Broward County Court Records
Documents or records, including transcripts, dockets, stenographic tapes, electronic materials, and videotapes, generated during legal proceedings in Broward County, Florida, are referred to as Broward County court records. The Florida Supreme Court classifies such documents as records of the judicial branch, and the Clerks of the Circuit and County Courts serve as the official court record custodians.
Court records provide essential information to litigants and other people interested in legal matters. They also aid the administration of justice and bolster public faith in the judiciary. Attorneys and parties to cases use court records to research precedents, case facts, and backgrounds to prepare for legal proceedings. The public may also access court records to verify facts about cases that concern them, such as public policies being disputed in court. They constitute part of Broward County Public Records and are disclosed to the public unless restricted by law or judicial order.
Are Court Records Public in Broward County?
Yes, the public can access most Broward County court records. While Florida's court system is not subject to the state's Public Records Law (Fla. Stat. § 119.01), it promotes transparency. Members of the public are allowed to view, copy, and certify many court documents.
However, access to court records is not absolute in Broward County. Section 2 of Article V of the Florida Constitution empowers the state's Supreme Court to formulate rules that govern access to judicial branch records. To this effect, the court created Rule 2.420, which specifies court records that are open and restricted to the public and how records can be sealed or unsealed. The rule governs every court in the state.
Confidential court records typically include:
- Materials used or generated when deciding cases, such as opinion drafts, memoranda, notes, and conference records.
- Sensitive administrative records with critical government interest that a chief judge deems confidential.
- Complaints against court-licensed or court-regulated individuals and judges until the court finds - or does not find - probable cause.
- Records considered confidential under federal and state constitutions and statutes.
- Records that a judge determines must be protected to prevent a significant threat to a case party, a third party, the general public, or the administration of justice. Court records can also be sealed to safeguard trade secrets, financial and other sensitive personal records, and government interests.
What Do Broward County Court Records Contain?
Broward County court records contain a wide range of information and documents generated in Florida's Seventeenth Circuit Court and County Courts within the county.
People looking up court records may find these contents:
- Basic case information, such as the presiding court's location, filing date, and status
- Witness lists and statements
- Docket entries
- Evidence
- Court transcripts and recordings
- Summons and notices
- Deposition transcripts
- Expert reports
- Verdicts and orders
- Financial information
- Settlement agreements
Where to Conduct a Broward County Case Lookup
The public can access court records generated in the Broward County Courts or the Circuit Court through these methods:
- Requesting court records via mail or fax
- Purchasing electronic certified documents on the Broward County Clerk of the Circuit and County Courts website.
- Requesting records at a courthouse
How to Conduct a Broward County Case Records Search
The Broward County Clerk of the Courts offers different means for obtaining official court records generated in the county and circuit courts.
Electronic Certified Case Records Search
Electronic certified documents are court records that individuals can purchase on the website of the county's court clerk. These records can be viewed online. However, if a document does not qualify for online viewing, the searcher must use other means to obtain or view the record.
Documents available for online purchase include:
- Circuit and County Court civil records filed with the clerk from 04/01/2013.
- Juvenile and adoption records filed from 01/06/2014.
- Criminal court records (felony, traffic, and misdemeanor records) filed from 01/06/2014.
Note that only registered users and attorneys of record can request the following court case records:
- Probate
- Guardianship
- Family (including divorce records)
- Mental health
- Adoptions and juvenile dependency
- Juvenile Delinquency
- Domestic violence
These steps explain how to purchase electronic certified documents in Broward County, Florida:
- Conduct a Case Search on the Broward County Clerk of the Circuit and County Courts website. The search requires a case party's last or business name, case number, or citation number. Entering a date range (when the case was filed) helps filter the search results.
When the results appear, the requester can view details of any case (including document details) by clicking the case number.
- Click the red "Purchase Certified Copies Online" button to launch the Terms of Service page.
The requester will be directed to a selection page after accepting the terms and selecting Continue.
- Choose the documents to purchase and click the green "Purchase Selected Documents" button. The page redirects to checkout subsequently, and the requester will receive links to their purchased documents via email after payment.
Typically, the documents are available immediately after one's order is processed. However, the email may take a few minutes or longer to arrive, depending on a few factors, such as internet connection and server load. Each court document costs $8.
Paper Court Records Search
Remote Search
Interested individuals can use the Court Records Request Form to search for and obtain physical copies of court records. One must download the request form from the Broward clerk's website, complete it, and fax or email it to the address on the form.
While this process is less convenient than purchasing the documents online, it is cheaper and allows searchers to find records not available electronically.
Each page costs $1, and users must pay another $2 to certify each document. If one wants to search for a case, it costs $2 per year. It can take up to two weeks to obtain records requested in this manner.
In-Person Search
Individuals can search for Broward County and Circuit civil and criminal court records at the Broward County Archives Division located at:
Central Courthouse
Judicial Complex, East Building
201 Southeast 6th Street
3rd Floor, Room 03305
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Persons requiring juvenile records must visit the juvenile division at:
Central Courthouse
Judicial Complex, East Building
201 Southeast 6th Street
5th Floor, Room 05180
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
For misdemeanor, felony, and traffic records, a person must visit the division where the case was filed. Interested parties can find more information on the clerk's In-Person Records Request page.
Each copied page costs $1, and requesters must pay an extra $2 to certify each document. Case searches cost $2 per year. The processing time depends on the availability of the document(s).
Broward County Civil Court Case Records
Civil court case records are typically filed and maintained in the civil divisions of the county and circuit courts in Broward County. Civil records are generated in non-criminal court proceedings, such as monetary disputes, contract disagreements, personal injury, and replevin proceedings.
County courts in Broward County have jurisdiction over civil disputes worth $50,000 or less, as per Fla. Stat. § 34.01. They also resolve homeowners' disputes and other minor civil issues. On the other hand, the Seventeenth Circuit Court is the principal trial court in Broward County, per Fla. Stat. § 26.012. The circuit court resolves major civil disputes that the county courts cannot handle.
People searching for open civil case records may visit the division where the dispute was filed or utilize other means specified previously.
Broward County Criminal Court Case Records
Criminal records in Broward County are generated in county and circuit courts. However, the county courts handle only minor criminal offenses, such as municipal violations, traffic offenses, and misdemeanors not within the jurisdiction of circuit courts.
Individuals searching for Broward County criminal court case records, may visit the courthouse or division where the case was initiated.
How to Get Court Records Online for Free
The public can access some non-certified court records on the Broward County court clerk's website by paying a fee. Individuals do not need to create a user account to search for records on the clerk's website. The records typically contain details such as court type, judge, court location, case status, names of plaintiffs/prosecutors and defendants, and case documents.
However, one may need to pay for other court records requests. The exact fee varies by the type and records the requester needs.
Courts in Broward County, Florida
The following are the addresses and contact information of the courthouses in Broward County:
Main Courthouse Location (West and East Buildings)
201 Southeast 6th Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: (954) 831-6565
Broward County Courthouse (Midrise Building)
540 SouthEast 3rd Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
North Regional Courthouse
1600 West Hillsboro Boulevard
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442
South Regional Courthouse
3550 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, FL 33021
West Regional Courthouse
100 North Pine Island Road
Plantation, FL 33324
Below are the different divisions within the county's courthouses:
Appeals
Central Courthouse
Judicial Complex, West Building
201 Southeast 6th Street
4th Floor, Room 04140
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: (954) 831-5751
Child Support Depository
Central Courthouse
Mid Rise Building
540 SouthEast 3rd Avenue
2nd Floor, Room 2450
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: (954) 831-7309
Fax: (954) 765-5110, (954) 765-5026
Circuit Civil
Central Courthouse
Judicial Complex, West Building
201 Southeast 6th Street
4th Floor, Room 04130
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: (954) 831-6565 (option 2), (954) 831-5600 (Attorneys)
Fax: (954) 831-6572
County Civil Central
Central Courthouse
Judicial Complex, West Building
201 Southeast 6th Street
3rd Floor, Room 03170
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: (954) 831-5622
County Civil North
North Regional Courthouse
1600 West Hillsboro Boulevard
Room 160
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442
Phone: (954) 831-1209
County Civil South
South Regional Courthouse
3550 Hollywood Boulevard
Room 100
Hollywood, FL 33021
Phone: (954) 831-0353
County Civil West
West Regional Courthouse
100 North Pine Island Road
Room 170
Plantation, FL 33324
Phone: (954) 831-2339
Domestic Violence
Central Courthouse
Judicial Complex, West Building
201 Southeast 6th Street
2nd Floor, Room 02140
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: (954) 831-5570, (954) 831-5579, or (954) 761-1133 (After Hours only - Women in Distress of Broward)
Fax: (954) 831-6025
Domestic Violence West
West Regional Courthouse
100 North Pine Island Road
Plantation, FL 33324
Phone: (954) 831-5612, (954) 831-3570
Evidence
Central Courthouse
Judicial Complex, West Building
201 Southeast 6th Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: (954) 831-5537, (954) 831-5539
Family
Central Courthouse
Judicial Complex, West Building
201 Southeast 6th Street
4th Floor, Room 04130
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: (954) 831-6565
Fax: (954) 831-6572
Felony
Central Courthouse
Judicial Complex, East Building
201 Southeast 6th Street
2nd Floor, Room 02350
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: (954) 831-6565, (954) 831-5600 (Attorneys)
Juvenile
Central Courthouse
Judicial Complex, West Building
201 Southeast 6th Street
5th Floor, Room 05180
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: (954) 831-6492
Fax: (954) 831-5666
Mental Health
Central Courthouse
Judicial Complex, West Building
201 Southeast 6th Street
3rd Floor, Room 03160
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: (954) 831-5648, (954) 831-5646
Parking
Central Courthouse
Judicial Complex, West Building
201 SouthEast. 6th Street
1st Floor, Room 01140
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: (954) 831-5804
Parking Payments at Traffic North
North Regional Courthouse
1600 West Hillsboro Boulevard
Room 181
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442
Phone: (954) 831-5804
Parking Payments at Traffic South
South Regional Courthouse
3550 Hollywood Boulevard
Room 200
Hollywood, FL 33021
Phone: (954) 831-5804
Parking Payments at Traffic West
West Regional Courthouse
100 North Pine Island Road
Room 110
Plantation, FL 33324
Phone: (954) 831-5804
Probate and Guardianship
Central Courthouse
Judicial Complex, West Building
201 Southeast 6th Street
3rd Floor, Room 03150
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: (954) 831-7154 (Probate)
Traffic Central
Central Courthouse
Judicial Complex, West Building
201 Southeast 6th Street
1st Floor, Room 01130
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: (954) 831-6565
Traffic North
North Regional Courthouse
1600 West Hillsboro Boulevard
Room 181
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442
Phone: (954) 831-6565
Traffic South
South Regional Courthouse
3550 Hollywood Boulevard
Room 200
Hollywood, FL 33021
Phone: (954) 831-6565
Traffic West
West Regional Courthouse
100 North Pine Island Road
Room 110
Plantation, FL 33324
Phone: (954) 831-6565
