Supervising Deputies
Clerk of Court George E. Schaefer Chief Deputy Thomas A. Larson
Executive Assistant Cheryl A. Dougherty
OFFICE OF THE CLERK FOURTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT NORFOLK CIRCUIT COURT 150 Saint Paul’s Boulevard – 7th Floor Norfolk, Virginia 23510 (757) 769-8539 Toll Free: (877) 643-6741
Criminal DaVida M. Davis Civil, Deeds & Probate Anthony Fuller Licenses, Permits, Finance & Jury Gerald L. Stokes
Comptroller Nicholas D. Georges Systems Administrator Gregg J. Duquette
June 1, 2017 To: The Honorable City Council Members and City Manager From: George Schaefer, Clerk of Circuit Court CC: Budget Director, Circuit Court Chief Judge Subj: Annual State of the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office Report Ladies and Gentlemen; We continue to implement cost saving measures designed to increase productivity, reduce costs and increase citizen access. We recently added a document request system to our website allowing citizens to request any of the myriad of documents in our system. This has proven a huge success with over 3,000 document requests received and answered. Our automated garnishment process continues to realize significant reductions in court debt. Garnishment proceeding were initiated for $7.5 million throughout 2016. With the completion of digitizing paper files, and our focus has shifted to the conversion of all microfilm images into digital format. Working in conjunction with the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia, we upgraded all of our servers and increased our digital storage ability to 60 terabytes. We currently house over 40 million images in digital format. The addition of the microfilmed images will add another 2 – 3 million images making Norfolk Circuit Court the largest repository of digital images in the Commonwealth Judicial system. Calendar year 2016 saw a 7 % increase in criminal cases, 1% increase in civil filings, 3% increase in will documents processed, 3% increase in marriage license, 22% increase in concealed weapons permits, 10% increase in divorces, 51% increase in passport applications, and a 29% increase in adoptions.
Fax: Criminal: (757) 942-8786 ♦ Civil, Deeds & Probate: (757) 942-2620 ♦ License, Permits, Finance & Jury: (757) 942-2623 E-Mail: criminal710@circuitcourtva.us ♦ civil710@circuitcourtva.us ♦ probate710@circuitcourtva.us ♦ lpfjury710@circuitcourtva.us
The increase in divorce filings is a direct result of our e-filing efforts and the ability by legislation to apply for a receive an uncontested divorce by affidavit. This court processes more divorces from around the Commonwealth than all surrounding localities combined. This office generated in excess of 10 million dollars for the Commonwealth, 5 million for the City of Norfolk and we hold in excess of 10 million dollars in trust funds. Thank you for your time and I look forward to a continued partnership between the Circuit Court and the City we serve. Very truly yours; George E. Schaefer Clerk of Circuit Court
Very truly yours,
George E. Schaefer, Clerk Norfolk Circuit Court
pg. 2 Clerk's Office Annual Report for 2016