How Florida criminal court record searches actually work
Florida criminal court records are public in many situations, but there is no single statewide website that replaces all 67 county Clerks of Court for trial-level criminal cases. Felony and misdemeanor dockets are generally searched through the Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller for the county where the case was filed, while Florida Supreme Court and District Court of Appeal dockets are searched through the statewide Appellate Case Information System (ACIS). This guide shows how to find the correct court, read a docket, obtain documents and certified copies, handle older files, and understand why some records cannot be viewed online.
Florida does not use one database for every criminal court case
Florida has a unified state court system, but public access to trial-level electronic records is largely delivered through county Clerks of Circuit Court.
The Florida court system currently includes:
Florida Supreme Court
Reviews specified cases within its constitutional and statutory jurisdiction, including mandatory review of final orders imposing death sentences.
6 District Courts of Appeal
Review most appeals from Florida trial courts. Their public dockets are available through ACIS.
20 Circuit Courts
General-jurisdiction trial courts, including felony criminal cases.
67 County Courts
Limited-jurisdiction courts that handle qualifying misdemeanors, ordinances, criminal traffic and other matters.
Which Florida court has the criminal case?
Felony criminal cases
Florida Statute § 26.012 gives circuit courts exclusive original jurisdiction over felonies and misdemeanors arising from the same circumstances as a felony that is also charged.
Misdemeanor and ordinance cases
Florida Statute § 34.01 gives county courts original jurisdiction over misdemeanor cases not handled by circuit court and violations of municipal and county ordinances.
Felony
Usually search the county clerk’s Circuit Criminal / Felony division.
Misdemeanor
Usually search the county clerk’s County Criminal / Misdemeanor division.
Criminal traffic
May appear under a separate criminal traffic or traffic division depending on the county portal.
How to find the correct Florida county Clerk of Court
The simplest statewide starting point is the official Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers Find a Clerk directory .
Identify the county where the criminal case was filed
Use the arrest paperwork, citation, charging document, court notice or known courthouse location if you have it.
Open that county’s official Clerk website
Use the statewide Clerk directory rather than guessing a URL or relying on a commercial people-search website.
Look for Court Records, Case Search or Criminal Court
Florida counties use different portal names. The search may be called Case Inquiry, Court Records Search, Online Case View, CORE, HOVER or another local name.
Select the correct criminal division
Choose Circuit Criminal / Felony, County Criminal / Misdemeanor, Criminal Traffic or the appropriate case type.
Search using the strongest identifier available
A case number is usually more precise than a name. If searching by name, add DOB or a filing-date range when the local portal supports those filters.
Read the docket before relying on the result
Review charges, filings, hearings and final disposition. An arrest or filed charge is not proof of conviction.
What information should you have before searching?
Florida Clerk portals vary, but these identifiers commonly make the search faster and reduce false matches:
- full legal first and last name
- middle name or middle initial
- former or maiden name
- date of birth
- county where the case was filed
- case or Uniform Case Number
- citation number
- approximate filing year
- felony or misdemeanor case type
- arresting agency if known
Florida criminal court search portals: major county examples
Each county operates its own trial-court search experience. These examples show why there is no single uniform front end for all Florida trial records.
| County | Official search | Useful local detail |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade | Criminal Justice Online Case Search | Searches felony and misdemeanor cases. Certified copies can also be ordered from the criminal case system. |
| Broward | Public Case Search | Supports party, case number and citation searching. Search results can be narrowed by court type and filing dates. |
| Hillsborough | HOVER Case Search | Search by Uniform Case Number, citation, party/business name, date range, court type or hearing date. |
| Duval | CORE Court Records | General public access covers non-confidential records; additional access depends on user role and Florida’s Access Security Matrix. |
| Palm Beach | Criminal Court Records | Many criminal records can be searched online, and certified copies can be purchased through Clerk services. |
| Volusia | Online Public Records / Case Inquiry | Criminal case searching includes name or case-number access, and many public docket images are available online. |
| Any other county | Florida Find a Clerk | Select the county to reach its current official Clerk website. |
How to read a Florida criminal court docket
A docket is essentially the chronological activity log for a case. It is not necessarily the same thing as the underlying document, police report, transcript or criminal-history record.
| Docket item | What it usually means | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Case number | Unique trial-court identifier. | Best identifier for later searches, copies and appellate research. |
| Charge / count | The criminal allegation filed in court. | A charge itself does not establish guilt. |
| Information / indictment | A formal charging document. | Shows how the prosecution formally framed the criminal charge. |
| Arraignment | A stage at which the defendant is formally advised of charges and a plea may be entered. | It is a procedural event, not a final outcome. |
| Motion / order | A request to the court and the court’s ruling. | The actual document may contain details not visible in the docket description. |
| Disposition | How a count or case concluded. | This is one of the most important fields when distinguishing charges from convictions. |
| Sentence | Court-imposed penalty or conditions after an applicable adjudication or plea. | May include incarceration, probation, fines or other conditions. |
| Closed / disposed | The case is no longer pending in its ordinary trial posture. | Read the underlying disposition to understand why it closed. |
Understanding Florida criminal case numbers
Florida uses a Uniform Case Number structure for statewide identification and reporting, even though county portals may display case numbers in slightly different local formats.
A uniform number can contain the county designator, year, court type, sequential case number, defendant or party identifier and branch/location information.
Felony
CF is commonly used for Circuit Criminal / Felony.
Misdemeanor
MM commonly identifies county-court misdemeanor cases.
Criminal Traffic
CT is used for criminal traffic matters.
Juvenile Delinquency
CJ can identify delinquency matters, which have additional access restrictions.
If you already have the exact case number, use it. It usually avoids the ambiguity created by common names, spelling variations and multiple people with the same DOB year.
Why a Florida docket may be visible but the document is not
Florida’s online court-record system separates basic case information from document-image access. Statewide electronic-access standards and the Access Security Matrix determine what different user groups can see remotely.
Access can depend on:
- the type of court case
- the specific document
- whether the information is confidential
- whether the case is sealed or expunged
- whether the requester is anonymous or registered
- whether the requester is a party or attorney of record
- whether clerk review is required first
- whether the record has been digitized
What “Viewable on Request” means in Florida court records
Florida’s Access Security Matrix uses a process known as Viewable on Request (VOR) for certain electronic court documents.
Florida criminal court records that may not be publicly accessible
Florida has broad public-record access, but that does not mean every criminal-court document is available to every person online.
Examples can include:
- sealed criminal records
- expunged records
- specified juvenile records
- information protected by statute
- victim-identifying information protected by law
- confidential personal identifiers
- certain active warrant materials
- records sealed by court order
Florida’s Access Security Matrix expressly varies access depending on the user’s role, the case type and the status of the particular record.
Florida arrest warrants, search warrants and supporting affidavits
Warrants deserve separate treatment because an active warrant is not simply another ordinary docket document.
Florida Rule 2.420 provides confidentiality protection for copies of arrest and search warrants and their supporting affidavits retained by judges, clerks or other court personnel until the warrant has been executed or law-enforcement authorities determine that execution cannot be made.
For publicly releasable statewide wanted-person information, FDLE operates a separate Wanted Persons Search, discussed later in this guide.
What to do when an older Florida criminal case is not online
Electronic document coverage varies by county and case age. Older dockets may exist even when images are unavailable on the public website.
Confirm you have the right county
A missing case is often simply being searched in the wrong jurisdiction.
Search by case number if possible
Older indexes may behave differently from current name searches.
Look for the Clerk’s Records Request or Archives section
Some counties move older files into archives instead of keeping them in the current web-based document viewer.
Ask about public-access computers
A courthouse terminal may provide broader access than the anonymous online portal.
Request a manual record search when necessary
Supply a full name, DOB, approximate filing year and case type to reduce search time and cost.
Two real examples of county-specific historical limitations
Broward’s Clerk says online criminal court document coverage generally includes Circuit Criminal Felony records filed on or after January 6, 2014. It also notes that older Traffic and Misdemeanor cases can require a records request or archive access.
Volusia provides criminal case inquiry online but also accepts clerk-assisted record-search requests and provides public access terminals at Clerk locations.
Florida criminal court copies and certification fees
If an online docket is sufficient for research, you may not need a certified document. If a government agency, licensing body, court or other recipient asks for an official copy, request certification from the Clerk that maintains the case.
Online docket
Useful for locating and understanding a case, but it may not satisfy a requirement for formal documentary proof.
Uncertified copy
A copy of the filing without the Clerk’s formal certification.
Certified copy
Includes Clerk certification authenticating the record as a copy of the document maintained by the Clerk.
Florida Statute § 28.24 establishes statewide Clerk service-charge provisions. The current statutory schedule includes, among other items:
| Service | Statutory amount | Important note |
|---|---|---|
| Standard-size photographic copy | $1 per page | Applies to qualifying public-record copies under the statutory fee schedule. |
| Certification of a copy / instrument | $2 | Additional services or document-specific charges can still apply. |
Always confirm the final price with the specific county Clerk before sending payment. County-specific services, searches, mailing, electronic certification or special document requests can change the total.
Miami-Dade example
Miami-Dade currently allows certified criminal history disposition letters to be requested online, by mail or in person. Its Criminal Division currently lists certified copies at $7 for that service and an additional $2-per-year, per-name search charge if the year or case number is unknown.
Miami-Dade certified criminal recordsCourt docket, transcript and courtroom recording are different records
A Florida Clerk docket tells you what happened procedurally in the case, but it does not automatically provide a word-for-word transcript of what was said in court.
Docket
Chronological case activity, filings, orders and other court events.
Transcript
Written transcription produced under the circuit’s approved court-reporting procedures.
Audio / video recording
A digital recording may exist for some proceedings, subject to confidentiality review and local circuit procedures.
Florida Courts explains that trial courts use several court-reporting methods, including stenography and digital recording. Requests for transcripts or recordings therefore generally follow the judicial circuit’s court-reporting process rather than a normal Clerk document-image search.
Florida Court Reporting informationSearch Florida criminal appeals with ACIS
Florida appellate records are much more centralized than trial-court records. The Florida Appellate Case Information System (ACIS) provides public docket access for the Florida Supreme Court and all six District Courts of Appeal.
Public users do not need to register simply to search public ACIS dockets and available documents.
ACIS can search using information such as:
- appellate case number
- case title
- case category
- filing date
- originating trial-court case number
- party information
Florida Supreme Court location and appellate-record contact point
The Florida Supreme Court is located in Tallahassee. This is relevant to statewide Supreme Court matters, but ordinary felony and misdemeanor trial records should still be requested from the Clerk in the county where the trial case was filed.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1925
Main telephone: 850-488-0125
The map loads lazily so it does not block the article’s initial page rendering.
Florida court records vs FDLE criminal-history records
If your goal is a statewide criminal-history search rather than a specific court docket, the correct system is often the Florida Department of Law Enforcement criminal-history service .
County Clerk
Best for a specific Florida case, court docket, filing, disposition or certified court document.
FDLE
Florida’s central repository for criminal-history information reported by criminal justice agencies throughout the state.
FDLE currently charges $24 for a public Florida criminal-history request. Its online options include an instant search and certified/non-certified request services.
Reviewing your own Florida criminal history
FDLE also provides a Personal Review process for individuals who want to check the accuracy and completeness of their own Florida criminal-history record. The process uses fingerprints and cannot be used to obtain another person’s Personal Review.
FDLE Personal Review instructionsFlorida statewide wanted-person and warrant information
FDLE operates a Florida Wanted Persons Search using warrant information reported to the Florida Crime Information Center by law-enforcement agencies.
Search fields include:
- last name
- first name
- middle name
- nickname
- date of birth or age
- race and sex filters
FDLE states that its public Wanted Persons information is refreshed from Florida Crime Information Center files every 24 hours.
Sealed and expunged Florida criminal records
If a Florida case cannot be found publicly, one possible explanation is that records were sealed or expunged. However, absence from a portal can also result from age, digitization limits, confidentiality rules or searching the wrong county.
For ordinary court-ordered sealing or expungement under applicable Florida law, FDLE says the first step is generally obtaining a Certificate of Eligibility before petitioning the court.
The current FDLE Certificate of Eligibility application fee is $75, and FDLE says eligibility processing typically takes about 12 weeks after a complete application packet is received.
FDLE seal and expunge processFor court-ordered sealing or expungement, FDLE currently requires a certified disposition for each relevant case or criminal charge as part of the eligibility process. That certified disposition comes from the Clerk of Court where the case originated.
Florida juvenile delinquency court records have additional restrictions
Juvenile delinquency cases are handled within Florida circuit courts, but they do not have the same public-access profile as an ordinary adult felony docket.
Florida’s Access Security Matrix and applicable statutes/rules can restrict both basic case information and document images depending on the type of juvenile matter and the requester’s role.
Florida public access: constitutional right, court rules and privacy limits
Article I, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution provides a broad right to inspect or copy public records connected with official government business and expressly includes the judicial branch, subject to lawful exemptions and confidentiality.
For court records, Florida Rule 2.420 and statewide electronic-access standards are especially important because they determine which judicial records remain confidential and how public electronic access is implemented.
Florida criminal court record search tips that save time
Find the county first
Trial records live at the county-Clerk level. Searching the wrong county is one of the easiest ways to miss a case.
Use the case number
An exact case or Uniform Case Number is generally more reliable than a name-only search.
Select the court type
Search Circuit Criminal for felonies and County Criminal for qualifying misdemeanors.
Search name variants
Try full middle name, middle initial, former names and maiden names when appropriate.
Use a filing-date range
Broward and several other county portals allow a date range to reduce large result sets.
Look for VOR
A missing document image may be eligible for Viewable on Request rather than being confidential.
Ask about courthouse terminals
In-office access can differ from anonymous remote web access under Florida’s security model.
Check archives for old cases
Historical cases and documents may require a Clerk records request rather than an online search.
Use ACIS for appeals
Do not keep searching the county site when your real target is a Supreme Court or DCA appeal.
Separate docket from transcript
A docket entry does not mean a transcript or recording is attached to that entry.
Read the disposition
A filed criminal charge is not the same as a conviction. Find the actual outcome.
Use FDLE for statewide history
A county Clerk search cannot substitute for a Florida-wide criminal-history request.
When the online Florida court search returns nothing
A zero-result search should be treated as a troubleshooting signal rather than definitive proof that a record never existed.
You should also consider whether the record was sealed, expunged, made confidential, transferred, appealed or is held by another jurisdiction.
Florida criminal court records: frequently asked questions
1. Is there one statewide Florida criminal court case search?
Not for all trial-level cases. Florida felony and misdemeanor dockets are generally searched through the Clerk of Circuit Court for the county where the case was filed. Florida appellate dockets are centralized in the Appellate Case Information System (ACIS).
2. Where do I search a Florida felony case?
Felonies are generally handled in Florida circuit courts. Use the official Clerk of Court case-search system for the county where the prosecution was filed and select the Circuit Criminal or Felony case type.
3. Where do I search a Florida misdemeanor case?
County courts generally handle misdemeanor cases that are not within circuit-court jurisdiction. Search the appropriate county Clerk portal under County Criminal or Misdemeanor.
4. Why can I see the Florida docket but not the court document?
Document access depends on Florida’s electronic-record access standards, the Access Security Matrix, confidentiality rules, the user’s access level and whether a Clerk must review the document before release. Some documents are available through Viewable on Request.
5. Are Florida criminal court records public?
Many are public, but sealed, expunged, confidential and otherwise legally protected records are not available to ordinary public users. Remote online access can also be narrower than access available through the Clerk’s office.
6. How do I find a Florida criminal appeal?
Use Florida’s Appellate Case Information System (ACIS). It provides public dockets for the Florida Supreme Court and all six District Courts of Appeal and can search by case, party, document and other criteria.
7. How much does it cost to get a Florida criminal court record?
Online docket searching is often free, although county practices vary. Florida Statute § 28.24 includes a $1-per-page charge for qualifying standard-size copies and a $2 certification charge, but additional local or service-specific fees can apply. Confirm the exact total with the county Clerk handling the case.
8. Is an FDLE criminal-history search the same as a Florida court-record search?
No. FDLE maintains Florida’s statewide criminal-history repository, while county Clerks maintain trial-court case records and dockets. FDLE currently charges $24 for a public Florida criminal-history request.
9. Why is an old Florida criminal case missing online?
Older records may not have document images online, may have been moved to archives, may require a manual Clerk search, or may be sealed, expunged or otherwise restricted. Contact the Clerk in the county where the case was filed when the online portal is incomplete.
10. Can I find an active Florida warrant through a court-record search?
Not necessarily. Florida Rule 2.420 restricts public access to specified arrest and search warrants and supporting affidavits before execution. FDLE also operates a public Wanted Persons Search, but FDLE warns users to confirm current warrant status with the reporting law-enforcement agency before relying on the information.
Official Florida sources used for this guide
- Florida Courts — Court Structure
- Florida Courts — Circuit Courts
- Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers — Find a Clerk
- Florida Appellate Case Information System
- Florida Rule 2.420 — Public Access to Judicial Branch Records
- Standards for Access to Electronic Court Records
- Florida Court Records Access Security Matrix
- Florida Courts — Court Reporting
- Florida Statute § 26.012 — Circuit Court Jurisdiction
- Florida Statute § 34.01 — County Court Jurisdiction
- Florida Statute § 28.24 — Clerk Service Charges
- FDLE — Florida Criminal History Record Checks
- FDLE — Wanted Persons Search
- FDLE — Seal and Expunge Process
- Florida Constitution — Article I, Section 24