Broward County Court Records

Broward County court records are legal documentation from judicial proceedings within the county. These records encompass various legal matters, including civil, criminal, probate, and family cases. Maintained by the Broward County Clerk of Court and Comptroller (or Clerk of Courts), court records play a significant role in preserving a history of legal actions and decisions within the jurisdiction while serving as vital public resources.

Broward County court records document the entirety of a case, from its initiation to its resolution, providing an objective and chronological account of court proceedings. The records feature filings, hearings, judgments, case party information, and other pertinent data about a court case.

Are Court Records Public in Broward County?

Yes. In Broward County, court records are generally public per Rule 2.420 of the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration. This means that most documents filed with or generated by the court are deemed public record and are, thus, accessible to the public.

However, there are exceptions to the state's public records laws. Certain court records may be deemed confidential or exempt from public disclosure by law. These include records of juvenile cases, adoptions, mental health proceedings, and victims of certain crimes. Additionally, some records may be sealed by the court and only accessible with a court order. Moreover, while electronic access to court records may be available, it may be subject to restrictions to ensure compliance with privacy laws.

Broward County Court Records Search

Searching for court records in Broward County typically involves utilizing various online and offline resources provided by the Clerk of Court and Comptroller's office to find litigation and other court records.

The Clerk's office provides online, in-person, and mail-in methods for accessing these records. Members of the public can also utilize third-party platforms to search public records or access Broward court records.

Broward County Court Records Search by Name

To conduct a name-based search for court records in Broward County, an individual may request records held by the Clerk of Courts online, in person, by email, or via fax.

Individuals accessing the Clerk's Case Search portal can input a case party's last and first name plus middle name (if available) into the available search box. Users can also refine their search by specifying a filing date range. After each inquiry, the portal generates a list of cases associated with the provided name. A researcher can view further case details by selecting a specific case number from the list, such as a case's status and events.

If needed, users can also request electronically certified copies of court records by selecting the "Purchase Certified Documents Online" option at the top of the search results page. A $8 fee per document typically applies for each electronic certified document request.

Alternatively, individuals can search for and request court records by name as follows:

• At the Broward County Clerk & Comptroller's office during business hours
• By summiting a Court Records Request form to the Clerk's fax address at (954) 831-5550 or by email at Redactarchives@browardclerk.org.

Below are the applicable fees:

• $2 per case per year searched
• $1 per page for a copy
• $2 per document for certification

Accepted payment methods for in-person requests include cash, attorney or cashier's check, money order, or credit card (American Express, MasterCard, or Visa). Acceptable payment methods for email or fax requests include cashier's check, personal check, money order, or credit card (American Express, MasterCard, or Visa).

Broward County Courts

The court system in Broward County operates as the 17th Judicial Circuit. It is a two-tiered system consisting of circuit and county courts, each having civil and criminal jurisdictions.

Generally, Broward County has four courthouse locations. Below are their addresses:

Central Judicial Complex - West, North, East, and Midrise Buildings
201 Southeast 6th Street
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
(See the Clerk's directory for relevant rooms and phone numbers.)

Broward County Superior Court Case Search

Broward County does not have a "superior court". Instead, it has a circuit court that serves as the county's trial court of general jurisdiction, similar to a superior court's jurisdiction in certain U.S. jurisdictions. The court handles many cases, including felony criminal cases, civil cases over $30,000, family matters, probate, and juvenile dependency.

Anyone seeking records produced from the circuit court can query the Broward County Clerk of Court and Comptroller's office, which serves as the official court records custodian in Broward.

Broward County District Court Records

Broward County has no separate "district court," as some states do. However, county courts within the region take on the role of limited jurisdiction courts, which is quite similar to the district courts found in some U.S. jurisdictions. The county courts hear minor civil disputes, misdemeanors, and traffic violations.

To find county court records in Broward County, a person may query the Broward County Clerk of Court and Comptroller's office in person, via mail, or by other available means.

Broward County Criminal Records

Criminal records in Broward County are maintained by the Broward County Sheriff's Office (BSO), one of the primary law enforcement agencies responsible for ensuring public safety and enforcing the law within the county. These records include information related to charges, convictions, and other pertinent details about a person's criminal activities. Below are methods to access these records from the sheriff's office:

Online Search: The Broward County Sheriff's Office provides an online portal for requesting criminal records. These checks (otherwise called criminal history checks or Broward County arrest records searches) only include arrest records, i.e., records about incidents that resulted in a person's arrest. A user account is needed to access these records online.

In-Person: Alternatively, individuals can visit the Broward County Sheriff's Office to request criminal records. At the office, the inquirer can submit their request to agency personnel, who can also assist in understanding the request procedures. After an in-person inquiry, the BSO emails any identifiable records to the requester.

Under Florida's Sunshine Law, anyone can request another person's Broward arrest records from the BSO. A subject's full name, race, sex, and date of birth are required for any search. (Persons requesting an arrest/incident report must provide a case number, party name, or date/time/location instead.) However, a requester will only receive records for the BSO's jurisdiction. Records outside the BSO's jurisdiction should be requested from the appropriate agency.

Specific fees apply for requesting criminal records, particularly for requests that require extensive research. For instance, electronic requests that can be fulfilled within 15 minutes are free. Requests requiring more than 15 minutes of research are treated as "special projects" and incur a research fee of $25 per hour. Typically, the BSO provides estimates before commencing any work that would result in fees.

Fees are payable by check or money order. The Broward County Sheriff's Office does not accept cash, credit, or debit card payments.

Broward County Criminal Court Case Lookup

To obtain criminal court case information in Broward County, requesters can access the local Clerk of Courts' Case Search portal (available on the Clerk's website). This is the primary portal for accessing any court case information in the county.

The portal has four search options to accommodate public users who may only have partial case information, including:

• Party Name Search
• Business Name Search
• Case Number Search
• Citation Number Search

Persons utilizing the name or business search can filter results by court type and filing date.

After each search, the system generates up to 200 results matching the search parameters. The retrievable information includes the progress dockets, hearing dates, and case events and documents.

Due to privacy laws, certain records may not be accessible online. If the desired information is unavailable through an online search, individuals may visit the courthouse in person or request records from the Clerk & Comptroller's office by email or fax.

Get Broward County Civil Court Records

The Broward County Clerk of Court & Comptroller is the principal custodian of civil court records in Broward County. Inquirers may access the Case Search feature on the Clerk's website to find these records. The system requires search parameters like a party or business name, case number, or citation number.

Alternatively, individuals can fill out and submit the Court Records Request form via email or fax to obtain civil court records. However, Florida law limits access to specific cases and documents.

Civil court records carry information about various civil case types, including small claims, evictions, foreclosures up to $50,000, negligence cases, breach of contract disputes, motor vehicle repair and recovery issues, title issues, and foreign judgments up to $50,000.

Broward County Family Court Records

Family law cases in Broward County are adjudicated in the Family Division of the Circuit Court. Broward County does not have a separate family court. The Family Division oversees various family law issues, including divorce proceedings, child custody disputes, child support matters, paternity cases, adoption proceedings, and petitions for domestic violence restraining orders.

Individuals seeking family court records can access the Clerk & Comptroller's Case Search portal or fill out a records request form (available on the Clerk's website) to retrieve family court case information. A party name, case number, or citation number is usually required for these searches.

Notwithstanding, access to family court records is governed by Florida state law and court rules, which impose certain restrictions on cases due to the sensitive data they contain or the potential adverse impact their release may have.

Family court records serve as the official documentation of family-related disputes. These records play a crucial role in enforcing court orders pertaining to matters like child support payments, custody arrangements, and visitation rights. Furthermore, they serve as authoritative records documenting changes in family and civil statuses.

Broward Dissolution of Marriage Records

The Family Division of the Circuit Court maintains the dissolution of marriage records in Broward County. These records may be accessed using the Clerk's Case Search tool as follows:

• Enter https://www.browardclerk.org/web2 into a browser.
• Select the party search tool from the top menu. (One can also search with a case number.)
• Choose "Family" under Court Type.
• Input a case party's last and first name into the search box. (An option to search with a middle name or filing date is also available.)
• Answer the CAPTCHA and click "Search".
• Review the search results. The system will display a list of marriage dissolution cases matching the criteria, including court orders, filings, and judgments.

If a record is not accessible online, requesters can visit the Clerk of Courts office in person or fill out and submit a court records request by email or Fax: (the form can be downloaded from the Clerk's website).

Broward County Marriage and Divorce Records

In Broward County, marriage and divorce records are accessible to the public through the Clerk of Courts office, albeit through different channels. Individuals can contact the Broward County Clerk of Courts to obtain marriage records in Broward County. The Clerk's office is the county's primary custodian of marriage records. Most often, these records are accessible via the Broward County Clerk of Courts' Marriage License Search system, at the Clerk's office, or by mail request to the Clerk's office.

Each request must include pertinent information about the marriage—such as the names of the spouses and the marriage date—and the applicable fees for search and copy services.

On the other hand, divorce records in Broward County are generated in the Family Division of the Circuit Court. Like other court records, individuals can access these records through the Clerk of Courts, specifically the Family Division. The process for obtaining divorce records has been explained in the previous section.

While marriage records are typically available to the public, access to divorce records may be more restricted due to the sensitive nature of divorce cases. Specific details, such as financial settlements or child custody agreements, may be removed from public disclosure to protect the parties' privacy.

Broward Birth and Death Records

Broward County birth and death records are vital records and official documents maintained and disseminated publicly by the Florida Department of Health's Vital Statistics Offices in Broward County. These records serve as official documentation of births and deaths that occurred within the county. Individuals can utilize the different methods to obtain these records:

• In Person: Requesters can visit any of three vital statistics locations in Hollywood, Pompano Beach, or Fort Lauderdale during business hours.
• By Mail: Requesters can send a signed application (birth and death) along with a copy of a valid identification, their daytime telephone number, payment, and a stamped and self-addressed envelope to the Vital Statistics Office at the address below.

Florida Department of Health in Broward County
Attention: Vital Statistics
780 Southwest 24 Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315

• By Phone: Requesters can call (866) 830-1906 to reach the Vital Statistics Office and provide the necessary information and credit card payment.
• Online: Inquirers can use a third-party company recommended by the office to process their request and credit card payment online.

However, access to birth and death records may be subject to certain limitations under Florida state law. For example, Florida law restricts access to birth records for 100 years after the date of birth, except to certain authorized individuals like the individual named on the record, immediate family members, legal representatives, and government agencies.

Similarly, access to certain death records (with cause of death and full SSN) is restricted for 50 years after the date of death. Only specific individuals like a decedent's spouse, birth parent, child, grandchild, sibling (if 18 or older), or another legally authorized person can obtain such records.

Birth and death records are vital for compiling accurate, complete, and timely vital statistics. These records are essential for:

• Estimating population size and demographics
• Planning and evaluating health programs
• Measuring population growth for family planning
• Supporting national social and economic development planning
• Providing data for epidemiological research, such as studies on survivorship and perinatal factors associated with various conditions

Broward County Probate Court Records

Probate court records in Broward County encompass a variety of cases overseen by the county's probate courts, such as:

• Formal Administration: A standard form of probate for estates that may not qualify for simpler processes. It involves appointing a personal representative to administer the estate.
• Summary Administration: A shortened form of probate for smaller estates or when the decedent has been deceased for over two years.
• Disposition of Personal Property without Administration: This process applies to very small estates where the estate's value does not exceed the final expenses.
• Notice of Trust: Filed when a trust is being administered in connection with a probate proceeding.
• Statement of Claim: Claims filed by creditors against an estate.
• Wills: Filing of a decedent's will.
• Caveat: A formal notice filed when someone is interested in an estate to ensure the court recognizes their interest before certain actions are taken.

To obtain probate court records in Broward County, individuals typically need to contact the Clerk of Courts office, which serves as the custodian of these records. The process for obtaining probate court records varies depending on the requester's preferences.

Generally, individuals can request these records at the Clerk of Courts office or submit a court records request form via email or fax. The Clerk of Courts website also has a public Case Search feature for looking up probate court records. The system requires a name or case number to retrieve case details, but users can request certified copies for official use. Regardless of the method used to request probate court records, a fee often applies to obtain copies.

Although most probate documents are public records in Broward, certain details like inventories and accountings are released to authorized parties only.

Broward County Property Records

The Broward County Property Appraiser's Office facilitates access to property information in Broward County. This office is the county's primary custodian of comprehensive property records.

To find property records in Broward County, individuals can visit the Broward County Property Appraiser's website or contact the office directly. The website has a Property search feature for searching and accessing property records.

The online property search feature allows individuals to search with specific criteria, such as the property address, owner's name, or parcel number. After an inquiry, users can view detailed information about a property, including its assessed value, ownership history, legal description, and characteristics. In addition to basic property information, property records in Broward County may include property transfers, mortgage information, building permits, zoning information, and property boundaries.

On the other hand, property documents filed into the Official Records of Broward County (January 1, 1978, to present) can be retrieved from the local Records, Taxes, and Treasury Division.

Altogether, property records provide valuable insights into the ownership, history, and tax status of properties within Broward County.

Broward County Court Records Online

Accessing Broward County court records through third-party websites like floridacourtrecords.us offers several advantages. It is a convenient option for obtaining information remotely, saving time and resources that would otherwise be spent visiting a courthouse or querying the Clerk's office. Additionally, these websites often have user-friendly interfaces that simplify the search process.

However, there are limitations to consider. Florida law restricts public access to specific cases and documents. As such, some records may be unavailable or incomplete if obtained via remote access. Moreover, users may be charged for access, and the fee varies by website.