§ 210.43 Powers of clerks

Court clerks and their deputies or assistants have some real legal powers, even though they aren't judges. They can swear people in for oaths, witness and confirm signatures on legal documents (called acknowledgments), and sign off on court paperwork and orders on the court's behalf.

The Chief Administrator of the Courts can also give this same power to other non-judge staff members if needed. This means people don't always have to wait for a judge to handle these routine tasks. It helps courts run more smoothly by letting trained staff take care of basic administrative and legal steps.