Photo credit: Jay Diem
Clerk of Court, the Honorable Traci L. Johnson with the oldest continuous records in the U.S. dating back to 1632. In 2003, Traci Johnson became the first woman elected to the office of Circuit Court Clerk in Northampton County, Virginia.
THE HONORABLE TRACI L. JOHNSON, CLERK
The Clerk of the Circuit Court is a Constitutional Official and is elected by the voters of the locality for a term of eight years and every Circuit Court in the Commonwealth of Virginia is a court of record. The Clerk of Court is responsible for administration of the Northampton County Circuit Court through a variety of judicial, non-judicial and fiscal activities.
Judicial functions include processing all criminal and civil cases coming before the Court, providing staff to the Judge during all trials and hearings.
In addition, the Clerk's staff prepares records, maintains court orders, subpoenas and pleadings, and manages the Court's docket and juries. The Clerk of Court is charged with the custody, safekeeping and proper indexing of legal and quasi-legal papers deposited in her office.
The Clerk's Office is responsible for
It is the duty of the Clerk to assign a deputy clerk to each courtroom to assist the Circuit Court Judge in carrying out each day's activities.
The Clerk's fiscal responsibilities are to provide for the maintenance and investment of Trust and Condemnation funds, as well as collection of court fines, real estate transfer fees, recordation taxes, and other fees authorized by statute.