1. Alex Nicholas, Strategic Programs Manager June 26, 2018
2018 Annual Assessments and Collections Program Local Practices that Improve Data Quality FCCC 40TH Anniversary Celebration Summer Conference Hilton West Palm Beach, Florida
Alex Nicholas, Strategic Programs Manager
June 26, 2018

2. Annual Assessments and Collections Program
BEFORE WE START!
Two important things …

3. Annual Assessments and Collections Program
THANK YOU!
Thank you to Clerks and Clerks’ staff for their
support and efforts to improve the
Annual Assessments and Collections Report.
Special thanks to the Honorable Karen E. Rushing (Sarasota), our Program Advisor, the A & C Report Advisory Group and the Subject Matter Expert Panel.

4. Annual Assessments and Collections Program
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“What gets measured, gets managed.”
Peter Drucker, the late American Management Guru.
Just because you measure something doesn’t guarantee that you will actually manage it.
However, measurement is the starting point.

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PRESENTATION’S THEME:
Local Practices That Improve Data Quality
Topics:
Purpose of the A & C Report Program.
Introduction of Clerks’ Subject Matter Expert Panel.
2017 A & C Report Results, Current Issues & Data Trends.
Data Quality – Definition and Considerations.
Clerks’ Subject Matter Experts’ Presentations & Discussion on Local Practices that have Improved Data Quality.
Wrap Up & Next Steps.

6. Annual Assessments and Collections Program
PURPOSE OF THE
A & C REPORT PROGRAM

7. Annual Assessments and Collections Program
Purpose: To Support the Clerks in preparing & submitting the statutorily required Annual A & C Report
Preparations began in 2013 as a result of legislative expansion of the original report (2004) and implementation of a new Report Form, Guidelines and M/D Matrix based on s , F.S. and s , F.S.
Clerk Karen E. Rushing (Sarasota), as Program Advisor, formed the A & C Report Advisory Group to develop documentation and provide input from various sized offices and case maintenance systems.
The Group is comprised of 19 key Clerks’ staff that also advise on issues and make recommendations.

8. Annual Assessments and Collections Program
INTRODUCTION OF CLERKS’
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT PANEL

9. Annual Assessments and Collections Program
Clerks’ Subject Matter Expert Panel are all Original Members of the A & C Report Advisory Group:
Eunice Llera, Senior System Analyst
Miami-Dade (Mainframe/Odyssey)
Louis Tomeo, Criminal Court Services Director
Palm Beach (Showcase Equivant)
Susan Higel, Compliance Manager
Sarasota (Benchmark)
Linda Warren, Director of Court Services
Walton (Clericus)

10. Annual Assessments and Collections Program
2017 A & C REPORT RESULTS,
CURRENT ISSUES & DATA TRENDS

11. Annual Assessments and Collections Program
2017 A & C Report Results, Current Issues & Data Trends
Report delivered on time to the Legislature pursuant to FS and :
2017 A & C Consolidated Summary Report by Circuit was delivered to the Legislature and CCOC (complimentary copy to OSCA) on December 22, 2017.
Web-based Report Form and Optional Excel Work Sheet a continued Success!
2017 was the second report year using the Salesforce/Coastal Cloud custom on-line report form and application to create an A & C Report.
Issue 1: Total “Amount Actually Assessed” increased but Total Collections continued to trend down! (Slow pay, no pay & payment plans possible reasons).
Total statewide assessments have increased by $238M from 2016, but collections have declined by nearly $60M from Also, new cases filed have continued to decline.
The total collections reduction since 2013 has been more than $224M. This impacts revenue to Clerks, Courts, State Agencies and General Revenue.

12. Annual Assessments and Collections Program
Issue 2: Data Quality Issues continue to impact report results!
Inconsistent data can be the result of reduced maintenance of the local statute fee and code table setups and following appropriate procedures.
New staff have less familiarity with the A & C Report process, report documentation and M/D Matrix.
Issue 3: Traffic Collections trended down and their Under Assessments Overstated
Reduced by $25.6M from 2016 and by $87.9M since 2013.
Decline impacts Clerks greatly because Traffic has been the best paying court division for fines and fees.
Overstatement of “Under Assessed Amounts” due to procedural errors in 9 offices. Resulted in an estimated $13M overstated amount in this report category.
Issue 4: Post-report Survey – Annual Feedback from Staff
Finding: More Clerks should present their report to the Chief Judge, or their designee, to review and explain data.

13. Annual Assessments and Collections Program
DATA QUALITY -
DEFINITION AND CONSIDERATIONS

14. Annual Assessments and Collections Program
Data Quality Definition - According to *ISO 9000:
Can be defined as the degree to which a set of characteristics of data fulfills the following:
Completeness and Validity
Accuracy and Consistency
Availability and Timeliness
* International Organization for Standardization: A set of standards, guidance, tools and techniques that improve product or service quality.

15. Annual Assessments and Collections Program
Data Quality – Considerations
Data quality is not easy to accomplish. It involves all staff doing the right thing at the right time within their span of control.
It is a series of complex practices involving how Judges assess and how Clerks accurately follow procedures, record and process data.
Actions by other parties such as State Attorneys and the variances in circuit’s STAC setups/databases lead to data inconsistencies.
Clerks’ CMS vendors’ A & C Report extract application may not be correct.

16. Annual Assessments and Collections Program
Data Quality – Considerations
Clerks have a big challenge to maintain code, fee and statute tables to align with processes and procedures.
Imprecise implementation of the Mandatory/Discretionary Matrix.
The A & C Report Guidelines, Best Practice and Program Web Site provide resources to help improve your report’s data quality.
Our Clerks’ Subject Matter Experts are going to discuss their “journey” to improved report data quality.

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CLERKS’ SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT
PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSION
“LOCAL PRACTICES THAT
HAVE IMPROVED DATA QUALITY”

18. Annual Assessments and Collections Program
MIAMI-DADE - Eunice Ilera, Senior Systems Analyst (Mainframe/Odyssey)
A & C Team Effort – Operations, Finance & IT.
COC Procedures, Systems & Tools Requirements.
Yearly Submittal & Review Process – COC & Judiciary.
Local Impact of the A & C Report.

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PALM BEACH – Louis Tomeo, Court Services Director (Showcase Equivant)
Communication with Judiciary.
In-Court Processing Assessments.
Data Verification.
Communication of Findings.

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SARASOTA – Susan Higel, Compliance Manager (Benchmark)
Communication with Judiciary/Local AO
2013 – Implemented New CMS.
Ability to associate Mandatory Cost and Fine by Statute.
Quarterly Review of Data.
Opportunities for Training.
Opportunities for Process Improvements.

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WALTON - Linda Warren, Director of Court Services (Clericus)
Game Changer – Local AO
Chief Judge Partnered with Clerks – Issued Directives.
Data Verification/QC - Specialists, Supervisors, Director.
Courtesy copy of A & C Report and Summary to local Judges, Chief Judge and Trial Court Administrator.
Quarterly Meetings – Judicial Partners, Clerk & Trial Court Administrator.

22. Annual Assessments and Collections Program
WRAP UP
&
NEXT STEPS

23. Annual Assessments and Collections Program
WRAP UP
Understand key A & C Report documents on Web Site.
Know your internal processes – work toward process improvement.
Teamwork is a critical success factor.
Assign a single point of contact to coordinate data collection, data review, report submission and follow up with your Clerk.
Review report with judiciary as an opportunity to educate them on requirements and report data.

24. Annual Assessments and Collections Program
NEXT STEPS – For the 2018 A & C Report
Documentation Updates will be posted to the A & C Report Web Site in late July.
Only clarifications to the 2018 Guidelines.
Addition of a “Warning Message” in the on-line form for under assessment percentages 5% or greater for all court divisions.
Five A & C Report Summer WebEx Trainings scheduled for August – September.
The 2018 Report Submission: Mid-October to early December.

25. Annual Assessments and Collections (A&C Report)
Thank You!
If you have questions, please contact:
Alex Nicholas, FCCC Strategic Programs Manager