On July 6, 2010, the Clerk of Court for the Northern District of Ohio will begin its participation in the Paper Check Conversion Over the Counter (PCC OTC) Program. This program is an initiative, managed by the Department of the Treasury, Financial Management Service, which expedites the deposit of funds paid to Federal agencies by members of the public.
 
When you provide a check as payment, you authorize the Clerk's Office to use the account information from your check to make a one-time electronic fund transfer from your account or to process the payment as a check transaction. When the Clerk's Office uses information from your check to make an electronic fund transfer, funds may be withdrawn from your account on the same day that you make your payment.
 
The Clerk's Office digitally scans all checks. Parties making "in-person" payments will receive their processed personal checks back at the end of the transaction. Personal checks remitted by mail will be destroyed after processing. If for some reason the Clerk's Office is unable to process your check electronically, the Clerk's Office will present the check to the bank for processing.
 
Paying by check and furnishing check information is purely voluntary. Other methods of payment include American Express, Diner's Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa, or Cash.
 
Returned Check Fee
Any check returned as unpaid will be charged a $53 fee.
 
Privacy Act
The Privacy Act of 1974 requires the Clerk's Office to inform individuals of (1) its authority for soliciting and collecting the information from your check and that providing the information is voluntary; (2) the primary purpose for soliciting this information; (3) the intended use of the information; and (4) the effects on the individual of not providing all or any part of the requested information. This notice is created in conformity with the Privacy Act.
 
This PCC OTC program is covered under the Systems of Record Notice published for collection systems for Treasury/FMS on February 4, 2003 at 68 FR 5691. The number this Systems of Records Notice is published under is Treasury/FMS.017.