Find a Pasco County Court Case and Route It to the Correct East or West Pasco Office
The Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller provides an official online search for circuit and county court cases. A successful search still requires careful checking because a similar name, the wrong record system, or confusion between East and West Pasco can send you to the wrong case or office.
This guide explains how to search by party name or case number, read Pasco’s Uniform Case Number, distinguish court records from Official Records, locate restricted or older files, and request a plain or certified copy without paying for the wrong document.
Start With the Record You Actually Need
Pasco County maintains separate court-record and Official Records searches. Choosing the wrong system is a common reason users cannot find a document.
Use for civil, criminal, family, probate, traffic, small-claims and other Pasco court cases.
Follow the court search stepsUse the separate recorded-document index for deeds, mortgages, liens and recorded judgments.
Compare the two systemsPasco’s twenty-character Uniform Case Number identifies the county, year, case type and file location.
Decode each partUse E-Certify when the document is available online or contact Court Records for an unavailable file.
Compare fees and methodsChoose the Correct Court System Before Searching
Pasco County trial cases, Florida appeals, federal cases and local recorded documents use different systems.
Use for Sixth Judicial Circuit and Pasco County Court case information.
Use Florida’s Appellate Case Information System for Supreme Court and District Court of Appeal dockets.
Pasco County is served by the Tampa Division of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
Use for deeds, mortgages, liens, satisfactions and other documents recorded in Pasco County.
Court Records and Official Records Are Different Searches
This distinction matters because a final judgment may appear in a court case and may also be recorded in Official Records, while most motions, hearing notices and criminal filings belong only to the court file.
| Record needed | Correct search | What you may find |
|---|---|---|
| Civil lawsuit | Court Records | Parties, docket events, hearings, orders and case disposition. |
| Criminal case | Court Records | Charges, court events, disposition, sentence and financial obligations. |
| Divorce or family case | Court Records | Case docket and public family-court documents, subject to access restrictions. |
| Deed or mortgage | Official Records | Recorded property documents indexed by name, book/page or instrument number. |
| Recorded judgment or lien | Official Records | The recorded instrument affecting property or public notice. |
| Motion, petition or hearing notice | Court Records | Case-related filing or event when public and electronically available. |
How to Search Pasco County Court Records by Name
Start with a broad but accurate name search. Add details only after reviewing the first result list, because incorrect assumptions about the year, case type or filing location can hide the correct case.
- Open the Clerk’s official Search Court Records page. Read the disclaimer, then open the Online Court Records Search.
- Choose the public-access option. General public access is different from enhanced attorney-of-record access.
- Enter the party’s legal name. Start with the last and first name. Avoid adding an uncertain middle name or case type during the first attempt.
- Repeat the search with variations. Try no middle name, a middle initial, a former surname, hyphen changes, spacing differences and common spelling variations.
- Search business names more than one way. Try the formal legal name and a version without “LLC,” “Inc.,” punctuation or other corporate endings.
- Open every plausible result. Compare the case number, filing year, case code, party role and East or West Pasco designation.
- Read the latest events and disposition. Do not rely only on the original case title, complaint or criminal charge.
- Save the full Uniform Case Number. You will need it for document searches, E-Certify, division lookup and clerk assistance.
Use this three-pass search pattern
Search the most reliable version of the name without adding uncertain case filters.
Try a middle initial, former surname, alternate spelling or simplified business name.
Use the filing year, case type or complete UCN after identifying a likely match.
Decode a Pasco County Uniform Case Number
Pasco began using Florida’s mandated Uniform Case Number, or UCN, in 2003. The twenty-character number identifies the county, filing year, case type, sequence and East or West Pasco assignment.
County designation: 51 identifies Pasco County.
Year opened: the four-digit year shows when the court case began.
Case type: the two-letter code identifies the division, such as circuit civil or felony.
Sequential number: the six digits identify the case sequence for that year and type.
Optional local fields: Pasco may use these characters for internal case information.
Location designation: the final characters identify East Side or West Side assignment.
Common Pasco case-type codes
Higher-value civil disputes and other circuit matters.
County-court civil actions.
Lower-value civil claims handled under small-claims rules.
Domestic-relations and family-court matters.
Felony criminal prosecution.
Misdemeanor criminal prosecution.
Traffic-related criminal prosecution.
Noncriminal traffic-infraction matter.
Estate and probate proceeding.
Guardianship case.
Mental-health proceeding with access controlled by law.
Appeal from Pasco County Court.
Use Pasco’s Special Record Tools When the General Search Is Not Enough
| Tool | Best use | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Case Section/Division Lookup | Identify the assigned section or division after obtaining a case number. | The lookup is informational and should not replace an official court notice. |
| E-Certify | Purchase an electronic certified document by case number. | The case and document must be available online; otherwise visit or contact the Clerk. |
| Wills on Deposit | Search for a will deposited with the Clerk. | A deposited will is different from an opened probate estate case. |
| Mental-Health Case Search | Use the Clerk’s specific route for qualifying mental-health case information. | Access remains restricted by Florida confidentiality rules. |
| Orders Sealing Noncriminal Records | Review published orders concerning sealed noncriminal court records. | A sealing order does not make the protected file publicly viewable. |
| Animal Abuser Search | Search the Clerk’s topic-specific animal-abuse information. | Use the general case search when you need the related court docket. |
Confirm That the Result Is the Correct Pasco County Case
Confirm the county code, filing year, case-type code and East or West designation.
Check whether the name belongs to a plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent or another participant.
Compare the year with the incident, citation, dispute, divorce or probate event.
Make sure the code matches the expected civil, criminal, family, probate or traffic matter.
Read newer events for amendments, dismissal, reopening, satisfaction or transfer information.
A complaint, petition or filed charge does not prove that it was granted or resulted in conviction.
What to Do When No Pasco County Case Appears
The name was entered differently
Try a middle initial, former surname, alternate spelling, hyphen change or simplified business name.
You searched Official Records
Return to Court Records when looking for a lawsuit, criminal case, family case, probate case or traffic matter.
The case is in another county
The case may be filed where the event, property, contract or other party was located.
The matter is appellate
Use Florida ACIS for Supreme Court or District Court of Appeal records.
The matter is federal
Use PACER for the Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division.
The record is sealed or expunged
Sealed, expunged and legally confidential records are not available to the general public.
The file is older or stored separately
Contact East or West Pasco Court Records so staff can check retained electronic or physical files.
The document is missing, not the case
A public docket may appear online even when a particular scanned document is unavailable remotely.
Run this recovery sequence
- Search the party name without uncertain filters.
- Repeat with middle-name, former-name and spelling variations.
- Search a business with and without corporate endings.
- Confirm that you are using Court Records, not Official Records.
- Search by complete UCN when available.
- Check another likely filing county.
- Use ACIS for a Florida appeal.
- Use PACER for a federal case.
- Contact East or West Pasco Court Records.
- Ask whether the file is sealed, expunged, confidential or stored offline.
Understand Pasco County Online Record Limits
Florida electronic access depends on the user’s role, case type, document type and applicable confidentiality rules. The public portal may show less information than an attorney-of-record account or an in-office clerk system.
| Record or information | Public availability | Best next step |
|---|---|---|
| Public civil, criminal and traffic case information | Generally searchable | Use the official Online Court Records Search. |
| Public scanned court documents | Availability varies | Open the case and check document access; contact Court Records if the image is unavailable. |
| Sealed criminal file | Not public | A court order is required before a sealed file can be unsealed for viewing. |
| Expunged case | Not publicly accessible | Public access is controlled by Florida law and the applicable court order. |
| Confidential family, juvenile or mental-health information | Restricted | Contact the Clerk for lawful access guidance; public portal access may be limited. |
| Attorney-of-record documents | Enhanced access may apply | Attorneys of record can apply for approved enhanced access through the Clerk. |
| Police report or evidence held by an agency | Not ordinary court search content | Contact the law-enforcement agency or evidence custodian. |
How to Get Plain or Certified Pasco County Court Copies
Use an ordinary copy for personal research. Order certification when a court, government agency, bank, licensing body or another receiving organization requires official proof.
| Service | Published fee | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Online computer records search | Free | Search public case information through the official online portal. |
| Physical viewing of court records | Free | Inspect an available public file without ordering copies. |
| Copy of a court document | $1 per page | Order only the pages or document needed. |
| Certification | $2 per document | Added when official certification is required. |
| Assisted records search | $2 per name per year | Useful when staff must perform the name-and-year search for you. |
| Authenticated or exemplified certificate | $7 | Ask the receiving authority whether this higher authentication level is required. |
E-Certify pricing
Pasco’s electronic certification service provides tamper-evident certified court and Official Records documents when the case and document are available online.
| E-Certify charge | Published amount | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory copy fee | $1 per page | The total increases with the document’s page count. |
| Certification fee | $2 per document | Charged for certification of the selected document. |
| Convenience service fee | $6 | Added to an E-Certify order. |
| Credit-card processing | Additional 3.5% | Confirm the full checkout total before completing the transaction. |
Prepare this information before ordering
- Complete twenty-character UCN
- Party names and party role
- Exact document title
- Approximate filing or event date
- East or West Pasco designation
- Number of copies needed
- Whether certification or exemplification is required
- Your email, phone number and mailing address
Use this request sequence
- Open the case online. Copy the full UCN and identify the exact docket event or document.
- Check E-Certify. Use the online service when the document is available and an electronic certified copy is acceptable.
- Contact Court Records when the image is missing. Use the East or West Pasco phone number based on the case assignment or your preferred service location.
- Confirm the certification level. Ask the receiving organization whether a plain, certified, authenticated or exemplified document is required.
- Confirm the final fee and payment method. Fees can change, and card transactions carry an additional processing charge.
Where to View or Request Pasco County Court Records
Pasco operates separate East and West records facilities. These are record-service locations and should not be confused with the judicial centers where hearings are held.
East Pasco Records Retention Facility
Street address:
38319 McDonald Street
Dade City, FL 33525
Phone: (352) 521-4489
Mailing address:
38053 Live Oak Avenue
Dade City, FL 33523-3805
Jack Albert Records Retention Facility
Street address:
8902 Government Drive
New Port Richey, FL 34654-5555
Phone: (727) 847-8962
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 338
New Port Richey, FL 34656-0338
Do not confuse records facilities with hearing locations
| Location | Address | Primary purpose |
|---|---|---|
| East Pasco Records Retention Facility | 38319 McDonald Street, Dade City | Court-record viewing, file access and copy assistance. |
| Jack Albert Records Retention Facility | 8902 Government Drive, New Port Richey | West-side court-record viewing, file access and copy assistance. |
| Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center | 38053 Live Oak Avenue, Dade City | East Pasco court hearings and judicial services. |
| West Pasco Judicial Center | 7530 Little Road, New Port Richey | West Pasco court hearings and judicial services. |
Use a Different Source for These Pasco County Records
| Record needed | Why the court search may not help | Better route |
|---|---|---|
| Deed, mortgage or recorded lien | These belong in the Official Records index. | Use Pasco County Official Records Search. |
| Police report | Police reports are maintained by the investigating agency. | Contact the Pasco Sheriff or municipal police department. |
| Current jail custody | The court docket is not a real-time detention roster. | Use the responsible detention or sheriff custody source. |
| Florida appellate case | Appeals use the statewide ACIS portal. | Search ACIS by case, party or document. |
| Federal lawsuit or bankruptcy | Federal records do not appear in the Pasco Clerk’s state-court system. | Use PACER and the Middle District of Florida. |
| Birth, death or marriage certificate | These are vital or licensing records, not ordinary court-case documents. | Use the appropriate Florida or Pasco vital-record or marriage-license service. |
Use Pasco County Court Information Carefully
A public case search can display allegations, dismissed charges, unresolved claims, similar names and documents that were later amended or superseded.
- Do not assume a filed criminal charge resulted in conviction.
- Do not assume a civil complaint was proved or resulted in judgment.
- Do not assume an online name match identifies the intended person.
- Do not assume a missing document means the entire case is sealed.
- Do not treat the online docket as a certified court record.
- Do not use this website as a consumer-reporting or screening service.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pasco County Court Records
Can I search Pasco County court records for free?
Yes. The Clerk lists computer court-record searches as free. Physical viewing of available public court records is also listed as free. Copy, certification and staff-assisted search fees can apply.
What is Pasco County’s court-number code?
Pasco County’s Florida Uniform Case Number begins with county designation 51. The number then includes the filing year, case-type code, sequential number, optional local fields and East or West location designation.
What do ES and WS mean at the end of a Pasco case number?
They identify the assigned side of Pasco County. ES refers to the East Side, generally associated with Dade City, and WS refers to the West Side, generally associated with New Port Richey.
How much is a certified Pasco County court document?
The published court-record fee is generally $1 per copied page plus $2 to certify each document. E-Certify adds a $6 convenience fee and an additional 3.5% credit-card processing fee. Confirm the current total before paying.
Can I order a certified document online?
Yes, when the case and document are available through Pasco’s E-Certify service. The system provides a tamper-evident electronic certified document for immediate download and email delivery.
Why can I see the case but not the document?
The document may be restricted, confidential, not scanned or unavailable through public remote access. Contact Court Records with the complete UCN and docket-event description.
Are sealed or expunged criminal cases publicly viewable?
No. Pasco states that criminal files are public unless sealed, expunged or confidential by law. A sealed court file requires a court order to be unsealed before its contents can be viewed.
Where do I search a Pasco County divorce record?
Search the Clerk’s Court Records system using the party name or complete case number. Divorce cases use the family or domestic-relations court category. Request a certified final judgment from the Clerk when official proof is needed.
Is a recorded judgment the same as the court case?
No. The court case contains the lawsuit and docket history. A judgment may also be separately recorded in Official Records. Search both systems when researching the lawsuit and the recorded judgment or satisfaction.
Should I visit the courthouse or the records facility?
Visit the judicial center for a scheduled hearing. Contact or visit the appropriate records facility for file viewing and copy assistance. Call Court Records first when you are unsure which location holds the file.
How This Pasco County Guide Was Verified
- Pasco County Clerk — Search Court Records
- Pasco County Clerk — Court Records Fees & Costs
- Pasco County Clerk — Court Records Locations
- Pasco County Clerk — E-Certify
- Pasco County Clerk — Uniform Case Number Guide
- Pasco County Clerk — Official Records Search
- Sixth Judicial Circuit — Courthouse Directory
- Florida Courts — Appellate Case Information System
- Middle District of Florida — Tampa Division
Search routes, Uniform Case Number structure, case-type codes, copy fees, E-Certify charges, records locations, public-access limits and appellate and federal routes were checked against current official sources.
Court websites, fees, office procedures and electronic-access rules can change. The current Pasco County Clerk, Florida Courts or record-holding court source controls when it differs from this guide.