Issues with case management found in audit of Orange County’s court guardianship program

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The Orange County Comptroller released an audit of the Orange County Clerk of Court’s Administration of the Guardianship Program Monday morning.

The audit found inaccurate data recoded in the case management system, nonprofessional guardians were appointed without meeting all statutory requirements and more.

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The comptroller’s office said it believes there were cases that weren’t even being monitored.

In the report, it noted there are 10 cases where guardians were assigned, but there hadn’t been any activity on those cases nearly a decade.

“When nothing’s being filed, that tells the guardian that no one’s watching that no one’s looking at what’s going on,” Comptroller Phil Diamond said.

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But of the 13 problems and recommendations in the audit, Clerk Tiffany Moore Russell’s office said it only agrees fully with two of them.

“Although there were several recommendations and findings that seem to be well intentioned, they were actually outside the scope of the audit,” Moore said.

Moore said the audit was supposed to make sure they’re following Florida statute. She said she believes some of the recommendations in it fall outside of that.

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Moore also said her office has found inaccuracies in some of the auditors findings, but that her office didn’t have the time or resources to review all of the cases auditors went through.

More said some of the recommendations no longer apply because of changes already made in the office and changes in the law, but she said they will work with other government offices to improve the guardianship system.

Diamond said his office believes the audit contains important recommendations for making sure vulnerable people are being taken care of.

Read the full audit below:

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Cox Media Group