Circuit Clerk

Welcome to the Circuit Clerk's Office

We appreciate that you stopped by. Let us tell you a little about the Circuit Clerk's office.

Circuit Clerks are elected to office for a period of six years. Their duties, responsibilities, and compensation are set by statute.

The Circuit Clerk is an officer within the judicial system, and is the registrar, recorder and custodian of all pleadings, documents and funds pertaining to cases filed in the circuit court.

Some of the types of cases handled are civil actions, domestic relations, adoptions, mental hygiene cases, guardianships, juvenile cases, appeals from magistrate court, criminal cases, and miscellaneous cases. Many of the cases are public records. However, others are confidential; these include adoptions, mental hygiene cases, guardianships and juvenile cases. Domestic relations cases are also restricted in some ways.

The Circuit Clerk is responsible for the administration and management of the petit and grand jury systems in the county. Under the direction of the court, the clerk creates the master list of prospective jurors from drivers' and voters' lists; randomly selects panels for attendance; issues summons and qualifies jurors; and monitors attendance and mileage for reimbursement purposes.

In addition to judicial functions, the Clerk of the Circuit Court plays an important role as election officer. Candidates running for county offices file with the Circuit Clerk, and the Circuit Clerk prepares the ballot for county-wide elections.

The multiple functions and responsibilities of the clerk's office require that the clerk prepare and file with other government agencies various statistical and financial reports.

The Circuit Clerk is authorized to appoint deputy clerks, who take the same oath of office as the clerk and perform official acts and duties in the name of the Circuit Clerk. In Wood County, there are eleven full-time deputy clerks and one part-time deputy circuit clerk.

There are three terms of court annually, with each term beginning on the second Monday in January, May and September.

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