Find a Florida Court Case by Name by Starting With the Correct County Clerk
Florida does not provide one statewide name-search portal for every county and circuit trial-court case. Most civil, criminal, family, probate, small-claims and traffic records are maintained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller in the county where the case was filed.
This guide shows how to identify that county, choose the correct court level, search a person or business name, understand a Florida case number, recover a missing result, find appellate and federal cases, and order the right plain or certified copy.
Choose the Search That Matches Your Record
Florida has separate trial, appellate, federal and criminal-history systems. Start with the card that matches the record you actually need.
Search civil, criminal, family, probate, small-claims and traffic cases through the county clerk’s website.
Find the county clerkSearch dockets, parties and available documents for all Florida appellate courts in one system.
Search appellate recordsA county court-name search is not a complete Florida criminal-history report.
Compare the two searchesFlorida county clerks do not maintain federal district, bankruptcy or federal appellate records.
Find the federal routeFlorida Court Records Are Split Across Four Main Systems
The word “Florida” in a case title does not mean the record is stored in a single state database. First decide whether the matter is a trial case, appeal, federal case or criminal-history search.
Maintains circuit and county court files for the county, including most civil, criminal, family, probate and traffic matters.
Searches the Florida Supreme Court and all six District Courts of Appeal.
Provides a separate name-based search of publicly available Florida criminal-history information.
Searches federal district, bankruptcy and appellate court cases.
How to Find the Correct Florida County Clerk
The filing county—not the person’s current county of residence—usually controls where the trial-court record is maintained.
- Identify the likely filing county. Use the location of the alleged offense, lawsuit, divorce filing, probate estate, eviction property, traffic citation or lower-court proceeding.
- Open Florida’s Find a Clerk directory. Select the county rather than searching for a generic statewide case portal.
- Open the clerk’s official website. Look for links labelled Court Records, Case Search, Online Court Records, Public Access or Records Search.
- Choose the correct case category. County clerk sites often separate criminal, civil, family, probate, traffic and official-record searches.
- Search the party name or case number. Begin with fewer filters and add the filing year or case type only after results appear.
- Record the complete case number. Use it when requesting documents, checking hearings or contacting the clerk.
How to Search Florida Court Records by Name
Florida clerk portals use different software and search labels, but the same careful search sequence works across most counties.
- Select the correct county and court-record portal. Do not begin in Official Records, property records or the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal.
- Choose a person or business search. Some systems call this Party Search, Name Search, Case Search or Smart Search.
- Enter the last and first name. Leave the middle name, filing date and case type blank during the first search unless each detail is confirmed.
- Repeat with name variations. Try no middle name, a middle initial, a full middle name, maiden name, former surname and known alias.
- Try business-name variations. Search with and without punctuation and endings such as LLC, Inc., Corp. or LP.
- Narrow by filing year. Use an approximate range rather than one exact date when the date is uncertain.
- Select the case type only when necessary. A person may have separate civil, criminal, family, probate and traffic records.
- Open the full case details. Confirm the county, court level, party role, filing date, case number and disposition.
Use this three-pass search pattern
Search the legal first and last name with no uncertain date or case-type filters.
Test middle initials, former surnames, punctuation and business suffixes.
Add the filing year, case type or court division one field at a time.
How to Read a Florida Court Case Number
Florida case-number formats vary by county and clerk software. A number may contain the filing year, division code, sequence number, location or judge division.
Filing year: usually identifies the year the clerk opened the case.
Division code: commonly identifies the case category. Codes vary by county.
Sequence number: identifies the individual file within the clerk’s system.
Location or division: some clerks add a branch, judge, defendant or division identifier.
Common Florida division codes
| Common code | Often used for | Important caution |
|---|---|---|
| CF | Felony criminal case | Confirm the meaning on the local clerk’s site. |
| MM | Misdemeanor criminal case | County software and formatting can differ. |
| CA | Circuit civil case | Some counties use different civil codes. |
| CC | County civil case | Do not confuse the code with the clerk’s office. |
| DR or FM | Family or domestic-relations case | Family codes vary significantly by circuit. |
| CP | Probate case | Guardianship or mental-health matters may use another code. |
| SC | Small-claims case | Search county civil when no separate small-claims option appears. |
Decide Whether the Case Belongs in County or Circuit Court
Both court levels are maintained by the county clerk, but selecting the correct division can make the search much faster.
| Court level | Common case types | Search advice |
|---|---|---|
| County Court | Misdemeanors, traffic matters, small claims and county civil cases within statutory jurisdiction. | Use county criminal, traffic, small-claims or county-civil filters. |
| Circuit Court | Felonies, family law, probate, guardianship, juvenile, mental health and higher-level civil matters. | Use circuit criminal, circuit civil, family or probate divisions. |
The Florida Courts E-Filing Portal is not the public case-search system. It is primarily used to submit filings and fees. Search the county clerk’s public court-record portal to find an existing trial-court case.
How to Verify and Read a Florida Case Result
A docket result is a summary of court activity. It is not automatically the full case file, a certified document or proof that an allegation was established.
Confirm that the county matches where the case, property, offense or probate estate was filed.
Check whether the person is the plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent, decedent or another participant.
Verify whether the matter is civil, criminal, family, probate, traffic, juvenile or appellate.
Compare the filing year with the incident, divorce, death, lawsuit or citation being researched.
Read later events and orders rather than relying only on the first complaint, charge or petition.
Check whether the case is open, closed, dismissed, transferred, adjudicated or otherwise resolved.
Use the site’s plain-English court records glossary when terms such as docket, disposition, adjudication, judgment, sealed or expunged are unclear.
Search Florida Supreme Court and District Court of Appeal Records
Florida’s Appellate Case Information System, known as ACIS, provides one public search for the Florida Supreme Court and all six District Courts of Appeal.
- Open ACIS Search. Public docket and available document searches do not require registration.
- Choose Party Search when you have a name. Search by party name and narrow by party role or court when necessary.
- Choose Case Search when you have an appellate number. ACIS commonly displays appellate case numbers in a year-and-sequence format.
- Use the originating case number when available. This can connect the appeal with the county circuit-court case.
- Review the docket and available documents. Some documents remain restricted by rule, statute or user-access level.
What to Do When No Florida Court Case Appears
A blank result does not always mean that no case exists. The record may be in another county, another court level, an appellate system, a federal court or an archive.
Wrong filing county
Search the county where the offense, lawsuit, divorce, probate estate or property dispute was filed.
Wrong portal section
Move from Official Records, property records or e-filing to the clerk’s Court Records or Case Search page.
Name indexed differently
Try no middle name, a middle initial, maiden name, former surname, alias or business-name variation.
Wrong court level
Switch between county and circuit divisions or remove the case-type filter.
Appeal or federal matter
Use ACIS for Florida appeals and PACER for federal district, bankruptcy or appellate cases.
Older or restricted record
The case may require clerk-assisted research, archive retrieval, onsite access or proof of authorization.
Run this recovery sequence
- Confirm the county where the case was filed.
- Open that county clerk’s Court Records or Case Search page.
- Remove filing-date and case-type filters.
- Search the last and first name only.
- Try former names, middle initials and business-name variations.
- Search using the complete case or citation number.
- Switch between county and circuit divisions.
- Check ACIS for an appeal.
- Check PACER for a federal case.
- Contact the clerk about archived or non-electronic files.
Why a Florida Docket May Be Visible but Documents Are Missing
Florida generally provides public access to judicial records, but electronic access is controlled by court rules, confidentiality laws and the user’s access level. A public docket can be visible even when document images are unavailable remotely.
| Record category | Typical public access | Practical next step |
|---|---|---|
| General civil and criminal docket | Often searchable | Review the docket and open public images offered by the county clerk. |
| Family-law case | Remote images may be limited | Contact the clerk when the docket is visible but filings are unavailable online. |
| Adoption or dependency matter | Confidential or restricted | Access generally requires legal authorization or a court order. |
| Juvenile case | Restricted | Ask the clerk about lawful access for an authorized person. |
| Sealed or expunged record | Not publicly available | Follow the applicable court order and Florida access law. |
| Older paper or archived file | May not be online | Request archive research or visit the clerk’s records department. |
How to Request Plain or Certified Florida Court Copies
Order the document from the clerk in the county where the trial case was filed. Appellate copies come from the appellate court, and federal copies come through PACER or the federal clerk.
Prepare the request before contacting the clerk
- Full case number
- Filing county and court division
- Names of the parties
- Exact document title
- Approximate filing or order date
- Number of copies
- Plain or certified format
- Paper, email or electronically certified delivery preference
Florida’s statutory copy-fee starting point
| Service | State statutory schedule | Important note |
|---|---|---|
| Standard photographic copy | $1 per standard page | Electronic copies, search work, mailing and oversized pages may be charged differently. |
| Certification of a court-record instrument | $2 | The clerk may also charge for the underlying pages and other authorised services. |
| Large-format photographic copy | $5 per page | Applies to pages larger than the standard statutory dimensions. |
| Clerk research or archive retrieval | Varies by office and work required | Ask for an estimate before authorising extensive research. |
Choose the right copy
Useful for reading and personal reference when no official certification is required.
A clerk-produced copy without certification, suitable when the receiving organisation does not require a seal.
Includes clerk certification for official use such as identity, licensing, financial or legal processes.
Use the site’s court record types guide to compare a docket, complaint, judgment, decree, sentencing order and certified copy.
Use the Correct Search for Divorce, Criminal, Probate and Traffic Records
| Record needed | Best search route | What to request |
|---|---|---|
| Divorce or family case | Filing county clerk’s family or domestic-relations search. | Final judgment of dissolution, parenting order, support order or docket. |
| Felony criminal case | Filing county clerk’s circuit criminal division. | Information or indictment, judgment, sentence, disposition or docket. |
| Misdemeanor or traffic case | County criminal or traffic search maintained by the county clerk. | Citation, plea, judgment, sentence, payment history or disposition. |
| Probate estate | Filing county clerk’s probate division using the decedent’s name. | Will, petition, letters of administration, inventory where public, order or docket. |
| Small claim or eviction | County civil or small-claims section in the county clerk portal. | Complaint, summons, judgment, writ or docket. |
| Recorded judgment lien | Court Records for the lawsuit and Official Records for the recorded judgment or lien. | Court judgment plus the separately recorded instrument when both are needed. |
Florida Court Search Versus FDLE Criminal-History Search
A county clerk search shows cases filed in that county. FDLE maintains Florida’s central criminal-history repository and offers a separate name-based public search.
| Search type | What it covers | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| County clerk court search | Cases filed in one Florida county and court system. | Does not automatically search all 67 counties or verify identity by fingerprints. |
| FDLE name-based search | Publicly available Florida criminal-history information held by FDLE. | A name-based result can still require identity verification and may not replace a fingerprint check. |
Search Federal Court Records Filed in Florida
Florida has Northern, Middle and Southern federal judicial districts. Their civil, criminal and bankruptcy records are not stored by Florida county clerks.
- Open PACER and sign in or create an account.
- Search the party name across federal courts or select the likely Florida district.
- Use the federal case number when available.
- Review PACER’s current fee and waiver information before opening multiple documents.
- Contact the federal clerk when a document is sealed, archived or unavailable electronically.
Florida Search Tips That Save Time
A person’s current residence may have no connection to the county where the case was filed.
Save every digit, letter and suffix before leaving the portal or calling the clerk.
Older indexes may display one party first or use a former surname.
Use the legal name shown on the death record and try punctuation or middle-name variations.
A docket entry can exist without a remotely viewable PDF.
Older files may be offsite and require advance retrieval.
Use Florida Court Information Carefully
Court databases can contain allegations, dismissed cases, amended charges, duplicate names, redacted documents and incomplete electronic histories.
- Do not assume a criminal charge resulted in conviction.
- Do not assume a civil complaint resulted in judgment.
- Do not identify a person from a name match alone.
- Do not assume a missing document means the entire case is sealed.
- Do not use this website as a consumer-reporting or screening service.
Read the site’s FCRA and consumer-reporting notice before using public-record information in employment, housing, credit, insurance or another eligibility decision.
Frequently Asked Questions About Florida Court Records
Is there one statewide Florida trial-court name search?
No. Florida trial-court records are generally searched through the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller in the county where the case was filed. Use the statewide clerk directory to reach the correct county portal.
How do I know which Florida county has the case?
Use the location of the offense, lawsuit, property, divorce filing, probate estate or lower-court proceeding. A notice, citation, attorney letter or originating case number usually identifies the county.
Can I search Florida appellate court records by party name?
Yes. ACIS includes a Party Search for the Florida Supreme Court and all six District Courts of Appeal. Public searching and access to available public documents do not require registration.
Why can I see the docket but not the document?
The filing may not be remotely available because of electronic-access standards, confidentiality, redaction, age of the case or the user’s access level. Contact the clerk to ask whether a public copy can be inspected or ordered.
Are Florida divorce records public?
Many divorce dockets and final judgments are public, but remote document access can be limited and confidential information may be redacted. Search the family division of the filing county clerk and request the final judgment when official proof is needed.
How much does a certified Florida court copy cost?
Florida’s statutory schedule lists $1 per standard page and $2 for certifying a court-record instrument. Other authorised search, electronic-delivery, archive, mailing or convenience fees may apply, so confirm the final amount with the county clerk.
Can I search old Florida court cases online?
Availability depends on the county, case type and age of the file. Older cases may have only an index entry or may require clerk-assisted archive research or an onsite visit.
Where do I search a Florida criminal record?
Use the filing county clerk for the actual criminal court case. Use FDLE when you need a separate statewide name-based Florida criminal-history search. Neither result should be treated as fingerprint-confirmed identity without further verification.
Does Florida have municipal court searches?
Florida’s current state judiciary does not operate separate municipal courts. Court cases involving municipal ordinance or traffic matters are generally handled in county court, although local code-enforcement hearings may be administrative rather than court cases.
What should I do if the clerk denies access to a record?
Ask for the specific legal or court-rule basis for the restriction and whether a redacted copy or authorised inspection is available. Florida judicial-record requests should identify the requested record with enough detail for the custodian to locate it.
How This Florida Guide Was Verified
- Florida Courts — Court Structure
- Florida Courts — Court Locations
- Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers — Find a Clerk
- Florida Clerks — Public Records Directory
- Florida Appellate Case Information System
- Florida Courts — Public Records
- Florida Statutes — Clerk Service Charges
- FDLE — Criminal History Records
- PACER — Federal Court Records
Read the site’s source verification and manual checking policy for details about how official portals, fees, access rules and correction needs are reviewed.
Florida’s county-clerk structure, trial and appellate court routes, ACIS access, criminal-history options, electronic-access limits and statutory copy-fee schedule were reviewed against current official sources.
County portals, fees, document availability and search interfaces can change. The current record-holding clerk or court controls when its instructions differ from this guide.