Criminal-record research in Miami usually involves several different government systems. Miami-Dade felony and misdemeanor court cases are searched through the Clerk of the Court and Comptroller, current county jail custody is handled by Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation, arrest and police reports depend on which law-enforcement agency created the record, statewide criminal-history information comes from FDLE, and federal Miami cases use the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
What are you trying to find?
Who keeps criminal records in Miami-Dade County?
The phrase “Miami criminal record” can refer to several different government records. The quickest search starts by identifying what happened and which agency created the information.
Criminal court case
Felony and misdemeanor court cases, docket activity, judgments, sentences, warrants associated with court cases and many public case documents.
Current county custody
Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation maintains the current inmate search for people held in county detention facilities.
Arrest and incident record
Arrest reports, incident reports, body-worn camera records and other agency-created records generally come from the law-enforcement agency that created them.
Florida criminal history
FDLE is Florida’s central repository for statewide criminal-history information.
Criminal appeal
Miami-Dade trial-court appeals generally route to Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal and can be researched through ACIS.
Federal criminal case
Federal prosecutions in Miami are separate from Florida state cases and use PACER and the Southern District of Florida.
How to search Miami-Dade felony and misdemeanor court cases
The official starting point for local criminal-court records is the Miami-Dade Criminal Justice Online Case Search .
The Miami-Dade Clerk states that the system provides information on criminal felony and misdemeanor cases.
Open the official Criminal Justice Online system
Start from the Miami-Dade Clerk website or its CJIS case-search system, rather than an unofficial public-record aggregator.
Search the defendant or case
Use the identifying information available to you. A case number is especially useful when several people share a similar name.
Open the case information
Review the criminal charge, case events, hearing information and current case status.
Read the disposition
Determine whether the count resulted in conviction, dismissal, acquittal, withholding of adjudication or another disposition.
Open available document images
Some public criminal documents can be viewed online. If an image is unavailable to an anonymous user, free registration may provide additional access where permitted by Florida’s electronic court-record access rules.
Order a certified copy when necessary
The Clerk allows qualifying criminal documents and certified criminal-history disposition records to be ordered through its official process.
Miami felony vs. misdemeanor records: know which division handled the case
Felony cases
Miami-Dade’s Circuit Criminal Division processes felony criminal matters. The Clerk states that Circuit Criminal receives and processes felony affidavits of probable cause, grand-jury indictments and arrest warrants.
The main Clerk criminal office for felony matters is located at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building, Suite 9000.
Misdemeanor cases
County Criminal handles misdemeanor and related lower-level criminal matters.
At the Gerstein Justice Building, the Clerk’s misdemeanor office is Suite 8100.
How to read a Miami-Dade criminal case without misinterpreting it
| Record item | What it tells you | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Case number | The identifier for the Miami-Dade court case. | Use it when ordering copies or calling the Clerk. |
| Charge | The alleged criminal offense filed in court. | Do not treat it as a conviction without checking disposition. |
| Arrest / affidavit information | Information related to the arrest or probable-cause process. | It describes allegations, not necessarily the final court finding. |
| Information / indictment | The formal charging document in applicable cases. | Check whether charges were amended, reduced or dismissed later. |
| Judgment / sentence | The court’s adjudication and sentencing information. | Review each count separately. |
| Disposition | How the charge or case was ultimately resolved. | This is one of the most important fields when verifying criminal history. |
How to check for a Miami-Dade bench warrant tied to a court case
The Eleventh Judicial Circuit specifically directs people seeking information about a bench warrant to the Miami-Dade Clerk’s criminal case system or the Clerk’s criminal-information phone line.
You can:
- search the Miami-Dade Criminal Justice Online system
- review the case status and docket activity
- call the Clerk at 305-275-1155
- use the case number when speaking with the Clerk
Miami-Dade certified criminal-history disposition letter
The Miami-Dade Clerk offers a certified criminal-history disposition letter associated with local felony and misdemeanor cases.
The Clerk describes the letter as the result of a local case-record search.
Request electronically
Use the Clerk’s criminal-history certified-copy system.
Send a written request
Include the defendant’s name, case number, case year, date of birth, payment and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Visit a court location
The Clerk allows in-person certified-history requests at qualifying district court locations.
Current Miami-Dade disposition-letter fees
| Service | Current Clerk fee | Useful detail |
|---|---|---|
| Certified criminal-history disposition | $7 | Local Miami-Dade certified disposition/history service. |
| Record search when year/case number is unknown | $2 per year, per name | Added for each year the Clerk must search. |
Ordering specific Miami criminal case documents
If you need the actual document rather than a history letter, the Clerk allows certified criminal case copies to be requested online, by mail, email or other listed methods, depending on the record.
Examples of documents the Clerk identifies include:
- arrest affidavit / A-form
- information or indictment
- judgment and sentence
- probation or community-control orders
- motions
- court orders
- depositions where publicly available
- other qualifying case-file documents
| Service | Current fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal document copy | $1 per page | Applies to copy requests under the Clerk’s published criminal-copy guidance. |
| Certification | $2 per document | Added when certification is requested. |
| Record search | $2 per year | Applicable when research is needed. |
| Scanned felony case file on CD | $42 | The Clerk says this option applies to felony case files; research fees can also apply. |
Criminal-copy information line: 305-275-1155, option 4 under the Clerk’s current published instructions.
Felony copy-request email: coccriminal@miamidade.gov
Misdemeanor copy-request email: cocmisdemeanor@miamidade.gov
Criminal Certified Copy InstructionsRichard E. Gerstein Justice Building: main Miami criminal courthouse
Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building
1351 NW 12th StreetMiami, FL 33125
Published Clerk hours:
Monday–Friday: 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Saturday–Sunday: Closed
Clerk information: 305-275-1155
Criminal offices
Felony: Suite 9000
Misdemeanor: Suite 8100
Traffic: Suite 124
The Clerk identifies Criminal Court on the ninth floor and lists felony, misdemeanor and traffic services at this location.
Other Miami-Dade court locations
Not every misdemeanor, traffic or district-court service requires a trip to the main Gerstein building. Miami-Dade also maintains district court locations around the county.
| Location | Address | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| North Dade Justice Center | 15555 Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 100, North Miami, FL 33160 | District-court services; verify the exact criminal service before visiting. |
| South Dade Justice Center | 10710 SW 211th Street, Suite 1200, Miami, FL 33189 | Useful for residents in southern Miami-Dade. |
| Hialeah District Court | 11 E. 6th Street, Hialeah, FL 33010 | District-court location serving the Hialeah area. |
| Coral Gables District Court | 3100 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables, FL 33134 | Check current Clerk services before visiting. |
| Joseph Caleb Center Court | 5400 NW 22nd Avenue, Suite 103, Miami, FL 33142 | Another Clerk/court service location within Miami-Dade. |
Miami-Dade inmate and current jail search
If someone was arrested recently, the Miami-Dade Inmate In-Custody Search is often more useful than starting with an old criminal-history database.
The county says the online search can locate a person using the last name plus the first initial or first name.
What the Miami-Dade inmate search can show
Name / DOB
Name, date of birth, race and sex.
Location
Where the person is currently being held.
Charges / bond
Listed charges and bond amount.
Booking details
Jail number, booking date, booking time and mugshot where displayed.
Miami-Dade Corrections general inmate-information number: 786-263-7000
Inmate Records: 786-263-4222
What happens after a Miami-Dade arrest?
Miami-Dade Corrections currently explains that people entering county custody are processed through the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center (TGK).
Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center
7000 NW 41 StreetMiami, FL 33166
Information line: 786-263-5550
The county says the TGK Information Desk can assist with inmate location, bond information, visiting information and general questions.
City of Miami Police records vs. Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office records
This distinction causes a lot of unnecessary searching. Miami is a city inside Miami-Dade County. The correct public-record agency depends on which law-enforcement agency created the record.
If City of Miami Police handled the incident
Use the City of Miami / Miami Police Department public-record process for police-created records.
City of Miami public-record requests can currently be made through its online request system, by phone or through the city’s records channels.
City public records: 305-416-1883
Miami Police Records Unit information: 305-603-6477
The City currently lists the Police Records Unit as open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., and closed Wednesday, weekends and legal holidays.
If Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office handled the incident
Use the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Records / Public Records Center.
The county’s records service covers law-enforcement records such as incident reports, crash reports, calls-for-service data and other qualifying records.
Public Records Custodian: 305-471-2085
Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office9105 NW 25th Street
Doral, FL 33172
How to request Miami-Dade police, corrections or agency records
Florida’s public-records law is broad, but you still need to request the record from the government agency that actually maintains it.
Police / law-enforcement records
Use the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Public Records Center for qualifying Sheriff-created records.
Jail / corrections records
Miami-Dade Corrections has its own public-record request process for correctional records.
Criminal case file
Use the Miami-Dade Clerk rather than the police public-record portal for the official court file.
For a useful records request, include:
- full name of the person involved
- date or approximate date of incident
- location of incident
- police report or case number if known
- type of record requested
- specific date range
- whether electronic copies are acceptable
- enough detail to locate the record without excessive research
Miami-Dade Corrections specifically says arrest records should be requested from the appropriate law-enforcement agency rather than from Corrections simply because the individual later entered a county jail.
Miami-Dade Public Records Portal Sheriff’s Records InformationFlorida statewide warrant search for someone connected to Miami
In addition to court-specific bench-warrant information, Florida provides the FDLE Wanted Persons Search .
It contains Florida warrant information reported by law-enforcement agencies and authorized for public release.
Search fields include:
- last name
- first name
- middle name or initial
- nickname
- date of birth or age
- race
- sex
- reporting agency
FDLE statewide criminal history when a Miami-only search is not enough
A Miami-Dade Clerk search answers the local court-record question. It does not automatically tell you whether the person has criminal history elsewhere in Florida.
For statewide Florida public criminal-history information, use the Florida Department of Law Enforcement .
Florida coverage
FDLE is Florida’s central repository for criminal-history information.
$24 public search
FDLE currently lists the public Florida criminal-history request fee as $24.
Not the Miami case file
Use the Miami-Dade Clerk if you need the authoritative local court docket or certified disposition.
Miami-Dade criminal appeals: Third District Court of Appeal
Miami-Dade County is in Florida’s Eleventh Judicial Circuit, and appellate cases from that circuit fall within the Third District Court of Appeal.
Florida now provides appellate docket searching through the Appellate Case Information System (ACIS) .
ACIS supports:
- case search
- party-name search
- advanced document search
- oral-argument search
- public docket review
- available appellate documents
Florida Third District Court of Appeal
2001 SW 117 AvenueMiami, FL 33175
Phone: 305-229-3200
Appeal → ACIS / Third DCA.
Federal criminal records in Miami: Southern District of Florida
A federal prosecution in Miami is completely separate from a Miami-Dade state-court case. Use PACER and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. U.S. Courthouse
Records Section400 North Miami Avenue
8th Floor North
Miami, FL 33128
Records: 305-523-5210
Published office hours:
Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., excluding federal holidays.
PACER
PACER provides electronic federal docket and document access. The Southern District says its PACER criminal and civil case information includes cases filed on or after July 1, 2000.
For an older federal case, contact the court’s Records Section when the needed material is not electronically available.
Sealing or expunging a Miami-Dade criminal record
Miami-Dade has an especially useful local resource: the State Attorney’s Second Chance Sealing/Expungement Program.
The program helps potentially eligible people with state-level Miami-Dade cases work through Florida’s sealing or expungement process.
The Miami-Dade State Attorney says its program reviews qualifying state-level cases that occurred in Miami-Dade County. Federal Miami cases are not handled through this local program.
Miami-Dade State Attorney – Second Chance Program
E.R. Graham Building1350 NW 12 Avenue
Miami, FL 33136
Main office: 305-547-0100
Community Outreach / Second Chance information: 305-547-0724
Miami-Dade juvenile records are handled differently
Juvenile cases should not be treated like ordinary adult felony or misdemeanor records. Access is restricted under Florida confidentiality and court-access rules.
The Miami-Dade Clerk specifically notes that juvenile cases are confidential and that certified copies cannot simply be ordered through the same unrestricted online process used for ordinary adult criminal records.
How to find older Miami criminal records that are not fully online
Online court access is convenient, but Miami-Dade’s original criminal records can extend beyond the document images available to an internet user.
Locate the case in CJIS if possible
Even when a document image is missing, the case number can identify the correct record.
Register for enhanced public access if appropriate
The Clerk states that free registered-user access can provide additional criminal-document visibility when permitted by Florida’s electronic-access matrix.
Contact the Criminal Division
Use the felony or misdemeanor records office at the Gerstein Justice Building.
Order the document or file
Give the Clerk the case number, defendant name, DOB, type of document and other known information.
What to do if a Miami criminal record is wrong or belongs to someone else
First identify which record is wrong. A Clerk case record, police report and FDLE criminal history are maintained by different agencies.
Miami-Dade Clerk
Obtain the correct case document or certified disposition and contact the Clerk about the court record.
Originating agency
If the error originates in a police report or arrest record, start with the agency that created it.
FDLE
Use FDLE’s Personal Review and challenge process when your Florida criminal-history record is inaccurate.
Miami criminal records for employment, housing or background screening
Public availability does not automatically make every use of criminal information unrestricted.
If a company prepares a background report for employment, housing, credit or another regulated purpose, the Fair Credit Reporting Act and other federal, state or local rules may apply.
Miami criminal-record search tips that save time
Start with CJIS for a known Miami case
The Clerk’s Criminal Justice Online Case Search covers both felony and misdemeanor cases.
Recent arrest? Search jail first
Current booking and bond data may appear before the full court record develops.
Know the arresting agency
City of Miami Police and Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office use different records channels.
Get the case number before buying copies
The Clerk charges additional year-by-year search fees when the case year or number is unknown.
No image? Register first
A free Clerk account can provide additional document access where Florida’s access rules permit it.
Bench warrant? Check the court case
The Eleventh Circuit specifically directs users to the Clerk’s criminal system or phone line.
Statewide search? Use FDLE
Miami-Dade records alone do not reveal every Florida case outside the county.
Appealed case? Use ACIS
Miami-Dade appellate matters are researched separately through the Third DCA / ACIS system.
Federal case? Stop searching the Clerk
Use PACER and the Southern District of Florida instead.
Read the final disposition
Never describe the original charge as the outcome without checking how the case ended.
Older file? Call the criminal division
Online image availability is not the same as the full historical court archive.
Verify identity carefully
Compare DOB, middle name, case number and other identifiers before attributing a case to someone.
A simple Miami criminal-record lookup workflow
Search the Miami-Dade Clerk
Use CJIS for known or suspected Miami-Dade felony and misdemeanor cases.
Check current jail custody
If the event is recent, use Miami-Dade Corrections’ inmate search.
Identify the police agency
Use City of Miami Police records for City-created reports or MDSO records for Sheriff’s Office records.
Expand to statewide FDLE
Use FDLE when you need Florida criminal history beyond Miami-Dade County.
Search appellate or federal systems if necessary
Use ACIS for Florida appeals and PACER for federal Miami prosecutions.
Confirm the final court disposition
Order a certified disposition when accuracy is important.
Miami, Florida criminal records: frequently asked questions
1. Where can I search Miami criminal court records online?
Use the Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller’s Criminal Justice Online Case Search. It provides information on local felony and misdemeanor criminal cases.
2. Is the Miami-Dade criminal case search free?
Basic public online case searching is available through the Clerk’s criminal case system. Fees apply when you order certified copies, disposition letters or certain researched records.
3. How do I find someone recently arrested in Miami-Dade?
Use the Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation Inmate In-Custody Search. It can display the person’s custody location, charges, bond amount, jail number, booking information and mugshot where available.
4. How do I check a Miami-Dade bench warrant?
The Eleventh Judicial Circuit directs users to the Miami-Dade Clerk’s Criminal Justice Online system or to the Clerk at 305-275-1155 for case and bench-warrant information.
5. How much is a certified Miami-Dade criminal-history disposition letter?
The Clerk currently lists the certified criminal-history disposition fee at $7. If you do not know the case year or case number, a $2 per year, per name search fee can be added for each year searched.
6. Where do I request a City of Miami police report?
If the City of Miami Police Department created the report, use the City of Miami / Miami Police records process rather than the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office. The Miami Police Records Unit’s published information number is 305-603-6477.
7. Where do I request a Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office report?
Use the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Records / Public Records Center. The Sheriff’s Office public-records custodian is available through the county’s official records channels.
8. Where can I search criminal appeals from Miami-Dade?
Miami-Dade is in Florida’s Eleventh Judicial Circuit and falls within the Third District Court of Appeal. Use Florida’s Appellate Case Information System (ACIS) for appellate docket and party searches.
9. How can I seal or expunge a Miami-Dade arrest record?
Florida’s process generally begins with FDLE eligibility requirements. Miami-Dade also operates a Second Chance Program through the State Attorney’s Office for potentially qualifying state-level Miami-Dade cases. Eligibility depends on Florida law and the individual case.
10. Where do I search federal criminal cases filed in Miami?
Use PACER and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The court’s Miami Records Section is located in the Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. U.S. Courthouse.
Official sources for Miami criminal-record research
- Miami-Dade Clerk — Criminal Court
- Miami-Dade Criminal Justice Online Case Search
- Miami-Dade Clerk — Criminal History Certified Copies
- Miami-Dade Clerk — Criminal Case Certified Copies
- Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building
- Eleventh Judicial Circuit — Criminal Cases
- Eleventh Judicial Circuit — Circuit Criminal FAQs
- Miami-Dade Inmate In-Custody Search
- Miami-Dade Corrections Contact Information
- Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office
- Miami-Dade Public Records Requests
- FDLE — Florida Criminal History Record Check
- FDLE — Wanted Persons Search
- Florida Appellate Case Information System
- Florida Third District Court of Appeal
- Miami-Dade State Attorney — Second Chance Seal / Expungement Program
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida — Records
- PACER — Federal Case Search