TAMPA, FL (March 2, 2017)—The Hillsborough Clerk of Court & Comptroller’s Office today launched a redesigned website that includes wait times for customer service counters and call-ahead seating.
For the first time, customers going to hillsclerk.com will be able to see how many people are waiting at any of the Clerk’s customer service locations and how long the wait is at each.
Using a new online tool called ClerkExpress, customers will be able to save a place in line, similar to call-ahead seating at a restaurant. They will also be able to make an appointment for some services, such as passports.
The changes are part of a refreshed and redesigned website intended to meet the needs of the busy digital citizen. The responsive design will make it easier to navigate the site regardless of device—desktop, laptop, smart phone or tablet.
While most of the Clerk’s business can be done online, by email or by phone, the redesigned website is intended to help those who must do business in person, such as those who do not have bank accounts or credit cards.
“We know most people visit our website for one thing: to pay traffic tickets,” said Clerk of Court & Comptroller Pat Frank. “We have created simple online tools so you can do that quickly, 24 hours a day. I am very pleased with the site and invite everyone to take it for a spin and let us know what they think.”
The Clerk’s Office is a complex organization with a vast array of duties and responsibilities. It preserves and protects public records for the 13th Judicial Circuit, the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners, as well as official records such as marriage licenses, deeds and mortgages. It is also the independent Comptroller and Chief Financial Officer for Hillsborough County Government. Offices are located in 10 buildings across the county and serve customers in five locations.
Organizing all of the information and services on one website is challenging. “We hope our new design will be more intuitive to make it easier to find what you need,” said Frank. “We also have created a new, more robust search engine for the hundreds of pages that comprise the website.”
The services our customers are used to will remain: online court records, legal forms for self-filers, electronic filing, County Commission records, official records, passport services, foreclosure sales and marriage license services.