Monday, June 4th will be a strange day for Franklin County Circuit Clerk Anita Scott.
For the first time in almost 44 years, Scott won't be driving to her job at the Franklin County Courthouse.
In fact, she won't be driving anywhere for work. Scott will soon retire from her Circuit Clerk position with May 31st being her final day at the office that's been her second home since October 1, 1980, when Scott was hired by Franklin County Circuit Clerk Joe Newton as a Court Specialist. After an extended job search, Scott received two job offers the same day.
“I was offered a job with the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) the same day I heard from Mr. Newton,” Scott said. “They both called the same day. The reason I went with this one was (my sister-in-law) Ruth Ann (Horton) was also working in the courthouse in the probation office. Looking back, making that first decision to take this job over the FHA job changed my life. I realized that was God's plan and I've been very, very blessed.”
It turned out to be a good decision that created a lasting career serving the public.
In 1997, she was promoted to Deputy Clerk by then-clerk Joey Newton, Joe's son.
When Joey Newton resigned in 2003, Scott was appointed by Circuit Judge Sharon Hester to complete the final three years of Newton's term as Circuit Clerk. Soon thereafter, Scott learned her first lesson about the do's and dont's of politics, something she laughingly admits she never mastered.
Shortly after her appointment, Scott told a local newspaper reporter she was 'not a politician' and would not run for the office when her term ended.
Those words became a campaign issue when Scott decided to run for a full term in 2006. But Franklin County voters elected Scott in 2006 and again in 2012, both contested races. Scott ran unopposed for the first time in 2018.
But she'll always remember that first campaign in 2006.
“That was the hardest thing—that first campaign,” Scott said. “We had a map of Franklin County and would come home and highlight the parts of the county we needed to cover and that's when I realized just how big Franklin County is.”
Scott's six-year term won't end until January 2025, so she submitted her retirement letter to the Alabama Administrative Office of Courts, creating a seven-month vacancy before the term expires.
Her son Derrick, the Republican nominee for Franklin County Circuit Clerk who has no opponent in the November 2024 general election, is expected to be appointed to fill the balance of his mother's term. Filling that vacancy is the responsibility of Franklin County Circuit Judge Brian Hamilton. Under Alabama law, Hamilton has 90 days to appoint a clerk. Otherwise, the decision of who to appoint would default to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey.
So why retire now, rather than complete the final seven months of her final term?
“I've been walking into this courthouse almost 44 years. I decided to retire in June and not to finish the term until January because I'd rather adjust to that in the summer when you can go out and do things outside, rather than the winter,” Scott said. “Also, my mother isn't in great health. She lives next door, so I want to be there for her.
“My youngest grandchildren play sports so during the school year, there are ball games two or three nights a week. There's so much to do at my mama's house, I'm going to try and help her with things she needs. So I've got plenty to do, but I'm honestly looking forward to just sitting on my swing in the front yard and enjoying a beautiful day in East Franklin,” Scott added.
When a career spans more than four decades, it's inevitable that co-workers become friends. Three of Scott's employees, Kathy Hovater, (Deputy Clerk) Misty Crown and Judy James, have worked with her since she started in the clerk's office. The other employees include Jessie Baker, Tracie Thompson and Carol Ann Hardy. They've all shared good times as well as some rough times together.
“More than anything, the part I'm dreading is not being together with them every day. We've been through good times, bad times and we experienced those together,” Scott said. “My husband (Sylvester) died four years ago, and I can't hardly remember my life without these ladies. I've got the best employees and I'd put my group up against any clerk's office in the state.
“It's a sobering thought to realize there's not another phase of this. We're born, we go to school, college, get a job and retire. But when you're 68, common sense tells you it's time and I've been so blessed. In 44 years, I've had three different jobs, each one totally different from the others,” she added.
Franklin County District Judge Paula McDowell, who will retire in January 2025, is another courthouse employee who's been there throughout Scott's tenure.
“I have worked with Anita since I began working at the courthouse. She has been an excellent Circuit Clerk. Franklin County has been blessed to have such a competent and dedicated public servant,” McDowell said.
The fees and costs collected by the Circuit Clerk's office are set by state law, so there's no flexibility to defer or waive them. Additionally, Scott and some of her staff serve as magistrates, who are presented with reports from people who believe they are the victim of a crime and determine whether to issue a warrant. It's not a fun aspect of her job.
“My motto is we don't make the rules, we just play by them,” Scott said. “Probable cause warrants are the worst thing about my job. It's sometimes a neighbor asking for a warrant. And sometimes, I feel for the person, but the facts just don't fit the code section. I do most of the individual warrants (where someone other than a law enforcement officer seeks a criminal warrant), and that's where people get mad at you.
“I've had the door slammed so hard, it jarred the building. Some people are very unhappy when you can't help them. But generally speaking, if you explain to people the law and code sections to see how they don't fit, they understand,” she added.
But Scott has successfully navigated the political waters for 21 years as Circuit Clerk, and done so with a reduced number of employees. When she was appointed in 2003, Scott had eight employees. The first layoffs came in November 2002, when he staff was downsized to five employees. She has six employees now, one of which is paid through local funds with the other five being state employees.
When Derrick Scott takes office, he'll have an experienced staff to work with. And he'll also have someone with nearly 44 years' experience available to help, as Scott plans to come in one or two days a week during the transition period. But Scott said she's confident her son will effectively manage the office.
“When Derrick was a little boy, we couldn't keep him in his seat at church. He was constantly going around seeing people, both young and old. He just likes people—that's the way he is,” Scott said. “He enjoys helping people and he'll do that part of the job well because he interacts so well with people.”
In her 44 years serving the public, Scott and her office have seen tremendous change. What began as a job maintaining and organizing massive amounts of paperwork transitioned into the state's first computer system in 1993. That was a significant change. Today, almost all documents are filed online, keeping paperwork at a minimum.
But Alabama law requires criminal court files to be retained for 75 years after the case is disposed of, so there's still a large amount of paper filings maintained by the Circuit Clerk.
Soon enough, all of that will be in Scott's rear view mirror. The personalized tag on Scott's vehicle reads NANA I AM, an homage to the three grandchilden Scott's son and daughter have blessed her with.
And NANA will be the only job title Scott will have. And that's entirely fine with her.
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