SECTION 14. Powers and duties of clerks

The clerk, temporary clerk and assistant clerks or one of them for each division shall attend all sessions of the housing court department and shall keep a record of all its proceedings. The clerk of each division shall have the care and custody of all the records, books and papers appertaining to, or filed or deposited in, his office. The clerk of each division shall make and issue writs and processes, shall make returns of the housing court department, tax bills of costs and receive fines, forfeitures, fees and costs accruing from the civil and criminal business of the housing court department including fees for blanks and copies. The clerk of each division shall have such other powers and duties as the first justice of the particular division may, subject to the approval of the chief justice of housing court department from time to time order.

The clerk and assistant clerks of each division of the housing court department may sign process issued by the housing court department and housing court department records, documents or other legal papers or copies thereof made or issued by such other clerk or an assistant clerk in conformity with law, except search warrants and process authorizing arrests or commitments, by imprinting thereon a facsimile of the signature of the clerk or assistant clerk; and such facsimile signatures shall have the same validity as their written signatures.