Find Pinellas County Court Cases Without Confusing Court Records and Official Records
Pinellas County’s Clerk provides a free Court Records Public View for many civil, criminal and traffic cases. The search looks simple, but broad names can return hundreds of results, family and probate access may require registration, and older documents may appear as “View On Request” instead of opening immediately.
This guide shows what to enter, how to refine a 500-result search, how to identify public and restricted documents, how to request a VOR filing, and which Clearwater or St. Petersburg clerk location handles the record you need.
Choose the Task You Need to Complete
Start with the card that matches the information you have. Pinellas County uses different tools for court cases, recorded documents, hearing dates and certified copies.
Use first and last name, then narrow by case category, closed-case status and filing dates.
Follow the search workflowUse the Pinellas format YY-XX-999999. Dashes and leading zeroes are optional.
Add the document to the request queue, provide an email address and submit it for Clerk review.
Use the VOR processUse eCertification when offered or request a quote from the Clerk for unavailable documents.
Compare costs and optionsUse Court Records Public View for Cases—not the Official Records Search
Pinellas County provides two record systems that are often confused. The Court Records portal covers lawsuits and court proceedings. The Official Records portal covers documents recorded in the county’s public land and recording system.
Search case parties, case numbers, attorneys, hearing calendars, events and available court documents.
Public View does not provide the same level of access to family and probate records. A registered account may be required.
Use for recorded deeds, mortgages, liens, powers of attorney, plats and recorded judgments.
Use Florida’s Appellate Case Information System for Second District Court of Appeal and Florida Supreme Court cases.
How to Search Pinellas County Court Records by Name
The Pinellas portal requires both the last and first name for a person search. A date range is not required for the initial search, so begin broadly and refine only when the result list is too large.
- Open Court Records Public View. Most public information and documents can be searched without registration.
- Select the Name search option. Choose Person for an individual or Business when the party is a company or organization.
- Enter the required last and first name. Leave the middle name, date of birth and date range blank during the first attempt unless you are certain they are correct.
- Choose whether to include closed cases. Select Include Closed Cases when searching for an older lawsuit, completed criminal case, historical traffic case or closed family matter.
- Review the result count. Pinellas limits record searches to the first 500 results. If the list reaches the limit, the correct case may be outside the displayed results.
- Refine by case category. Narrow the list to civil, criminal, traffic, family, probate or the most relevant division.
- Add a filing-date range. The date range on the general case search refers to the date the case was initially filed with the Clerk.
- Open the linked case number. Confirm the party names, court division, filing date, case status, charges or claims, hearings and disposition.
Use this three-pass search pattern
Enter the required first and last name with no date range or middle name.
Repeat with Include Closed Cases selected if an older or completed matter is missing.
Add case category, middle name, date of birth or filing dates one field at a time.
Joh*, then select the wildcard-search checkbox. Add a case category or date range first because a broad wildcard may produce thousands of matches.
Understand Public, Registered and Attorney Access
The result you can see depends on both the case type and your access level. A missing document may be restricted from anonymous Public View rather than absent from the court file.
| Access level | Best use | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Public View | Anonymous access to many criminal, civil and traffic case details and public documents. | Family, probate, juvenile and other protected categories have more limited access. |
| Registered User | General-public account for additional access permitted by Florida court rules. | Registration does not provide access to sealed, confidential or otherwise restricted records. |
| Attorney of Record | Attorneys can view assigned cases and additional documents for matters in which they are counsel of record. | An attorney account does not unlock confidential documents in unrelated cases. |
| Courthouse terminal | More complete public access to records that are not remotely displayed online. | Confidential, sealed and legally restricted material remains unavailable without proper authority. |
How to Enter a Pinellas County Court Case Number
A case-number search is faster and more precise than a name search. Pinellas uses the format YY-XX-999999, although dashes and leading zeroes are optional in the search field.
Filing year: the first two digits generally represent the year the case was filed.
Case code: the letters identify the court category, such as traffic or another local division code.
Sequence number: the remaining digits identify the individual case within that category and filing year.
16TR1 can locate case number 16-TR-000001. The search requires at least five case-number characters.
Where to find the number
- Traffic citation
- Summons or complaint
- Notice of hearing
- Criminal charging document
- Final judgment or order
- Attorney or Clerk correspondence
Open Public, View-On-Request and Older Court Documents
The Events & Documents section uses status icons to show whether a filing can be opened immediately, requires Clerk review or is restricted.
| Document status | What it means | What you should do |
|---|---|---|
| Public | The filing is available to the general public at your current access level. | Open the document link or public icon, then save or print it from the document viewer. |
| View On Request | The document exists electronically but must be reviewed for public release. | Click the VOR icon, add the filing to the request cart, enter your email and submit. |
| Confidential | The record or filing is restricted by Florida law or court rule. | Public users cannot open it. A permitted party or attorney may need authenticated access. |
| Sealed | A court order restricts access to the filing or case. | Contact the Clerk or seek legal guidance about the proper court process for access. |
| No document icon | The event may not have an electronic document attached. | Check Other Documents, request a copy or contact the correct Clerk records department. |
How to request a View On Request document
- Open the case and scroll to Events & Documents. Look for the VOR or locked document icon in the Doc column.
- Click the VOR icon. The filing is added to the document-request cart.
- Open the cart. Review the documents listed in the Request Queue.
- Enter your email address and submit. The Clerk reviews the filing for public release and redaction requirements.
- Check your email and return to the case. Most requests are completed within minutes, while more complicated documents can take up to two days.
How to Read a Pinellas Court Case Result
The case page may contain party information, charges, hearings, events, financial entries and bond details. Read the full record rather than relying only on the case title.
Check whether the matter is open, closed, pending, disposed or otherwise inactive.
Confirm whether the person is a plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent or another participant.
Determine whether the file is civil, criminal, traffic, family, probate or another category.
Read the chronological docket and open both event-linked and Other Documents filings.
Review scheduled dates, but confirm any required appearance directly with the court.
Look for the final outcome instead of assuming that a charge or complaint was proved.
What to Do When No Pinellas County Case Appears
The case is closed
Return to the search screen and select Include Closed Cases before searching again.
The name is entered differently
Remove the middle name, check alternate surnames and use a three-character wildcard when appropriate.
The result limit was reached
Pinellas returns only the first 500 results. Add the case category and a narrower filing-date range.
The case is family or probate
Create a Registered User account or use a courthouse public terminal for permitted public access.
The case is appellate or federal
Use Florida ACIS for state appeals and PACER for federal district or bankruptcy cases.
The file is confidential or juvenile
Juvenile records are not available through the general online search. Contact Court Records at (727) 464-7000.
Run this recovery sequence
- Reset the search and enter only the required first and last name.
- Select Include Closed Cases.
- Remove the middle name and date of birth.
- Try a wildcard using at least three characters followed by an asterisk.
- Add the correct case category.
- Narrow the filing-date range.
- Search the complete case or citation number.
- Register when searching permitted family or probate records.
- Use a courthouse public terminal.
- Ask the Clerk to perform a Pinellas County record search.
How to Get Plain, Certified and eCertified Court Copies
Many public documents can be viewed online without charge. Certification is different: it verifies the copy as an official Clerk-issued record and may require a fee or an online eCertification order.
| Service | Published guidance | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Online public viewing | Many case details and public documents are available without registration or a viewing fee. | Research, personal review and identifying the document you need. |
| Clerk-performed name search | $7 per name, plus $2 for each year in which an offense is found. | When you cannot locate the Pinellas case yourself. |
| Certified final disposition | The Clerk’s current seal-and-expunge guidance lists $1 per page plus $2 per certification. | FDLE applications, licensing, legal filings or other official use. |
| eCertified document | Available for eligible documents through the Court Records site’s ordering process. | Electronic delivery with a Clerk-issued certification that can be verified online. |
| Other copy request | Submit a request for a cost quote when the document is not freely available online. | Older paper files, microfilm, large requests or records requiring staff retrieval. |
Prepare this information before ordering
- Complete case number
- Party names
- Case division
- Exact document title
- Docket-event or filing date
- Number of pages or copies when known
- Whether certification is required
- Your email and mailing information
Choose the Correct Pinellas Clerk Location
Pinellas County has several public-view locations. Go to the office that handles the relevant case category, and call before visiting for an older paper or microfilm file.
14250 49th Street North, Second Floor
Clearwater, FL 33762
315 Court Street, Room 114
Clearwater, FL 33756
315 Court Street, Room 106
Clearwater, FL 33756
3165 McMullen Booth Road
Fessler Center, Building B
Clearwater, FL 33761
545 1st Avenue North, Room 153
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
315 Court Street, Room 170
Clearwater, FL 33756
Phone: (727) 464-3904
Find a Hearing and Set Free Court-Date Reminders
The Pinellas Calendar Search can look for scheduled hearings by party name, business, attorney or judicial officer. Its date range refers to the hearing date, not the original case filing date.
- Open the Court Records portal and choose Calendar Search. The default range generally begins with the current date and extends forward.
- Choose the correct search type. Search by party name, business, attorney or judicial officer.
- Narrow the date range and case category. This helps the calendar load more quickly and reduces unrelated results.
- Confirm the hearing through the case record. Open the case number and compare the date, time, courtroom and judge.
- Register for Florida E-Notify. E-Notify can send free email or text reminders for criminal court events when you have the case number.
Search Pinellas Appeals and Federal Cases Separately
| Record needed | Correct system | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Underlying Pinellas trial case | Pinellas Court Records Public View | County and circuit court case information filed with the Pinellas Clerk. |
| Florida appellate case | Florida ACIS | Public dockets and available documents from Florida’s District Courts of Appeal and Supreme Court. |
| Second District appeal | Second District Court of Appeal / ACIS | Appeals from the Sixth Judicial Circuit, including Pinellas and Pasco counties. |
| Federal civil or criminal case | PACER | U.S. District Court and other federal-court records. |
| Federal bankruptcy case | PACER | Bankruptcy dockets and documents filed in the federal system. |
Confidential, Juvenile, Sealed and Redacted Records
Florida court-access rules restrict some records from remote public viewing. Registration does not override confidentiality, sealing orders or legal access restrictions.
- Juvenile records: not currently available through the general online court-record search.
- Mental-health and guardianship matters: public search results and images may be limited by access level.
- Domestic-relations cases: some public information requires Registered User or courthouse access.
- Confidential documents: viewable only by people whose access rights permit it.
- Sealed records: restricted by court order.
- Protected personal information: certain Social Security, bank-account, credit-card, charge-account and debit-account information can be submitted for Clerk redaction.
Use Pinellas Court Information Carefully
A court-record search may show allegations, dismissed matters, amended charges, duplicate names and incomplete public documents. It should not be treated as a complete background report.
- Do not assume a filed criminal charge resulted in conviction.
- Do not assume a civil complaint resulted in a judgment.
- Do not assume a same-name record belongs to the intended person.
- Do not rely on an online calendar instead of an official hearing notice.
- Do not treat a downloaded PDF as a certified Clerk copy.
- Do not use this website as a consumer-reporting or tenant-screening service.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pinellas County Court Records
Is the Pinellas County court-record search free?
Yes. Court Records Public View is a free Clerk-provided service, and most public case searches require no registration. Charges may apply when the Clerk performs a name search, retrieves copies or certifies documents.
Do I need an account to search Pinellas court cases?
No account is required for many civil, criminal and traffic records. Registration may be needed for the level of public access permitted to family, probate and other restricted categories.
Why am I seeing only 500 search results?
The Pinellas portal limits searches to the first 500 results. Use Refine, select a case category, narrow the filing-date range and add a middle name or date of birth when reliable.
How does the Pinellas wildcard search work?
Enter at least three known characters followed by an asterisk, such as Smi*, then select the wildcard-search checkbox. Narrow broad wildcard searches with a case category or date range.
What does View On Request mean?
View On Request means the document exists electronically but requires Clerk review before online release. Click the VOR icon, add it to the cart, enter your email and submit the request. Many requests are completed within minutes; complex documents may take up to two days.
Why can’t I see a family or probate case in Public View?
Anonymous Public View has more limited access to family and probate cases. Create a Registered User account or use a courthouse public terminal for records that Florida rules permit the public to inspect.
How do I search an older closed case?
Select Include Closed Cases and search again. If the file or document remains unavailable, contact the Clerk because older material may be stored in paper, microfilm or an off-site records location.
How much does a Clerk-performed name search cost?
The Clerk currently lists a charge of $7 per name, plus $2 for each year in which an offense is found. This service covers Pinellas County cases only and is not a statewide or national background check.
What is the difference between Court Records and Official Records?
Court Records covers lawsuits, criminal cases, traffic matters, hearings and case documents. Official Records covers recorded deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, powers of attorney and similar county-recorded documents.
Where do I search a Pinellas appeal or federal case?
Use Florida ACIS for public state-appellate dockets and available documents. Pinellas is within the Second District Court of Appeal. Use PACER for federal district and bankruptcy records.
How This Pinellas County Guide Was Verified
YY-XX-999999 search format and example.
- Pinellas County Clerk — Court Records Public View
- Pinellas County Clerk — View Records and Search Instructions
- Pinellas County Clerk — Official Records Search
- Sixth Judicial Circuit of Florida
- Sixth Judicial Circuit — Court Divisions
- Florida Second District Court of Appeal
- Florida Appellate Case Information System
- PACER Federal Court Records
Search fields, result limits, access levels, case-number formatting, View On Request procedures, record-search charges, copy guidance, Clerk locations and appellate routing were checked against current official sources.
Court portals, fees, addresses and access rules can change. The current Pinellas County Clerk, Sixth Judicial Circuit or record-holding court source controls when it differs from this guide.