Bay County Court Records

Bay County Court records are documents created or maintained by the judiciary throughout the history of a case. According to Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420, Florida court records can be in written, electronic, stenographic, and video format.

Information found in court records includes everything filed during a case, including pleadings, motions filed by the parties in a lawsuit, briefs, court orders, dockets, exhibits filed within the case, and records of dispositions and judgments. The Clerk of Court and Comptroller is responsible for maintaining all court records in Bay County.

Court records are significant in legal matters. They provide adequate documentation for legal proceedings, help ensure cases are adjudicated fairly and impartially, and help citizens understand how their justice system functions.

Are Court Records Public in Bay County?

Yes, court records are public in Bay County. Florida Sunshine law classifies public records as official documents created, collated, or maintained by government agencies during their duties and mandates that they be publicly accessible unless legally restricted. However, according to the state's public records laws, court records restricted to the general public include the following:

• Adoption case records
• Court records containing health or treatment information
• Juvenile court records
• Sealed court records
• Expunged court records.

Some family law cases are also restricted from public access because they contain confidential information. Some examples include vital statistics data and records containing financial information. Selected court records may also not be released to requester unless they are the parties involved in the case, related to the record owners, or the legal representatives of the parties involved in the case.

Bay County Court Records Search

Some of the options for performing a Bay County Court Record search include the following:

• Bay County Clerk of Court Office
• local court with jurisdiction over the case
• Third-party databases
• Online search tools provided by local, state, and federal courts.

Bay County Court Records Search by Name

The Bay County Clerk of Court and Comptroller’s Case Search tool allows inquirers to search for cases by name. To use this tool, provide the record subject's first or last name in the input field and click search. The system will display a list of matching results. Click on the case number to access additional details.

Bay County Courts

The court system in Bay County has two types of courts, including a circuit court (Florida’s Fourteenth Circuit Court) and a county court (Bay County Court). The contact details for these courts are as follows:

Bay County Circuit Court
300 East 4th Street
P.O. Box 2269
Panama City, FL 32402
Phone: (850) 763-9061
Fax: (850) 747-5188

Bay County Unified Family Court
533 East 11th Street
Panama City, FL 32401
Phone: (850) 763-9061
Fax: (850) 747-5188

County Court of Bay County
300 East 4th Street
P.O. Box 2269
Panama City, FL 32402
Phone: (850) 763-9061
Fax: (850) 747-5188

Bay County Circuit Court Case Search

The Bay County Clerk Of Court is the custodian of circuit court case records. The court typically hears cases pertaining to claims of $30,000 and above, real property claims, etc. All case records are available electronically through the Court Case Search tool. However, per Rule 2.420, documents classified as confidential by the filer or the court will have the confidential information removed from the retrieved search results.

It is also possible to perform a court case search by visiting the Clerk’s Office in person during business hours. Either way, requestors must know the names, case numbers, and citation numbers associated with the records of interest.

Bay County Clerk of Court
300 East 4th Street
Panama City, FL 32401
Phone: (850) 763-9061
Fax: (850) 747-5188
Email: webbaycoclerk@baycoclerk.com

Bay County Court Records

Bay County County Court Records are documents pertaining to cases heard by the county’s courts. This includes criminal cases, civil claims ranging from $8,001 to $30,000, equity matters, replevins, small claims, etc. A requester who wishes to obtain county court records may visit the Court Clerk’s Office in person during business hours or send a mail-in request using the request for public records form.

When sending mail-in requests, specify the details of the sought record and the number of copies needed, and use the mailing address below.

Bay County Clerk of Court
300 East 4th Street
Panama City, FL 32401
Phone: (850) 763-9061
Fax: (850) 747-5188
Email: webbaycoclerk@baycoclerk.com

Bay County Criminal Records

Bay County criminal records are documents that detail Bay County residents' run-ins with law enforcement, including arrests and charges. Criminal records are publicly available unless otherwise restricted. Law enforcement agencies that are custodians of criminal records in Bay County include the Sheriff’s Office, the police department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)

Local and state criminal history information can be retrieved using the FDLE instant search tool at $25 per record. However, the records provided through the FDLE are not certified. Individuals who need certified records must request certified records specifically. A Bay county criminal record may not be publicly available on FDLE if it is sealed or expunged, a juvenile record, or a federal criminal record.

Bay County Sheriff's Office (BCSO)

The Bay County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) makes criminal records available online, in person, and via mail-in requests at the county level. Inquirers must provide details like the names of parties involved, incident description, and dates to facilitate a search. For Bay county criminal records containing sensitive information, the applicant must produce a government-issued ID and a document authorizing their access to the record if they are not a party involved in the case. The BCSO also maintains a publicly available jail inmate search tool for finding Bay County arrest records. To visit the Sheriff's Office in person, use the address below.

Bay County Sheriff's Office
Custodian of Public Records
3421 FL-77, Panama City, FL 32405
Phone: (850) 747-4700

Panama City Police Department (PCPD)

Inquirers can obtain copies of police reports, inmate records, arrest records or other public records from the Records Department of the Panama City Police Department. Requestors may only access records of arrests made within the agency's jurisdiction. Contact the PCPD to make a record request using the information below.

PCPD Record's Department
1209 East 15th Street
Panama City, FL 32405.
Phone: (850) 872-3100
Fax: (850) 872-3198
Email: policeprr@panamacitypolice.gov.

Bay County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Interested persons may conduct a Bay County Criminal Court Case lookup using the online search tools available to the county at a local and state level. The Case Search Tool maintained by the Clerk’s Office is available for finding all cases that occurred at the local or county level. Individuals enter their name, case number, or citation number in the search field, complete the captcha, and make their search. Inquirers may purchase certified court records separately, as the results of this search are not certified.

Get Bay County Civil Court Records

The Bay County Clerk of Circuit Court is the custodian of all court records in the county, including civil and some criminal records. Civil court records can be assessed by visiting the Clerk of Court’s office in person, using their online case search tool, or sending a mail request to their office.

Information about the case is needed to complete the search, such as the name of the party involved or the case number. It costs $1 to make copies of a civil record and $2 to certify it. Inquirers may have to be a party involved in the case, the family of the defendant, or possess documents authorizing them to retrieve some records in full due to the personal information contained in them. An example is a record containing social security numbers.

Bay County Family Court Records

Bay County Family court records are records of cases heard by the family law division of the county’s circuit court. These cases include domestic violence, child support, divorce, marriage, adoptions, paternity, and child custody. Inquirers can submit requests by mail or in person to obtain copies of the records. For family court records like divorce and death records, requestors must be the owners of the records, their relatives, or have documented authorization from the record subject.

Bay County Dissolution of Marriage Records

Bay County Dissolution of Marriage (divorce records) are maintained by the Family Court Division of the Bay County Courthouse. These records can be accessed by visiting the Bay County Courthouse or sending mail requests to either the Clerk of Courts or the Florida Department of Health in Bay County. Authorized copies of divorce records containing personal information are only given to the parties involved in the case or their authorized legal representatives.

Bay County Marriage and Divorce Records

Bay County Marriage and Divorce Records are available from various sources, including the Clerk of Courts office and the Florida Department of Health in Bay County. The Clerk of Court maintains copies of marriage records and dissolution of marriage (divorce) records in their recording office at the Bay County Courthouse. These records can be obtained from the Clerk of the Court and Comptroller through their online records search tool, by mail, or in person at the Bay County Courthouse. When requesting a record at the County Clerk’s Office, requesters must know the names of both parties and the marriage date and pay the applicable fees by cash or card.

Bay County Birth and Death Records

The Florida Department of Health in Bay County Vital Statistics office is the custodian of Bay County birth and death records. Interested individuals can access these records online, by mail, or in person by completing an application form and submitting it to the Florida Department of Health office.

When applying to receive a birth or death record, inquirers must present a valid form of identification, including but not limited to a driver’s license, state identification card, passport, and/or military identification card. Requesters who are not the record owner themselves, parents, guardians, or legal representatives of the record owner are required to include an affidavit to release a birth certificate from the authorized person.

Section 119.071 of the Florida Statutes limits the release of death records less than 50 years old (that include the cause of death and complete social security number) if the applicant is not one of the following:

• The decedent’s spouse
• The descendant’s parent;
• The decedent’s child, grandchild, or sibling (who must be of legal age)
• A person with a will, insurance policy, or documentation of interest in the estate
• Any person court-authorized to act on behalf of any of the persons mentioned above

The Florida Department of Health in Bay County Vital Statistics office can be contacted using the information below.

Florida Department of Health in Bay County
597 West 11th Street
Panama City, FL, 32401
Phone: (800) 255-2414

Bay County Probate Court Records

In Florida, the Circuit Court is the level of court that handles probate matters and is the custodian of probate court records. The Bay County Courthouse is the registered probate court for Bay County. The probate division of the main courthouse maintains probate records and makes case records available online, by mail, and in-person to interested individuals. The types of cases heard by the probate court include the following:

• Adoption
• Child Protection
• Guardianships & Conservatorships
• Juvenile Delinquency
• Wills & Estate Administration
• Cases under the mental health code (hospital care for patients with mental illness or developmental challenges)

When visiting the probate courthouse, call the court ahead at (850) 763-9061 to confirm record availability. Probate court records can be obtained online by conducting a case search using name, case number, or citation number. It is important to note that inquirers may need to create an account on the system to view records and that they need to purchase certified copies of the records for official purposes.

Bay County Probate Court
300 East 4th Street
Panama City, FL 32401.

Bay County Property Records

Bay County property records are documents that contain important information on properties, including parcel ownership, land descriptions, assessment information, and tax information. The circuit court clerk is the official recorder of all documents in Bay County, including property records. Individuals can obtain property records online through the Bay County Official Records search page or by contacting the Clerk of Court’s office. These records are accessible in person, by mail, or by telephone. Online retrieval of unofficial records is free, but a fee is required for mail requests and certification of the documents.

Bay County Court Records Online

As an alternative to local, state-owned, and federal resources, inquirers may use third-party websites and databases to access Bay County court records online. Resources like courtrecords.us are owned by third-party providers and they offer members of the public access to the Bay County public records in their database. In addition to public court records, third-party websites can provide access to arrest, criminal, and vital records.

A distinct advantage of third-party websites is their ability to act as a repository for public records from various counties, states, and federal levels. By entering essential keywords such as the first and last names, an individual can conveniently retrieve information on anyone from anywhere, as long as the record is not restricted. A disadvantage, however, is that these records may not be as complete or up-to-date as government resources. They may also only offer an abridged version of the record. The detailed and verified record is then made available for a one-time fee or a subscription. Individuals should remember to utilize or double-check their results with government websites to ensure the accuracy of their Bay County Court Records.