What are Cape Coral Public Records?
Cape Coral public records, according to the Florida Sunshine Law, include documents produced or obtained pursuant to law or ordinance or pertaining to the transaction of any agency’s official business. The physical form, characteristics, or method of transmission are not relevant. Cape Coral public records may be documents, letters, books, or maps. They may also be software for data processing, sound recordings, tapes, films, or images. Some exceptions to what is considered public record includes:
- Details and information on agency management, investigation, personnel;
- Sensitive and confidential information;
- Security and fire safety;
- Information that violates an individual’s privacy
- Other types of personal information.
In addition, access to such documents can also be restricted where there is a law exempting the disclosure of the record to the general public.
Cape Coral Crime Statistics
The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) provides official crime data of all cities, counties, and states on an annual basis. In 2019, Cape Coral was reported to have experienced a total number of 2,402 crimes. This includes 226 violent crimes and 2,176 property crimes. The violent crimes include five murders, 16 rapes, 36 robberies, and 169 aggravated assaults. The property crimes include 274 burglaries, 1,739 larcenies, 163 motor vehicle thefts, and six arsons.
When compared with the 2015 crime statistics, it shows a significant decline in the crime rate of the city. However, between these five years, there was a decline in just three out of eight major crimes. Robbery, burglary, and larceny rates declined by 22%, 53%, and 28% respectively. Murder, rape, aggravated assault, motor vehicle theft, and arson rates increased by 100%, 33%, 17%, 16%, and 50% respectively.
Are Cape Coral Criminal Records Public?
Under Florida Law, Cape Coral criminal records are generally public records. Criminal records provide information on the subject’s history of arrests, convictions, charges, and conditions of the case. Where a criminal record has been sealed or expunged, a criminal record might not be made public. Access to sealed criminal records is highly limited, they are only open to specific agencies. Expunged criminal records are physically erased and are excluded from digital or database databases.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) provides online access to some Cape coral criminal records. Interested individuals may file requests from this state agency for city, county, or state criminal records. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office also provides access to criminal records and background checks for Lee County and Cape Coral residents.
How to Obtain Cape Coral Police Reports and Arrest Records?
The Cape Coral Police Department is the main custodian of Cape Coral arrest records and police reports. To obtain copies of arrest records or police reports, requesters have to visit the office of the Police Department between 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The office is open all days of the week. The address and contact information is below:
Cape Coral Police Department
1100 Cultural Park Boulevard
Cape Coral, FL, 33990
Phone: (239) 574-3223
Records: (239) 574-0695
Traffic reports are available at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. To request a copy of a traffic crash report, interested persons can make use of the Lee County Sheriff’s online public records request portal. Call the Central Records Division on (239) 477-1350 for more information. In-person requests can also be made by visiting the Central Records Division at:
Lee County Sheriff’s Office
14750 Six Mile Cypress Parkway
Fort Myers, FL 33912
How to Find Sex Offender Information in Cape Coral?
The FDLE provides the general public with regularly updated information on sex offenders via an online sex offender registry. With the search tool on the website, residents of Cape Coral can search for information about sex offenders and predators. Interested individuals can check for sex offenders by name. They can also lookup sex offenders residing in various Lee County communities, as well as those residing near schools and college campuses. Also, residents of Cape Coral can subscribe to the Florida Offender Alert System to receive email notifications regarding sex offenders within a mile radius from them.
How to Find Cape Coral Inmate Records?
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office provides a database of arrested and incarcerated persons apprehended by law enforcement and booking departments in the county, including the Cape Coral Police Department. The database provides search options such as inmate name, assigned ID, booking date, and release date. The database contains information about the subject’s charge and bail or bond terms, if applicable. Contact the Sheriff’s Office by using the contact form for other inmate-related questions.
How Do I Visit an Inmate in Cape Coral Jail?
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office maintains the daily operations of the three jail facilities in the county. These jail facilities include Lee County Jail, Lee County Core Facility, and Community Programs Unit (CPU) Facility. Their location is below:
Lee County Jail
2115 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
Fort Myers, FL 33901
Lee County Core/CPU Facility
2501 Ortiz Avenue
Fort Myers, FL 33905
Inmate visitation at these facilities is done through video monitors. Each inmate is allowed two visits of one hour each every week. All inmate visits at the Lee County jail facilities are carried out at the Visitation facility located on the Ortiz site:
2501 Ortiz Avenue
Fort Myers, FL 33905
(239) 258-3773
Court Records
As a part of the county, Cape Coral falls under the Lee County court system. The court system includes one Circuit Court and one County Court. These courts handle a variety of cases including civil, criminal, traffic, probate, small claims, and family matters. Providing access to these court records are under the purview of the Lee County Clerk of Courts.
Location of Courts in Cape Coral
Lee County Circuit Court
Lee County Circuit Court
Lee County Justice Center
1700 Monroe Street
P.O. Box 2469
Fort Myers, FL 33902
Phone: (239) 533-5000
County Court in Lee County
County Court of Lee County
Lee County Justice Center
1700 Monroe Street
P.O. Box 2469
Fort Myers, FL 33902
Phone: (239) 533-5000
Are Cape Coral Court Records Public?
According to the Florida Court Rules on Public Access to Judicial Records, the general public has access to all Cape Coral court records and administrative records. There are however certain records and information considered confidential that are exempt from this general provision. Interested persons can take a look at the Florida Confidentiality List to find out what category of records are considered confidential and not subject to public disclosure.
Can you look up a Cape Coral Court Case Online?
The Lee County Clerk of Courts provides the general public with online access to Cape Coral court cases through the Court Records Case Search. The case types available include:
- Adult - Felony
- Appeals
- Circuit Civil
- County Civil
- County Ordinance
- Criminal Traffic
- Detention Hearing
- Domestic Relations
- Guardianship
- Juvenile Delinquency
- Juvenile Dependency
- Mental Health
- Misdemeanor
- Municipal Ordinance
- Non-Criminal Infraction
- Parking Ticket
- Probate
- Small Claims
- Traffic Infraction
The search criteria of the portal include names of the parties, date of birth, business name, date from and to, case number, and citation number. Interested individuals can navigate the portal to obtain information on the various kinds of Cape Coral court cases and records.
The Clerk of Courts also provides online access to official records, including case records, through the Official Records portal.
How to Obtain Cape Coral Civil Court Case Records?
The Lee County Clerk of Courts maintains all county and Cape Coral civil court records. These public civil court records and other official records are accessible at the court branch using the self-service terminals and workstations. Persons interested in obtaining copies of civil court records are required to provide information about the case of interest, including the case file number, the defendant’s or the plaintiff’s name, and the date the case was filed. The Cape Coral Branch is located at:
Lee County Government Center
1039 South East 9th Place
2nd Floor
Cape Coral, FL 33990
Alternatively, requesters may get copies of civil court records by making mail requests. Prepare a written request and include the appropriate fee in check or money order payable to the Clerk of Courts and a stamped self-addressed envelope. Mail the request to the appropriate department’s mailing address.
In addition to the case search portals, the Clerk of Courts also provides an online Records Request System. Interested persons can use this system to request Cape Coral court records, documents, or information not found on any of the search portals. For more information about this service, call (239) 533-5000.
How to Obtain Cape Coral Criminal Court Records?
Similar to civil court records, the Lee County Clerk of Courts handles issuing copies of all county and Cape Coral criminal court records. Cape Coral criminal court records are available at the court branch using the self-service terminals and workstations. To obtain copies of criminal court records a requester needs the information about the case of interest, including the case file number, defendant’s name, and the date the case was filed. The Cape Coral Branch is located at:
Lee County Government Center
1039 South East 9th Place
2nd Floor
Cape Coral, FL 33990
Alternatively, requesters can make mail requests to get copies of criminal court records. Written requests must be accompanied by the appropriate fee in check or money order payable to the Clerk of Courts. Members of the public must also provide a stamped self-addressed envelope and mail the request to the appropriate department’s mailing address. In addition to the Clerk of Court’s case search portals, there is an online Records Request System that helps users request Cape Coral court records that are not found on any of the search portals.
What are Cape Coral Vital Records?
Cape coral vital records are official files that document the occurrence of vital events in the city. Cape coral vital records include birth, marriage, death, and divorce records. The Lee County Clerk of Courts keeps records of marriages and divorces. The Florida Department of Health in Lee County maintains birth and death records. The Bureau of Vital Statistics of the Florida Department of Health maintains records of vital events for the state of Florida. It issues copies of birth, death, marriage, and divorce records, including that of Cape Coral City.
Where and How to Obtain Cape Coral Divorce Records?
The Cape Coral Branch of the Lee County Clerk of Courts maintains Cape Coral divorce records. Interested individuals may obtain copies of divorce records by using the self-service terminals and workstations available at the office. To find get divorce records, requesters need to provide enough information about the divorce and divorced parties. This includes their names, the date of divorce, and the place of the divorce. The Cape Coral Branch of the Lee County is located at:
Lee County Government Center
1039 South East 9th Place
2nd Floor
Cape Coral, FL 33990
Alternatively, make requests for Cape Coral divorce records to the Florida Vital Statistics office by mail. The Vital Statistics Office has divorce records from June 6, 1927, to date. To request a divorce record, complete the Application for Dissolution of Marriage form. Or a requester can prepare a written request that contains all the necessary information about the divorce and the requester’s contact details. Enclose a check or money order payment and a valid ID to the completed form or written request. Submit them by mail or in-person to:
Mailing Address:
Bureau of Vital Statistics
Attn: Vital Record Section
P.O. Box 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
Physical Address:
1217 North Pearl Street
Jacksonville, FL 32202
A certified copy of a Cape Coral divorce record costs $5. It charges $4 for each additional copy requested at the same time. A requester can make an expedited request by making the required $10 fee. Just write RUSH on the outside of the request envelope and include the surcharge.
Where and How to Get Public Cape Coral Marriage Records?
Cape Coral marriage records are at the Cape Coral Branch of the Lee County Clerk of Courts. Interested persons can request Cape Coral marriage records in person or by mail. To request a Cape Coral marriage certificate, make a written request with the following information:
- Groom’s name
- Bride’s maiden name
- Date of the marriage
The request, along with payment and a self-addressed stamped envelope, should be submitted to:
Lee County Government Center
1039 South East 9th Place
2nd Floor
Cape Coral, FL 33990
The Florida Vital Statistics Office also possesses copies of Cape Coral marriage records. The marriage records are from marriages performed before June 6, 1927, and now. To obtain copies of Cape Coral marriage records, complete the Application for a Marriage Certificate with the full name of both spouses, the date of the marriage, the county that issued the license, and the contact information of the requester. Submit the completed forms with fees indicated on the application by mail or in person to:
Mailing Address:
Bureau of Vital Statistics
Attn: Vital Record Section
P.O. Box 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
Physical Address:
1217 North Pearl Street
Jacksonville, FL 32202
Where and How to Get Confidential Marriage Records in Cape Coral?
All marriage records in Cape Coral are considered public.
Where and How to Find Cape Coral Birth Records?
Interested individuals can request Cape Coral birth records from the Florida Vital Statistics Office and the Florida Department of Health in Lee County. Under Florida laws, birth records are considered public records until 100 years after birth. Only persons that meet the eligibility requirements that can request Cape Coral birth records. These eligible persons include:
- The registrant
- Their parents
- Legal guardians
- Siblings
- Offspring
- Legal representatives
- Persons who are legally authorized by a court order.
These eligible persons can request Cape Coral birth certificates by completing the Birth Certificate Request Form and the Affidavit to Release a Birth Certificate. Notarize the completed forms and attach the required fees. Send it by mail or in-person to:
Mailing Address:
Florida Department of Health
Bureau of Vital Statistics
Attn: Vital Record Section
P.O. Box 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
Physical Address:
Florida Department of Health Lee County
Office of Vital Statistics
83 Pondella Road
North Fort Myers, FL 33903
(239) 332-9572
Where and How to Find Cape Coral Death Records?
Copies of Cape Coral death records are available at the Florida Vital Statistics Office and the Florida Department of Health in Lee County. Death records are not considered public records until 100 years after the event under Florida Law. To obtain a death record, persons interested must meet the eligibility requirements. Individuals eligible to obtain death records include:
- The deceased’s parents
- Legal guardians
- Siblings
- Offspring
- Legal representatives
- Persons who are legally authorized by a court order.
To request a Cape Coral death record, eligible persons should fill out the Death Certificate Request Form and Affidavit to Release Death Certificate. Notarize the filled-out and submit it with payment to:
Mailing Address:
Florida Department of Health
Bureau of Vital Statistics
Attn: Vital Record Section
P.O. Box 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
Physical Address:
Florida Department of Health Lee County
Office of Vital Statistics
83 Pondella Road
North Fort Myers, FL 33903
(239) 332-9572
