Court Services Division - 2006

The Court Services Division consists of a Civil Office, as well as Court Security.  A Captain is assigned as the Unit Commander and supervisor of eleven (11) deputies who provide security, two (2) deputies who serve legal papers and three (3) clerks who assist in the operation of the civil office.

The unit is headquartered in the Stark County Courthouse in downtown Canton,  This unit is charged with the service of all court-related documents, such as subpoenas, writs, injunctions and other legal papers process by the clerks.  Deputies must have knowledge in legal terms, as well as formal process of notification.

This unit covers the entire county and serves process not only in the incorporated areas of the county but in the municipalities and villages as well.  This area covers some 577 square miles and contains approximately 400,000 residents.  Documents arrive from the following courts: Civil, Criminal, Divorce, Domestic, Grand Jury, Jury, Juvenile, Probate and Traffic.

The clerks are trained in bookkeeping and maintain records, ledgers, a checking account and other records relating to the main function of the office.  This includes Sheriff Sales and properties, service of process and fees related to these services, distribution of the proceeds of the properties sold at Sheriff Sales, preparation of legal process, as well as  its return to the issuing court or agency, as well as numerous other duties.  Two (2) uniformed deputies provide service within the entire county.

Deputies provide security for the Common Pleas Court, Family Court (Domestic and Juvenile Divisions), Probate Court and the Fifth District Court of Appeals.  In addition, deputies respond to problems at the Auditor's Office, Clerk's Office, Commissioner's Office, Treasurer's Office, and the Recorder's Office, as well as many additional county agencies within the courthouse complex.

The Captain assigns the security deputies to various posts on a rotation basis.  Security coverage begins at 7:00 A.M. and runs through 6:00 P.M. or later if court is still in session.  Two (2) deputies assigned to Juvenile Court are required to handle all  transportation of juvenile offenders from the Juvenile Attention Center to court and back to the center.  They also transport juveniles to the State Juvenile Institution using a marked Sheriff's vehicle.

In 2006 the Civil Office received 2,274 orders of sales for Real Estate Foreclosures; some were cancelled due to the filing of bankruptcy and/or refinancing, however, 1,750 were sold at sale.  These sales totaled $100,119,083.21 in value.  The sheriff held all funds until the court ordered distribution of the proceeds.

In 2006 the Civil Office received 64,580 writs for service.  The total of domestic fees billed for services totaled $532,018.24.  The total amount paid in to the General Fund by the Civil Office was $639,518.92.  The deputies assigned to the Court Services Division took 247 reports in 2006.