In the News:

2011

February 14, 2011
WTSP.com / 10 News
33 couples get married today at Florida Botanical Gardens
CLEARWATER - 33 couples took part in an annual Pinellas County by saying "I will" during the 5th annual Valentine's Wedding Celebration at the Florida Botanical Gardens.
READ THE ARTICLE HERE (PDF COPY)
READ THE ARTICLE ON WTSP.COM

February 14, 2011
Bay News 9
Couples marry in a group Valentine's Day wedding ceremony
CLEARWATER - Dozens of couples got married at a Valentine's Day group ceremony in Largo Monday..
READ THE ARTICLE HERE (PDF COPY)
READ THE ARTICLE ON BAYNEWS9.COM

February 14, 2011
970WFLA
33 couples married at Florida Botanical Gardens for Valentine's
CLEARWATER - At 2 p.m. on Valentine's Day, 33 bay area couples said "I do" during the 5th annual Valentine's Wedding Celebration at the Florida Botanical Gardens.
READ THE ARTICLE HERE (PDF COPY)
READ THE ARTICLE ON 970WFLA.COM

January 14, 2011
American Bar Association
2011: Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court Legal Self Help Center
CLEARWATER -The Self Help Center was selected as the recipient of the 2011 Louis M. Brown Award for Legal Access by the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services.
READ THE ARTICLE ON AMERICANBAR.ORG

2010

October 12, 2010
Tampa Bay Newspapers
Credit, debit cards accepted at jaill
CLEARWATER - The agreement was entered into through the coordinated efforts of Pinellas County Sheriff Jim Coats, Pinellas County Clerk of the Court Ken Burke, ...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE (PDF COPY)
READ THE ARTICLE ON TBNWEEKLY.COM

April 4, 2010
Eastlake Blister
Pinellas County Clerk of Court Implements Programs to Benefit Public, State Funds
TALLAHASSEE – In all 67 Florida counties, diligent work by Clerks of Court’s offices has resulted in improved collection rates contributing to the nearly $2 billion in court-related fines, filing fees and service charges passed on to the State in 2009...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE. (PDF COPY)

March 26, 2010
TBO.COM - Tampa Tribune - News Channel 8
Clerks of courts face new round of budget cuts
by MIKE SALINERO
STATEWIDE - FLORIDA - Clerks of courts around the state could face a new round of state budget cuts they say will devastate their ability to manage court paperwork, process speeding tickets and oversee public documents...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

March 22, 2010
Bay News 9
Legal self-help centers more popular in tough economy
by Anna Tataris
PINELLAS COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- More people are avoiding expensive attorney fees by using Pinellas County's legal self-help centers...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.
WATCH THE BROADCAST HERE.

March 17, 2010
Tampa Bay Newspapers - Beacon Leader Bee
Clerk adds legal self-help center
The Pinellas County Clerk of the Court’s legal Self Help Centers have assisted more than 5,600 citizens in just over two years by providing citizens who represent themselves in court access to affordable attorney services...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE. (PDF COPY)
READ THE ARTICLE HERE. (ON TBN WEBSITE)

February 14, 2010
St. Petersburg Times
In gowns or Hawaiian shirts, 35 couples marry at Largo group ceremony
By Rita Farlow, Times Staff Writer
LARGO — The brides came in red satin gowns and simple sundresses, with miniature roses tucked into upswept hair. The grooms wore three-piece suits or Hawaiian shirts and jeans...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE (PDF COPY).
READ THE ARTICLE HERE (ON ST. PETERSBURG TIMES' WEBSITE).

February 14, 2010
ABC Action News - 10 Connects
Valentine's Day celebrated across the Bay area
by Tammie Fields
St. Petersburg, Florida - Love is definitely in the air in the Tampa Bay area for Valentine's Day...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE. (PDF COPY)
READ THE ARTICLE HERE (ON 10 CONNECTS WEBSITE).

February 14, 2010
TBO.COM, Tampabay Online - News Channel 8, Tampa Tribune
40 couples tie the knot
A mass wedding in Largo and contest winners wed near dolphins on Valentine's Day.
WATCH THE BROADCAST HERE.

February 9, 2010
St. Petersburg Times
Fifty couples to say 'I do' in Pinellas group wedding on Valentine's Day
Does Cupid have his heart-shaped arrow aimed for Largo? At least 100 men and women hope he does. In honor of St. Valentine's Day, a group wedding coordinated by Pinellas County's Clerk of the Court will be Sunday at the Pinellas County Botanical Gardens off Walsingham Road. Clerk Ken Burke will officiate the civil ceremony...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE

January 26, 2010
Eastlake Blister
Clerk to perform group wedding ceremony on Valentine’s Day in one of the county’s most romantic spots
by Piper Castillo
Once again, numerous couples will join together at the picturesque Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo for one group wedding ceremony to be performed by Clerk of the Circuit Court, Ken Burke, on Valentine’s Day, Sunday, February 14, 2010, the Clerk’s Office announced today...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE. (PDF COPY)

January 22, 2010
TBO.COM - Tampa Tribune - News Channel 8
Audit criticizes Pinellas County's marina purchase
An audit released Thursday slammed Pinellas County's decision to purchase one marina, and said that while the purchase of a second marina was OK, the second marina could make more money...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE. (PDF COPY)

January 7, 2010
Holidash.com
Don't Get Hitched Alone this Valentine's Day
Get married on Valentine's Day at the same time at a group wedding...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE. (PDF COPY)

January 5, 2010
Tampa Bay Newspapers - Beacon Leader Bee
Clerk plans group Valentine’s Day wedding
LARGO – Clerk of the Circuit Court Ken Burke will again perform a group wedding ceremony for marriage-minded couples Valentine’s Day, Sunday, Feb. 14, at Florida Botanical Gardens, 12520 Ulmerton Road...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE. (PDF COPY)

December 31, 2009
Clearwater Gazette
Clerk to Perform Wedding Ceremony on Valentines Day in One of the County's Most Romantic Spots
CLEARWATER - Once again, numerous couples will join together at the picturesque Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo for one group wedding ceremony to be performed by Clerk of the Circuit Court, Ken Burke, on Valentine's Day, Sunday, February 14, 2010, the Clerk's Office has announced...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE. (PDF COPY)

December 30, 2009
The Weekly Challenger
Clerk To Perform Group Wedding Ceremony On Valentine’s Day In One Of The County’s Most Romantic Spots
CLEARWATER - Once again, numerous couples will join together at the picturesque Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo for one group wedding ceremony to be performed by Clerk of the Circuit Court, Ken Burke, on Valentine's Day, Sunday, February 14, 2010, the Clerk's Office has announced...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE. (PDF COPY)

December 16, 2009
ABC Action News - 10 Connects
Looking for a beautiful and inexpensive place for a wedding?
by Victoria Benchimol
LARGO, FL -- If you are engaged and looking for a beautiful place to tie the knot on Valentines day, then look no further...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE. (PDF COPY)

November 09, 2009
Global 360 press release on Business Wire
Pinellas County, Florida Clerk of Circuit Court Named Finalist in 2009 Global Awards for Excellence in BPM and Workflow by BPMFocus, BPM.com & Workflow Management Coalition
Global 360 Customer Recognized for Powerful Results of Process Transformation
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Global 360, a leading provider of Process and Document Management solutions, today announced that its customer, the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Pinellas County, Florida, has been named a finalist in the 2009 Global Awards for Excellence in Business Process Management (BPM) and Workflow...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE. (PDF COPY)

February 27, 2009
TBO.COM - Tampa Tribune - News Channel 8
Bill Aims To Curb Clerks
by JOHN W. ALLMAN
STATEWIDE - FLORIDA - Voters in Florida's 67 counties elect a clerk of the circuit court to oversee a host of duties, such as receiving and disbursing court fees. But concern about how those fees are allocated threatens to change those duties significantly, transferring power and responsibility from the clerks to the state courts system....
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

August 14, 2008
Clearwater Gazette
Clerk Offers User-Friendly, Legal Form Software Online
PINELLAS COUNTY -Beginning August 4, 2008, the Clerk's Self Help Center for affordable legal services made its user-friendly software available online...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

August 8, 2008
St. Petersburg Times
Couples crazy for eights
By Dalia Colon, Times Staff Writer
Friday 8/8/8, is said to be an auspicious day for all kinds of special events. The Chinese view the number 8 as so lucky,...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

August 6, 2008
St. Petersburg Times
Legal self-help online at court clerk's web site
COUNTYWIDE
The Pinellas County Clerk's Self Help Center for affordable legal services has made its user-friendly software available online...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

August 4, 2008
Pinellas County Government News
Clerk Offers Software Online
PINELLAS COUNTY -Beginning this week, the Clerk's Self Help Center for affordable legal services made its user-friendly software available online...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

July 19, 2008
St. Petersburg Times
Pinellas-Pasco night traffic courts being put to rest
by Jamal Thalji
Night court might be the odnly convenient thing about getting a traffic ticket - you can fight your ticket without missing work or skipping school...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE. July 22, 2008
Tampa Bay Newspapers
Burke addresses Chamber luncheon
By Bob McClure
SEMINOLE - Ken Burke, Pinellas County clerk of the circuit court, provided an overview of Pinellas County finances July 17 when he was the guest speaker at the monthly luncheon of the Greater Seminole Chamber of Commerce...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

July 8, 2008
Florida Catholic
Self Help Centers offer legal advice
Diocese of St. Petersburg New Briefs
Those who need help navigating the court system, but who want to represent themselves, can get some help at the new Pinellas County Clerk of Court Self Help Centers...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

June 24, 2008
Tampa Bay Newspapers
Candidates qualify for upcoming elections
By Suzette Porter
PINELLAS COUNTY - The candidates' qualifying period for the November 2008 elections ended on June 20...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

June 20, 2008
St. Petersburg Times' Bay Buzz from tampabay.com
Welch, Burke and Nelson unopposed in Pinellas
District 7 Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch, Clerk of the Circuit Court Ken Burke and Tax Collector Diane Nelson are breathing easy...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

June 20, 2008
TBO.com (Tampa Tribune and News Channel 8)
Pinellas Candidates Qualify For Fall Ballot
By Carlos Moncada - The Tampa Tribune
CLEARWATER - Pinellas County Clerk of Court Ken Burke, Tax Collector Diane Nelson and County Commissioner Ken Welch faced no challengers as today's deadline passed at noon in the weeklong candidate qualifying period...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

June 9, 2008
Pinellas County Connection TV
Inside Pinellas This Week
...Plus, Clerk of the Circuit Court, Ken Burke, drops by to tell us about a new legal service that will help you help yourself...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

May 31, 2008
St. Petersburg Times
In the know
COUNTYWIDE -By Times Staff Writer
Amscot sites will take ticket fees...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

May 28, 2008
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Amscot Financial to accept traffic citation payments
Ken Burke, Pinellas County clerk of court, partnered with Amscot Financial to receive payments for Pinellas traffic citations and fines...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

May 28, 2008
ABC Action News (WFTS-TV)
Pinellas traffic offenders can pay fines at Amscot
Reported by: Kristal Roberts
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - We already know Amscot is "okay with us!" Now the clerk of court is too...
READ THE Online ARTICLE HERE.

May 27, 2008
St. Petersburg Times - Action
A small claims judgment may require lots of work to collect it
By Suzanne Palmer
Q.   My son won a judgment in Small Claims Court against a painter who refused to pay for considerable damage to his property...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

May 22, 2008
St. Petersburg Times
In the know
COUNTYWIDE -By Times Staff Writer
County Clerk is lauded for program...
READ THE Online ARTICLE HERE.
READ THE Print ARTICLE HERE.

May 1, 2008
C & N Publications
Clerk's publishes citizen-friendly, County financial report
The Pinellas County Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) for the fiscal year ended September 30^th, 2007, has been published...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

April 23, 2008
Tampa Bay Newspapers
Clerk supports bill to clarify county auditor role
PINELLAS COUNTY -A pair of bills in the 2008 legislative session would clarify the circuit court clerk’s role as the "county auditor"...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

March 18, 2008
Tampa Bay Newspapers
In other business, the board
PINELLAS COUNTY - Heard a report from external auditors Ernst and Young who gave the county an "unqualified or clean" audit with only one material weakness noted...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

March 13, 2008
Clearwater Gazette
Residents Cautioned of Unnecessary, Pricey, "Convenience"
Private company charges nearly $90 for $2.50 certified deed copy
PINELLAS COUNTY -Beginning August 4, 2008, the Clerk's Self Help Center for affordable legal services made its user-friendly software available online...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

March 6, 2008
Tampa Bay Newspapers
County Cautions residents on property deed offers
PINELLAS COUNTY - Once again Pinellas County residents have received an official-looking letter emphasizing the government’s recommendation to keep a certified copy of property deeds...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

March 5, 2008
Pinellas County Government News
Beware Pricey 'Convenience'
The Clerk of Circuit Court wants to warn residents about an official-looking letter they may receive that emphasizes the government's recommendation to keep a certified copy of property deeds...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

March 1, 2008
C & N Publications
Clerk's Self Help Center add services
The Self Help Centers created by the Clerk's Office, the Sixth Judicial Circuit and the Community Law Program have new services...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

February 26, 2008
St. Petersburg Times
In the know
By Times Staff Writer
No need to pay high fees for copy of deeds...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

February 25, 2008
East Lake Blister
Residents cautioned of unnecesary, pricey "convenience"
Once again Pinellas County residents have received an official-looking letter emphasizing the government’s recommendation to keep a certified copy of property deeds...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

February 14, 2008
St. Petersburg Times
I do, I do, I do...They all did
All is sweet at the courthouse with a mass wedding on Valentine's Day.
By Eileen Schulte, Times Staff Writer
CLEARWATER -I do. With those two little words, 27 couples were wed in the courtyard of the Clearwater Courthouse on Valentine's Day. Then there was lots of kissing...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

February 14, 2008
TBO.com (Tampa Tribune and News Channel 8)
Forget the Chapel! They're Going To The Clerk's Office
By Keith Morelli of the Tampa Tribune
TAMPA -They came in as individuals and left as pairs. An assembly line of wedding ceremonies cranked out a bunch of married couples...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

February 11, 2008
Tampa Bay Newspapers
Group wedding scheduled on Feb. 14
PINELLAS COUNTY - Clerk of the Circuit Court Ken Burke is set to perform a group wedding ceremony in the courtyard of the Clearwater Courthouse on Valentine’s Day, Thursday, Feb. 14...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

February 7, 2008
Pinellas County Government News
Legal Self Help Centers Add Extra Conveniences
The Self Help Centers created by the Clerk's Office, the Sixth Judicial Circuit and the Community Law Program have new services...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

February 1, 2008
C & N Publications
Clerk's Office to perform group wedding
A group wedding ceremony will be performed in the charming courtyard of the Clearwater Courthouse by Clerk of the Circuit Court Ken Burke on Valentine's Day...
READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

February 1, 2008
Tropical Breeze
Legal Self Help Centers Add Conveniences
The Self Help Centers created by the Pinellas County Clerk's Office, the Sixth Judicial Circuit and the Community Law Program have new services, Ken Burke, Clerk of the Circuit Court, has announced..
READ THE NEWS ARTICLE HERE.

January 31, 2008
St. Petersburg Times
Home loss filings swamp courts
Hillsborough officials scramble to handle more than four times the typical number of foreclosures.
By COLLEEN JENKINS, Times Staff Writer
TAMPA - When new mortgage foreclosure filings hit an all-time high of 1,220 cases in November, the Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court's Office formed a task force to get a handle on the influx...
READ THE NEWS ARTICLE HERE.

January 25, 2008
St. Petersburg Times (Local & State)
Now case really is closed
Pinellas County owed Dennis Esposito $117,000, but he had to pay $50 to get it. So he went to court.
By JOSE CARDENAS, Times Staff Writer
As it turns out, Dennis Esposito's legal fight over a $50 fee to "reopen" a court case that he says should never have been closed was not a trivial matter...
READ THE NEWS ARTICLE HERE.

January 16, 2008
St. Petersburg Times (Local & State)
Largo has about $632,000 in tax money in frozen fund
Officials plan to review the situation with the city attorney.
By ANNE LINDBERG and RITA FARLOW, Times Staff Writers
Frustrated and angry city officials blame the county tax collector because some of their property tax revenues have been frozen...
READ THE NEWS ARTICLE HERE.

January 8, 2008
Tampa Bay Newspapers
Burke questions SBA’s handling of county money
By SUZETTE PORTER
CLEARWATER – Clerk of the Court Ken Burke told the Board of County Commissioners on Jan. 8 that more than $17 million of tax payer’s money remains in the state’s government investment pool...
READ THE NEWS ARTICLE HERE.

January 8, 2008
Tampa Bay Newspapers
Tax collector’s actions draw fire from two municipalities
By THOMAS MICHALSKI and SUZETTE PORTER
PINELLAS COUNTY – A move by the Pinellas County Tax Collector to distribute money currently frozen in the state’s local government investment pool has officials in some municipalities concerned...
READ THE NEWS ARTICLE HERE.

January 2, 2008
St. Petersburg Times (Local & State)
Couples get a photo finish
By Tiffani Sherman
Go into a married couple's house and usually at least one photo of the wedding day is in a pretty frame somewhere...
READ THE NEWS ARTICLE HERE.

January 1, 2008
C & N Publications
Clerk's Office Earns Award from Department of Defense
Ken Burke was presented the 2007 Family Advocacy Community Collaboration Award for his actions to help stop domestic violence by Major John Navarrow of MacDill Air Force Base's U.S. Department of Defense's (DOD) Family Advocacy Program (FAP)...
READ THE NEWS ARTICLE HERE.

For media coverage from 2007 please click here.

For media coverage from 2006 please click here.