Florida County Clerk may close doors for hours each week after budget cut

Facing a nearly $2 million budget cut, the Orange County Clerk of Courts is warning that processing delays and reduced hours may soon be on the horizon.

“We’re looking at all of the options,” said Leesa Bainbridge, a courts spokeswoman.

Legislation signed this week by Gov. Rick Scott cut clerks’ budgets across the state about 7 percent, Bainbridge said, including $1.9 million from the Orange clerk.

As a result, the office is looking into closing its doors to the public a few hours a week. That time may be necessary for clerk’s employees to catch up with backed-up case files, she said.

The funding cuts are also expected to result in processing delays, officials said, with the biggest impact on civil cases, such as foreclosures and child-support proceedings.

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