Hillsborough County Superior Court Case Search

In Hillsborough County, there are no supreme courts. However, the Second District Court of Appeal and the circuit courts serve in the capacity of a supreme court. These courts create and maintain copies of documents concerning court events, including opinions, case files, docket sheets, and filings. Such documents are collectively referred to as court records.

The courts generally disclose court documents upon requests from local residents. However, some records are exempted from public access. Such records may include the following:

• Information collated by an attorney or prepared under the attorney’s directives.
• Personal data like bank information and social security numbers;

What kinds of cases have been heard in Hillsborough Superior Court?

In Hillsborough County, the district court of appeal and the circuit court oversee cases that are typically under the jurisdiction of the superior court. The courts have jurisdiction over court cases listed in the table below:

Hillsborough County Superior Court

In Hillsborough County, the appellate court system consists of the 2nd District Court of Appeal and the 13th District Circuit Court. The latter functions as both a trial and appellate court. As a trial court, the circuit court oversees cases beyond the jurisdiction of the county courts and also hears appeals from the county courts.

On the other hand, the Court of Appeals is more selective since it only reviews appeals that are considered to have public importance. The court also has original jurisdiction on writs of mandamus, common law certiorari, prohibition, quo warranto, and habeas corpus.

Local residents may rely on these courts to resolve disputes and get justice through appeals. That being said, residents can find these courts at the following locations:

Hillsborough County 2nd District Court of Appeal
1700 North Tampa Street
Suite 300
Tampa, Florida 33602

Hillsborough County Circuit Courts

George E. Edgecomb Courthouse
800 East Twiggs Street
Tampa, FL 33602
Phone: (813) 276-8100

Plant City Courthouse
301 North Michigan Avenue
Plant City, FL 33563
Phone: (813) 276-8100

Brandon Regional Service Center
311 Pauls Drive
Suite 110
Brandon, FL 33511
Phone: (813) 276-8100

Southshore Regional Service Center
410 30th Street Southeast
Ruskin, FL 33570
Phone: (813) 276-8100

Hillsborough County Case Lookup

Public members can look up Hillsborough County court cases via options provided by record custodians. For instance, the Florida Appellate Case Information System provides online access to appeals and cases filed at the court of appeals. Interested parties can obtain court records through the following options:

Online searches and requests for court records

You may search court documents through the state’s appellate case information system. The platform allows these search options:

• Case number and filing date search
• Case party search
• Oral argument search
• Public document search

Interested parties may choose to search as a guest or register an account before searching court documents.

In contrast, the Hillsborough County clerk of circuit court and comptroller maintains an online database of all court cases tried in the county. To get records via the platform, requesters may input the case number, citation number, party name, case type, or court hearing date. There is also an option to download certified copies of court records from the platform. The court charges $6 for each document request and a $2 statutory fee per document. In addition, the record costs $1 per page, and credit card payments may incur a 3.5% fee on the total transaction.

Walk-in requests for court records

Interested persons or entities can request court records in person at the circuit clerk’s office. Note that the clerk may attend to in-person requests during open hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at these locations:

Edgecomb Courthouse
800 East Twiggs Street
Tampa, FL 33602
Phone: (813) 276-8100

Pat Collier Frank Courthouse
419 Pierce Street
Tampa, FL 33602
Phone: (813) 276-8100

Plant City Courthouse
301 North Michigan Avenue
Room 1071
Plant City, FL 33563
Phone: (813) 276-8100

Brandon Regional Service Center
311 Pauls Drive
Suite 110
Brandon, FL 33511
Phone: (813) 276-8100

Note: The court clerk may request a valid ID before disclosing confidential or sealed court records. In addition, you must pay the required fees to request physical copies of court documents.

Mail-in request option

To get court records via mail, interested parties must submit an online request form to the circuit court clerk’s office. The clerk will review the request, process it, and mail it to the requester’s mailing address. Note that the clerk’s office will first send the estimated cost of retrieving the record. Users must pay the required fees before they can access the record.

The Hillsborough County Circuit Clerk’s office does not have a specific timeframe for processing mail-based requests. For instance, the processing time may differ based on the request volume.

Hillsborough Superior Court Case Search by Name

In Hillsborough County, name-based searches for superior court records are possible through online search repositories and in-person requests. To find court records by the case party or attorney’s name, inquirers must use the following repositories:

• The Florida Appellate Case Information System
• The clerk ofthecircuit court and comptroller’s online search portal.

For in-person requests, record seekers must visit the circuit clerk’s physical locations during open hours. The clerk may demand additional information so as to easily retrieve the requested court file. In most cases, name-based searches may bring up case files of different case parties that have similar names. To get accurate search results, inquirers must include other case information like the filing date, docket number, case number, and case type.

Hillsborough Superior Court Docket Search

Court dockets contain information on filings, proceedings, orders, and hearing dates. In Hillsborough County, interested parties can look up superior court dockets through online repositories. For instance, the circuit clerk’s office hosts an online database for locating court dates and information. Inquirers using the platforms must input relevant search information like the case part’s first and last name or case number.

An alternative option is to conduct searches via the Florida Appellate Case Information System. The platform provides access to docket sheets of cases filed in the court of appeal.

Court docket searches are important for various reasons, including helping inquirers to track case progress. Inquirers also get to stay informed about upcoming court hearings.

Lookup Hillsborough County Superior Court Online

Public members can look up Hillsborough County’s district court of appeal records through online repositories maintained by government entities. For instance, the circuit clerk’s office hosts a case search database. The Florida Appellate Case Information System is also an official repository for finding court information.

Conversely, online Hillsborough court records are accessible through third-party repositories like Floridacourtrecords.us. The platforms typically feature easy-to-navigate interfaces that enable users to easily locate court documents. However, third-party sites are mostly unregulated and may not include accurate court data.

Supreme Court vs. Superior Court

In Hillsborough County, the Supreme Court differs from the District Court of Appeal in terms of structure and jurisdiction. The supreme court has the highest appellate authority, and it only oversees appeals from the district court of appeal. It also oversees all appeals concerning death penalties and public utility cases. On the other hand, District Courts of Appeals are the intermediate appellate court and may only review appeals that are beyond the jurisdiction of the lower courts.