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Courts and procedure

Clerk of court

The court officer who manages the flow of cases and keeps the court's records.[1]

In more detail

California's courts explain that the clerk files papers, collects fees, can say what has been filed and when hearings are, and can point people to forms and legal help.[2] In Florida, the clerk collects court mediation fees.[3]

Varies by state

This is the federal courts' definition; state courts use the word the same way, though procedures differ by state. Find your state’s rules.

Related terms

  • Self-help centerA court service that gives free legal information and help with forms to people who don't have a lawyer.
  • DocketThe court's log of a case, with brief dated entries summarizing each filing and proceeding.
  • Fee waiverCourt permission to file papers without paying the usual court fees, for people who can't afford them.

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Sources

The official documents this definition is based on, with the date we last read each one. Definitions are in our own words.

  1. Glossary of Legal Termsuscourts.govchecked ↩
  2. Help at your courtselfhelp.courts.ca.govchecked ↩
  3. Fla. Stat. § 44.108 (Funding of mediation and arbitration)leg.state.fl.uschecked ↩

General information, not legal advice. MediationList is not a law firm. Spotted an error? Tell us.

Cite this page

Page updated

MediationList. (2026, October 28). Clerk of court: Definition. https://mediationlist.com/glossary/clerk-of-court/

APA 7th ed. A retrieval date is included only for pages whose content changes, such as maps, data and tools.