Orange County Clerk of Courts — Local services in Orlando

This facility should be on the front page of every newspaper in the country as the most pathetic building ever designed in the history of America. Whoever had a hand in designing this building should be sued for costing the tax payers million of dollars because of the time and money wasted every day waiting for elevators. It seems that the desire to tranform downtown Orlando, which prior to disney was a train stop between Jacksonville and Tampa, into something that resembles a real city led to a 23 story building. The problem is that the morons in charge didn't account for the volume of people required and only installed six elevators and somehow determined that there would not be any staircase access for not only the general public but also for all employees other than judges. So the needs of 20 people trump the needs of the taxpayers that funded the building. The courtrooms are ridiculously small, therefore there is no spot for state attorneys to actually do work in court when their case isn't being called, famlies on opposing sides have no place to escape one another as everyone is completely on top of one another. Oh by the way, the 23 story idea did nothing to develop the city. The area could not eve keep a Quizno's in business and the field across the street has been vacant for 20 years. How many billible hours a year do people pay due to their attorneys waiting for elevators? The people that had anything to do with the design of this embarrassing dump should have their names etched in stone in front of the building and in all six of the elevators. Clearly they never designed anything before in their entire lifes. Now when people drive by and see this eyesore and find out it is a courthouse does that in some way raise the stature of Orlando. Let's see, Orlando a city known for crime and people suing each other. Orlando should be renamed the city stupid. I've been in over 50 courthouses in my career and nothing could ever compare to the experience of working in this dump. Somebody please do a story on whose nephew got a contact and the people who had say in designing this place. The fact that Tim Linger loves the aRmosphere speaks volumes about where this country is headed. The atmoshphere is permeated by the lowest life...

The workers at this courthouse are some of the most unhelpful and unpleasant I’ve ever dealt with. Many of them act impatient and rude toward people who are simply trying to handle their business. I once waited for hours, only to find out that a staff member had removed my ticket number from the system — something that should never happen. I tried to stay patient, but when I finally asked about it (because I noticed basically all customers were now gone), they just told me it “wasn’t in the system.” The entire process was frustrating and unprofessional. The way this courthouse is run is a complete joke. If you can avoid coming here, do yourself a favor and do so.

My experience at the Orange County Courthouse was extremely disappointing. The staff and officers are often impatient and unprofessional, and many seem to forget that people come here already stressed and just trying to handle legal matters.

At one hearing, I came to help a friend by translating. Even though my English is fluent and my Spanish is limited, the black woman judge approved me to translate anyway. When I struggled a little, she stopped me abruptly, told me to leave, and then began speaking broken Spanish herself — which made the whole situation confusing and unnecessary. I was also surprised because she isn’t Hispanic but knew enough to not need a translator so I don’t know why she allowed me to be one. It felt humiliating and disrespectful, especially since I was only trying to help.

After that, a courtroom Hispanic male officer asked me to leave completely and would not even allow me to sit quietly as a guest, even though other people were sitting and observing. He was being petty and abusing his little badge that gives him some sort of power, something he likely never has at home. The way both the judge and the officer handled the situation was completely unprofessional and made me feel publicly embarrassed for no reason.

The courthouse staff, in general, seem frustrated as well as MISERABLE and take it out on visitors. Overall, this courthouse needs serious improvement in professionalism and basic respect...

Why provide a number for customers to contact, If its never answered to get the information you need or are looking for? Nothing ever works correctly here as far as just Florida. Florida Govt buildings, Florida period has no grip on making any of their services convenient at all. Its the lack of education, the lies they believe, that they tell us "thinking" is right, never really knowing themselves or are ever accurately sure of. At the end of having to deal with the lies and wild goose chase of misinformation. You get to pay a late fee or be fined for something gone wrong on their end, for them not giving you clear or accurate instructions. Any taxpaying individual trying to make right any situation in a Florida Govt office will always be misled into paying more than needed to, to no fault of their own. Thats how they make money in this state, for us listening to them lie about what wouldve, shouldve, could've. They force negligence, they employ ppl with clear lack of experience and cause all types of delays, it never fails, from the DMV, post office,, to the cops, to courthouses, even the airports. To turn around and make us all pay more than what we really needed to for the lazy incompetents that work there. Florida Govt buildings are and always have been crooked like this. You can literally have all your documents present but if you didnt wipe your feet before walking in, you have to go through another ridiculous process and oh, dont forget those extra fees because Florida government offices are built off of misinformation beyond anything...