?
A: Our office has published the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for fiscal year 2020. The Comprehensive Annual Financial Report is an in-depth report that includes all county financial information such as statements, assets, revenues, expenses, and tax collections. Also, for the first time ever, St. Johns County published a Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR), which summarizes the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (which is more than 400 pages) and explains the county’s finances in layman’s terms. Both reports are accessible on our website, stjohnsclerk.com.
Q: What is the best way for our readers to contact you or your office?
A: A lot of questions can be answered by visiting our website, www.stjohnsclerk.com, which is most commonly used to pay traffic citations or search court records. A little known fact is that it also has an option to report government fraud or abuse, as the clerk’s office is a government fraud/waste/abuse auditor. People can also call our main office at (904) 819-3600.
