SPRINGFIELD — Effingham County native Audra Battle Jennings said most people don’t fully understand the various aspects of the clerk of Superior Court’s job.

 It’s not just about keeping records of trials for felonies and serious crimes, she said. It also involves real estate documents.

In addition, the clerk of Superior Court is responsible for receiving property tax payments and forwarding them to the county and state on a monthly basis. Divorces, military DD-214 forms and more go through the Clerk’s office, too.

Jennings, who lives in Guyton, eagerly pointed to what she thinks is her top qualification for the job she seeks.

“Honestly, my 10 years of experience in a larger court,” she said.

Jennings has worked for the Chatham County Superior Court and State Court for the past decade. She also has more than 30 years of experience working in non-profit and government organizations.

She is very passionate about her career.

“I’m not a politician,” she said. “I’m a public servant.” 

The candidate is presently the business systems assistant to the clerk in Chatham, a position that was created because of changing to a new computer system — the first upgrade in 20 years. Effingham County uses courtroom management software from the company that supplies Chatham County and the difference is in increased volume, Jennings said.

Jennings said her qualifications include being familiar with legal details so that the software can be programmed to meet a particular law’s requirements. That is particularly important with new laws are passed.

Jennings said she does research and sometimes even calls other clerks to find the best ways to handle new situations. She has studied the methods of several counties, making it easy to tailor them for a smaller court situation.

Her experience also includes working with a budget and payroll.