The Authority’s success with the Statewide Real Estate Deed Project resulted in our being assigned additional court-related responsibilities by the legislature. Before May 2004, there was no central accounting of millions of dollars in add-ons and surcharges on court fines and fees. There are up to 27 programs that are funded with these surcharges, with Indigent Defense being the latest such fund. The passage of HB1EX in May 2004 gave the Authority the responsibility for developing a tracking system, setting rules for remittances and reports, and distributing the surcharges to several beneficiary funds.

Within 60 days, the Authority had an automated tracking system on-line and staff in place to work with over 1100 Georgia courts. We began to improve the process of remitting and reporting. Because of the Authority’s efforts, Georgia’s citizens, public officials and beneficiary funds can now log onto www.courttrax.org and see the remittances and reports from over 1100 courts. In Fiscal 2006, over $463 million was distributed to the beneficiary funds and the new process provided transparency so that all may see it via our reports.

David Williams
Executive Director

We’re proud to feature Tim Harper, who has served as clerk of Superior Court of Banks County since 1993. Tim has been a hands-on clerk since day one and enjoys “helping people and making a difference in [his] county.” In an effort to make his office as efficient and easy to work in as possible, he is working hard toward becoming completely automated including plats, liens, case management and deeds. Tim is the choir director for Riverside Baptist Church and the announcer for the Banks County High School football team. In his spare time, he enjoys collecting antiques and refurnishing furniture. He and his wife, Judy, have been married for two years.