Juan Fernandez-Barquin takes on role of Clerk of the Court and Comptroller in Miami-Dade
MIAMI-DADE, Fla. (FLV) – Juan Fernandez-Barquin outlined the issues he wants to tackle after being appointed as the Clerk of the Court and Comptroller of Miami-Dade County.
Last week, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Fernandez-Barquin, who takes on the role following the death of Clerk Harvey Ruvin, who died Dec. 31, 2022, according to the Florida Bar.
Ruvin spent 30 years as the clerk and was the county’s longest-serving elected official.
The Miami-Dade Clerk of the Courts manages the largest and highest volume of court filings and official records in Florida and the fourth largest judicial circuit in the U.S.
In an interview with Florida’s Voice, Fernandez-Barquin said stepping into the role is like “drinking out of a water hose” at the moment.
“It’s a lot of information. It’s a lot of different functions in the county. There’s a learning curve in this. There’s a lot of functions that this office has and supervises, so I’m just trying to try to first grasp all the functions before taking any decisive action,” he said.
The appointment will extend for the remainder of Ruvin’s unexpired term, through the 2024 election.
“I think I have the political skillset to work with this and to be an effective check and balance, and also to provide effective and efficient services to the residents of this great county, and make sure that the county is working for them,” Fernandez-Barquin explained.
He previously served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2018 until his appointment.
Fernandez-Barquin said there is a political element to the new role.
Unlike the legislature, which holds a Republican majority, he said he is stepping into a purple county where “that is not the case.”
Fernandez-Barquin said he will have to exercise his political skills “in order to push and pull to be a check and balance,” and also perform his administrative and ministerial functions.
In regards to the financial aspect, he plans to ensure accountability and transparency on the finances of the county.
“That’s a that’s a big thing for me,” he said.
As far as upcoming changes, Fernandez-Barquin said there are a couple of task forces “in the works.”
One task force is in regards to suspended driver’s licenses and helping individuals pay their pending parking tickets.
They are considering using public libraries as a possible location on the weekends for people to pay their open traffic tickets. He said a lot of people can’t get to the courthouse during the workday to pay their tickets.
They are also working on a way to do a check and balance in reference to property deeds, which aims to reduce fraud.
“There’s been a lot of fraud on elders and a lot of elder abuse, and the regard of individuals stealing property,” he explained.
“I just want to make sure that that we provide services that these residents in this county deserve at the best level possible, and just making sure that they know that the services are available,” Fernandez-Barquin said.
Looking ahead at 2024, Fernandez-Barquin joined other Republican state level lawmakers to endorse DeSantis for president.
Fernandez-Barquin said DeSantis a “fantastic leader” who is “incredibly effective.”
“He [DeSantis] led us through the pandemic. He kept the state open. He did not cave in, like other elected officials. He’s a man of his word. He’s a man of God. He’s a family man,” Fernandez-Barquin said.
Fernandez-Barquin said when the governor “says that he’s going to do something – he does it.”
“I have full faith and credit in him to be able to lead this country,” Fernandez-Barquin said.
Looking at his 2024 plans, Fernandez-Barquin told Florida’s Voice he plans to file to run for the upcoming four-year term for Clerk of the Court and Comptroller of Miami-Dade County.
Fernandez-Barquin is president of his solo law firm, Juan A. Fernandez-Barquin, P.A.
He previously served as the assistant public defender for the 15th Judicial Circuit and was an adjunct professor at Miami Dade College. Fernandez-Barquin is the chair of the Hearing and Speech Center of Florida and a board member of the Jackson Hospital Public Health Trust.
Fernandez-Barquin earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Florida International University and his juris doctor from American University.
