Clay County Court Records

During legal proceedings, court clerks document important information, collect relevant paperwork and materials, and assign unique identifiers to cases. These documents make up Clay County court records. Courts preserve these records as formal documentation of legal cases, aiding members of the public in better understanding the justice system.

Florida court records exist in paper, photographic, and electronic formats. People search court records for various reasons, including academic and research purposes, satisfying personal curiosity, and genealogical research. While inspecting public copies of court records, one may find summonses, docket information, trial exhibits, pleadings, motions, judgments, orders, and transcripts.

Are Court Records Public in Clay County?

Yes. Per Chapter 11 of the Florida Statutes (Florida Public Records Law), all court records are subject to public access. As such, they are classified as Clay County public records. This includes all records created by or submitted to Clay County court clerks during legal proceedings. In compliance with this law, court clerks must provide reasonable means by which the public can access these records. Records not subject to this law include juvenile records, mental health records, adoption records, sealed records, and victim information.

Clay County Court Records Search

Interested parties who possess sufficient specifics about a case of interest may obtain the related court records through several means, including:

• In person at the Clerk of Court’s Office
• Court websites
• Via mail
• Electronically by email
• Third-party websites.

Clay County Court Records Search by Name

Name-based searches are the most common means of finding court case records online and in person at the court clerk’s office. However, since a particular name may be associated with multiple cases, it is easier to identify and retrieve the sought-after court records if a requestor possesses the case number. Other case specifics, such as the filing date, may further aid the search process.

Depending on the agency conducting the search or the searched database, a requestor can perform a name-based search using the name of the plaintiff, defendant, or an attorney named on the case record of interest. In-person searches typically involve filling out and submitting record request forms and paying nominal fees.

Clay County Courts

The Clay County court system comprises four circuit courts and four county courts. Circuit courts have general jurisdiction over a wide variety of cases but typically only adjudicate matters beyond the jurisdiction of the county courts. County courts are limited to small claims, select civil cases, certified questions, traffic cases, and misdemeanors.

Find the court addresses and contact information below:

Clay County Circuit Court
Clay County Courthouse
825 North Orange Avenue
P.O. Box 698
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043
Phone: (904) 269-6302
Fax: (904) 269-6390

Clay County Circuit Court - Keystone Heights
7380 State Road 100, Suite 10
Keystone Heights, FL 32656
Phone: (352) 478-8016
Fax: (352) 473-7652

Clay County Circuit Court - Middleburg
1836 Blanding Boulevard, Suite D
Middleburg, FL 32068
Phone: (904) 282-6490

Clay County Circuit Court - Orange Park
1478 Park Avenue
Orange Park, FL 32073
Phone: (904) 278-4769
Fax: (904) 278-3690

County Court of Clay County
Clay County Courthouse
825 North Orange Avenue
P.O. Box 698
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043
Phone: (904) 269-6302
Fax: (904) 269-6390

County Court of Clay County - Keystone Heights
7380 State Road 100, Suite 10
Keystone Heights, FL 32656
Phone: (352) 478-8016
Fax: (352) 473-7652

County Court of Clay County - Middleburg
1836 Blanding Boulevard,
Suite D,
Middleburg, FL 32068
Phone: (904) 282-6490

County Court of Clay County - Orange Park
1478 Park Avenue
Orange Park, FL 32073
Phone: (904) 278-4769
Fax: (904) 278-3690

Clay County Circuit Court Case Search

The Fourth Judicial Circuit Courts of Florida has superior jurisdiction in Clay County, with courthouses in four locations across the county. Cases handled by the county circuit courts include civil cases involving upward of $50,000, felonies, juvenile dependency, mental health, juvenile delinquency, family law matters, probate matters, mental health, and guardianship cases. It also adjudicates appeals from county courts.

The Clay County Clerk of Court and Comptroller’s Office maintains an online case search tool to aid interested parties in finding court records remotely. Access to this website is free and it is searchable by party name and case number. By specifying a date range, one can find records for all cases filed or closed in the court within the specified period. On this site, one will typically find the charges, case dockets, events, party details, and attorneys associated with the searched particulars.

For cases not found on this site, an inquirer may send a record request to the public records custodian (also known as the Records Management Liaison Officer) by mail or email for a fee.

Mail:

Records Management Liaison Officer (RMLO)
825 North Orange Avenue
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043
Email: publicrecords@clayclerk.com.

Interested parties may also contact the court clerk’s office for inquiries at:

Clerk of Court and Comptroller
Clay County Courthouse
825 North Orange Avenue
P.O. Box 698
Green Cove Springs, Florida 32043
Phone: (904) 284-6302

Clay County District Court Records

There are no district courts in Clay County. Cases handled by district courts in other jurisdictions are adjudicated by the circuit courts and, depending on the specifics, county courts. Refer to the appropriate headers for information on how to obtain records.

Clay County Criminal Records

Clay criminal records (typically encompassing Clay county arrest record information) are available online for a $24 fee on the criminal history information website, courtesy of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).

Clay County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Clay County criminal cases are handled by the county’s circuit courts as well as the county courts. While the circuit court has unlimited jurisdiction over criminal cases, county courts only handle misdemeanors and criminal traffic cases. Interested persons should contact the clerk of the courthouse where a case of interest was filed. Otherwise, they may use online resources provided by these court clerks to search for records.

Certain courts allow requesting parties to submit their record requests by mail and email. To find records, an inquirer typically needs to possess the defendant's name. For cases that are not generally public, inquirers with reasonable interests must obtain authorization from a court to access the records.

Get Clay County Civil Court Records

Civil cases include those related to mental health, small claims, family law, guardianship, probate, domestic violence, and foreclosures. They fall under the joint jurisdiction of circuit and county courts. Circuit courts handle civil matters where the disputed amount exceeds $50,000, whereas county courts handle cases under $50,000.

Court clerks handle records related to these cases and are also responsible for disseminating them to interested parties. To obtain records, one may query the court clerk’s office or utilize the case search website provided by the court clerk. While civil case records are generally considered public, certain documents may be redacted from public databases if they contain sensitive or confidential information.

Clay County Family Court Records

Family law cases are handled by circuit and county courts, and the court clerks maintain the associated records. Examples of family law matters are domestic violence, child custody, termination of parental rights, divorce, paternity, child/spousal support, and name change.

Although considered public, most details related to family law are confidential, such as those associated with custody, probate, and domestic violence. Florida State laws prohibit placing such records on public databases or websites. Non-public family law records are available only to immediate case parties, their designees, attorneys, and authorized court officials.

Non-confidential records may be inspected at the clerk's office at the courthouse, where a case of interest was adjudicated. Third parties with a legitimate interest in a non-public case may seek authorization from a judge or appropriate judicial officer to access associated court records.

Clay Dissolution of Marriage Records

Clay County dissolution of marriage records are public and are maintained by clerks of courts with jurisdiction over marriage dissolutions. Court clerks are also responsible for enabling public access to these records. Interested individuals may query the clerk of the relevant court by completing and submitting applicable forms at their office. However, inquirers are advised to start their search by utilizing the court's Case Search online tool for convenience.

The Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics also keeps records of all divorces and annulments granted in Clay County from June 6, 1927, till the present, and may facilitate a public search. Note that records can only be found at the vital statistics office at least 60 days after a marriage dissolution.

Clay County Marriage and Divorce Records

Clay County marriage and divorce records are mainly marriage certificates and licenses. Interested residents of Clay County can inspect copies of marriage records in person at the court clerk’s office. One can also view copies of marriage licenses on the Quick Search page available on the clerk of court’s website. To search this site, a person only needs to know the first and last name of the record's subject. Divorce records are categorized under marriage dissolution records and can be obtained using the method described in the preceding header.

Clay Birth and Death Records

Clay County birth records created in the state of Florida from 1917 are available to members of the public. Original copies of Clay County birth certificates are not available to third parties. However, one may get a written notification about an individual’s birth, detailing the date of birth, parent’s name, and place of birth of an individual. Birth records are obtainable from any vital records office.

Florida death records, including those created for residents of Clay County, are also available at vital records offices. Any person can access a certified copy of a death record. However, copies with the cause of death are available only to immediate family members. Records are available at $10.00 per copy. Birth and death records constitute Clay County vital records and are mainly searched for genealogical research.

Clay County Probate Court Records

Matters of probate fall under the jurisdiction of the county’s circuit courts and include estate administration, guardianship, and conservatorship, will contests, estate proceedings, and trust administration. The associated records are maintained by the circuit court clerk and can be found using the Case Search page on the clerk of court’s website. Otherwise, a requesting party may visit the courthouse where the case in question was filed to request records.

825 North Orange Avenue
P.O. Box 698
Green Cove Springs, Florida 32043
Phone: (904) 284-6302

Clay County Property Records

Clay County property records contain important information about real properties in the county. They feature information about the location of a property, its size, ownership, legal encumbrances associated with the property, and tax. The Clay County Clerk of Court and Comptroller is the primary custodian records for every real property in Clay County. The Clay County Property Appraiser and Tax Collector also maintain certain property records, mostly related to taxes and property valuation.

During a property record search, a requesting party will find different types of documents, such as deeds, maps, mortgages, and liens. The Clerk of Court’s Office provides several online resources for searching different property record types. Inquirers can also search for property records on the appraiser’s property search website with parcel numbers. Relevant information to aid property searches includes property addresses and owner names.

Clay County Property Appraiser
477 Houston Street
P.O. Box 38
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043
Phone: (904) 284-6305

Clay County Court Records Online

Apart from court-operated websites, various third-party websites exist where interested parties can search for court records. These websites, such as floridacourtrecords.us, are quite similar to court websites and can be searched by case party names and case numbers, among other things. Furthermore, they are operated by private information provider companies and are largely commercial, although some offer free record search services.

An advantage of third-party websites is their multijurisdictional coverage, making them ideal for finding records when an inquirer does not know the specific courthouse or jurisdiction where a case was adjudicated. The downside, however, is that there may be disparities between information on these websites, as they depend on official sources to stay updated. As such, users are advised to verify obtained information against official sources.