COLLIER COUNTY, Fla, - Filing a civil suit in Collier County is getting harder. Thousands of foreclosures, on top of a smaller staff, have the clerk's office nearly two weeks behind.

In the past, civil documents would be filed and in the court computer system in two business days, but now, people wanting to get divorced or file a small claim are waiting up to two weeks before the documents are entered, and its mostly due to foreclosures.

Stacks, carts, and shelves full of yellow folders throughout the office. Each one is a foreclosure case. In the first five months of this year, 3,604 foreclosures were filed in Collier. That's almost 500 more than this time last year.

"We have more paperwork coming in, and it takes more people to get it done," Assistant Director of Civil and Probate Department Darlene Muszynski explains.

But she also has fewer people and fewer staffed hours to work with. Budget cuts mean each employee must take one unpaid day off every month, and overtime isn't an option. Now, some are exchanging a weekday for a Saturday.

"We've started working Saturday's trying to catch up, because Saturdays are no customers at the counter and no phones ringing," Muszynski says.

Right now, the office is eleven days behind on its filings.

"Its not a good thing to be behind. So many things depend on documents being in the file, and that's our main role," Muszynski says.

The Clerk's Office has put up notices, asking for customer's patience. They say they're working as hard as they can, but catching up will take time.

"I'm really swamped," Civil Clerk Laura Cameron says. "I really feel like I'm not going anywhere. I know I'm going as fast as I can, but I feel like, why aren't I getting somewhere?"

If you are filing a case, or a document, that will be needed by the court within 14 days, the clerk's office asks you to let someone know in person or in writing, so your request can be accommodated.