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ORLANDO, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - If you’ve done any business in the Orange County Court system over the past year: log online and take a look, because you may be missing out on thousands of dollars that’s owed to you.
The Clerk of Court released their yearly unclaimed checks list. The 81 page document lists nearly 5000 checks that were earned by and sent out to people in the county but never cashed during the year 2018.
"People either moved and we did not get their forwarding address, or they may have put the check away, forgot about it, you name it - for some reason it has never been cashed,” said Clerk of Courts Communications Director Dain Weister. “And all these are things from jury payments, to vendor payments, cash bonds, restitution."
In fairness, some of those checks are worth pennies. Weister said the lowest check on the list is a simple uncashed 11 cents. Many others are minor payments from a few bucks to under $20.
However, not all are so easily forgotten.
On the very first page of the list are outstanding checks for $100, $358, even one for $500. Get deeper into the list and one woman is owed $9000. Another person has a check for more than $28,000 sitting uncashed.
"Clerk Tiffany Moore Russel definitely wants to make sure people get the money that's owed to them, it's rightfully theirs,” said Weister.
Time is growing short for them to get their dues though.
The money will only be available until September 1st when Section 116.21 of Florida Statutes says it will be forfeited and deposited into the Clerk’s Fine and Forfeiture Fund.
Everyone in the county is encouraged to at least take a quick look at the list to make sure they won’t miss out on owed money.
To search the unclaimed checks list, visit www.myorangeclerk.com. If you have searched the list and believe the Clerk's Office is holding a check for which you have a claim, call 407-836-2200 for more information.