Palm Beach County Court Records

Courts in Palm Beach County, Florida, have a legal obligation to preserve records collected and generated during case proceedings. These documents and materials are integral to Florida court records and include progress dockets, motions, complaints, warrants, affidavits, transcripts, and exhibits from civil, criminal, and family matters (FS 28.24).

Palm Beach County court records provide attorneys with legal precedents, which can help sway court decisions in their client's favor. The records also help court administrators organize court sessions and enable the public to follow high-profile and personal court cases.

Are Court Records Public in Palm Beach County?

Yes. Florida's Sunshine Law grants public access to Palm Beach court records. The Act mandates publicly funded government institutions, like the courts, to provide public access to records of their official affairs.

However, that access is not absolute. Florida Statutes 119.071 and 119.0714 cover documents and information the public cannot view or obtain. The Supreme Court of Florida also limits access to some case records under Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin 2.420(c).

Records prohibited from general access include unexecuted warrants and related documents, sealed records, juvenile court records, Social Security and bank details, and other records restricted by federal and state law.

Palm Beach County Court Records Search

Searching for court records in Palm Beach County involves requesting to inspect case information or ordering copies of case documents. Interested parties must conduct their due diligence to know which office to approach and how to access convenient resources. They must also understand how fees and submissions work.

Generally, individuals can submit Palm Beach County court records requests to the Palm Beach Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller or access services provided by third-party public records vendors.

Palm Beach County Court Records Search by Name

Name-based court records searches use the names of case parties (defendants or plaintiffs) to find court records. This search method can be utilized when other case information, such as a case number, is not known. Sometimes, the name of an attorney of record can be used as the search query.

People can perform name searches through the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller's office. The Clerk offers online, in-person, and mail-in resources. However, assisted in-person name searches and mail requests may attract fees.

Palm Beach County Courts

Palm Beach County is Florida's 15th Judicial Circuit. It comprises different circuit and county court divisions. The following are courthouse locations in the county:

Judge Daniel T. K. Hurley Courthouse
205 North Dixie Highway
West Palm Beach, Florida 33401

North County Courthouse
3188 PGA Boulevard
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410

South County Courthouse
200 West Atlantic Avenue
Delray Beach, Florida 33444

West County Courthouse
2950 State Road 15
Belle Glade, Florida 33430

Criminal Justice Complex
3228 Gun Club Road
West Palm Beach, Florida 33406

Palm Beach County Superior Court Case Search

Palm Beach's Circuit Court is the highest trial court in the county, similar to a superior court in some US states. It has exclusive original jurisdiction of matters not explicitly authorized to be heard in the county courts per FS 26.012. Below are cases typically heard in the court:

• Felonies and accompanying misdemeanor allegations
• Juvenile cases, except traffic-related offenses
• Probate proceedings
• Real property title and boundary disputes
• Civil disputes that exceed $50,000

Members of the public can access court records produced from these cases through the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller's office. The office provides the following resources:

Online (eCaseView)

The Clerk's office runs an online search database where the public can view case information and some case documents for free. The database disseminates court dates, complaints, charges, sentences, case party data, and document images (from 2008 cases and later). Users can also print documents and order electronically certified court records.

Individuals who want to use the free version of eCaseView can choose the GuestUser option. Afterward, they can search for cases using exact or partial names or case/citation numbers. They can filter the results by selecting the court type, case type, and filing or offense dates.

Some case types are restricted on the eCaseView portal, such as juvenile court records, adoption, and guardianship settlements.

In-Person Requests

Individuals can walk into any of the Clerk's office locations to view and purchase case documents.

Main Courthouse
205 North Dixie Highway
West Palm Beach, Florida 33401

North County Courthouse
3188 PGA Boulevard
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410

Royal Palm Beach Branch
200 Civic Center Way, Suite 400
Royal Palm Beach, Florida 33411

South County Courthouse
200 West Atlantic Avenue, Room 1S-124
Delray Beach, Florida 33444

West County Courthouse
2950 State Road 15, Room S-100
Belle Glade, Florida 33430

Mail-in Requests

Members of the public can order official and certified copies from the Clerk's office by mail. They can elect to pick up their requested copies at the Clerk's office at a later date or request that the order be shipped to them. Requesters must include payment that covers the cost of reproducing, certifying, and mailing the requested records.

People ordering court records by mail must fill out the Records Service Transmittal Form and provide the case's complete case number and docket entry date range (if requesting entire court dockets). The mailing address is indicated in the form.

Fees

Anyone requesting a Palm Beach court record must pay the applicable research and copy fees, which include:

• $2 for each name and legal description search per year
• $8 for each electronically certified document ($6 service fee and $2 statutory fee). Extra costs may apply for debit cards and payment services
• $1 per page for in-person copies of records 8½ inches by 14 inches and below and an additional $2 to certify an instrument
• $7 for exemplified certificates

Palm Beach County District Court Records

Palm Beach County has no "district courts". However, it has county courts of limited jurisdiction that operate as the lower-tiered trial courts. These courts hear misdemeanor cases, civil cases below $50,000, traffic matters, and small claims cases (FS 34.01).

Members of the public can access county court cases through the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller's office. They can view and order court records online, in person, and by mail, as discussed earlier.

Palm Beach County Criminal Records

Criminal records, such as Palm Beach County arrest records and police reports, can be sourced from local law enforcement agencies. These agencies include the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and local police departments.

Interested persons can access the concerned agency's websites to submit a public records request, send the request by mail, or submit it in person at official locations. Individuals can also approach the 15th Judicial Circuit's State Attorney for criminal records.

It is important to note that certain Palm Beach arrest records may not be available to the public, especially if tied to ongoing investigations.

Palm Beach County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Individuals can use any channel the local Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller provides to look up Palm Beach County criminal court records, such as arrest warrants, judgments, and sentencing information.

The Clerk's office may not release certain juvenile criminal court records and other case files deemed confidential to the public.

Get Palm Beach County Civil Court Records

Civil court records are created during proceedings undertaken to litigate a non-criminal dispute, such as a real estate title, personal injury, or defamation matter. Civil cases are heard in the Palm Beach circuit civil and county civil courts.

Like other court records in Palm Beach County, civil court records are maintained and disbursed by the local Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller. Individuals can use the office's online portal or request the records in person or by mail.

Palm Beach County Family Court Records

Family law cases are handled by the Palm Beach Circuit Court's family division. These cases include paternity, child support, dissolution and annulment of marriage, parental rights, minor emancipation, adoption, domestic violence, and so on. The division produces records maintained and dispensed by the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller's office. Therefore, people who want to view or obtain Palm Beach family court records may query the Clerk's office in person, by mail, or online.

For instance, to use the Clerk's eCaseView system, one can select Domestic Relations/Family under "court type" and specify the particular case type they seek. Users can leave the case type menu blank if they do not know the specific case, and the database will display every family law case in the system.

Some family law records, such as adoption proceedings, may only be accessible to eligible individuals and entities.

Palm Beach Dissolution of Marriage Records

Dissolution of marriage cases (divorce and annulment) are handled in the Palm Beach circuit court's family division. Records from these proceedings are open to the public under Florida law, and individuals can find them through the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller's office or the Florida Department of Health's Bureau of Vital Statistics.

The Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller's Office

Going through the Clerk's office involves using the office's mail-in, online, and in-person request methods. People who want to obtain or view these cases online (the eCaseView system) can choose Domestic Relations/Family under "court type" and then select Dissolution under "case type".

The Florida Department of Health

Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics can be queried online, by mail, or in person at Jacksonville for dissolution of marriage records.

Online requests are made through an approved third-party vendor (consumers may incur additional charges as determined by the vendor). Meanwhile, people who want to order directly from the Bureau must send regular mail to Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics, P.O. Box 210, Jacksonville, Florida 32232-0042, or apply in person at 1217 North Pearl Street, Jacksonville, Florida 32202.

In-person or mail requesters must fill out the Application for Dissolution of Marriage form (DH260) and pay the required fees. Individuals who cannot access the form online can provide the following information in their written requests:

• Applicant details:
  • Full name
  • Phone number
  • Mailing address
  • Signature
  • Relationship to any spouse on the record being requested
• Details about the couple
  • Full names of each spouse
  • Dissolution date
  • County where the dissolution was filed and granted

The cost of ordering these documents is as follows:

• Non-refundable $5 search fee on all orders
• $5 search fee per calendar year and certified copy
• $4 for additional copies on the same order
• $2 search fee for each calendar year if the specific year is unknown
• $10 rush fee for records created earlier than 1970

Palm Beach County Marriage and Divorce Records

Divorce records can be procured in the same way as dissolution of marriage records. On the other hand, Palm Beach County marriage records, such as marriage certificates and licenses, are considered Palm Beach vital records. They can be obtained from the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller's office or the State Department of Health's Bureau of Vital Statistics.

People usually seek certified copies of marriage licenses for name changes with banks, the Department of Motor Vehicles, employers, credit companies, and the Social Security Administration, among others.

People who want to go through the Clerk's office can access the official records database. They can view and print uncertified copies for free or purchase certified versions. Individuals can also visit any of the Clerk's records service centers to view and obtain copies.

Moreover, members of the public can order Palm Beach County marriage certificates from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics. They can apply for a copy in person, by mail, or online via the bureau's third-party vendor, as discussed earlier, the same way they would order dissolution of marriage records. However, requesters must fill out the Application for Marriage Certificate form (DH261) instead or provide the following details alongside applicant details in a letter if they cannot access the form:

• Full name of each spouse before the marriage
• Date of marriage
• Date of birth of each spouse
• Place of marriage
• Palm Beach County (where the license was issued)

Palm Beach Birth and Death Records

Like Palm Beach County marriage certificates, birth and death certificates constitute the county's vital records. People use birth certificates to prove their age, identity, and citizenship and to enroll for driver's licenses, school, and voting, among other things. Death certificates are crucial for estate settlements, inheritance, insurance claims, and other legal matters.

Individuals can access birth and death records through the Palm Beach County Office of Vital Statistics. Palm Beach County birth records are also dispensed by the Palm Beach Tax Collector's Office.

In Florida, death records less than 50 years old with social security and cause of death information and birth records less than 125 years old are confidential. They can only be released to specific individuals mentioned in FS 382.02.

The Vital Statistics Office in Palm Beach County

Individuals must download and fill out the Application for a Birth Record, providing their full name, relationship to the person on the record, photocopy of ID, phone number, and mailing address.

People requesting death records should fill out the Application for a Florida Death Record, indicating the deceased person's full name, sex, date of death, and city of death. The requester must also provide their full name and relationship to the deceased person plus a photocopy of their government-issued ID (to receive cause of death information)

Death and birth records applications can be sent by mail to:

Office of Vital Statistics
800 Clematis Street - 1st floor
West Palm Beach, Florida 33401

Each certified copy of a birth and death certificate costs $15.

Requesters can also apply for Palm Beach County birth and death certificates online through the office's designated third-party vendor.

Palm Beach County Tax Collector

Eligible individuals can obtain Palm Beach County birth certificates by making reservations at any of the Tax Collector's service centers. They can also apply online on the Tax Collector's website. They must provide acceptable IDs, such as a driver's license, passport, state identification card, and military identification card.

Each certified copy of a birth certificate costs $21.25 plus $10 for additional copies on the same purchase.

Palm Beach County Probate Court Records

Palm Beach Circuit Court's probate division handles different probate matters, including mental health, guardianships, and estates.

The Palm Beach Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller's office provides various means for viewing and obtaining records generated during probate proceedings, including mail-in, in-person, and online options, as explained earlier. However, people who want to use the online court records search tool (i.e., eCaseView) should select Probate under "court type" and choose a specific probate case under "case type" to obtain accurate matches.

Palm Beach County Property Records

Palm Beach County property records cover documents and information related to real estate, including ownership history, deeds, mortgages, liens, property tax information, and assessments. Individuals who want to obtain these records have the following options:

• Access the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller's official records search tool or visit/mail the Clerk's Records Service Center.
• Access the Palm Beach Tax Collector's online property tax search tool or contact the office directly to request records.
• Visit or mail the Palm Beach County Appraiser's office or search their online property database (available on the website homepage).

Palm Beach County Court Records Online

Third-party aggregate websites like courtrecords.us also offer an alternative means for accessing public records online. They allow customers to search for and obtain court or other public records through online databases. However, websites may charge users per search or on a subscription basis.