Circuit Clerks from around the state gathered at the Circuit Court Clerks Spring Conference for sessions on driver’s licensing, court technology, best practices and more.
Among them were Kenton County County Circuit Clerk John Middleton who is president of the group this year, Campbell County’s Tonya Nolan Jack and Boone County’s Dianne Murray.
The circuit clerks also received updates on legislation passed during the Kentucky General Assembly’s 2018 session, including a new law on time requirements for reporting unclaimed property that will take effect July 1, 2019.
John Middleton
State Treasurer Allison Ball provided the session on unclaimed property.
“Collectively, Offices of Circuit Court Clerk end up with hundreds of thousands of dollars in unclaimed money from bonds and other payments,” said Middleton. “We work hard to return unclaimed funds to their rightful owners and to the state Treasury when we can’t reach the owners. This session was a good refresher on how to meet reporting requirements now and under the new law.”
Citizens who think they have unclaimed funds at their local circuit clerk’s office should contact the office.
Contact information is available on the Kentucky Court of Justice website.
To search for unclaimed property that has been reported to the Kentucky State Treasury, visit this website.
Another session provided guidance on how circuit clerks can assist self-represented litigants (people who choose to represent themselves in court) and those receiving civil legal aid.
Justice Michelle M. Keller of the Supreme Court of Kentucky and Glenda J. Harrison, executive director of the Kentucky Access to Justice Commission, shared successful strategies other states have used to address self-representation.
The circuit clerks also received an update on organ/tissue donation from Shelley Snyder, executive director of the Kentucky Circuit Court Clerks’ Trust For Life.
The public can register to be a donor when obtaining a driver’s license or ID or online. The Kentucky Association of Circuit Court Clerks and Judicial Branch Education at the Administrative Office of the Courts provided the education program for the state’s circuit court clerks. The conference offered eight hours of continuing education credit for the circuit clerks.
