Are Criminal Records in Palm Beach County Publicly Accessible?

Yes, criminal records are public in Palm Beach County, Florida. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes grants access to Palm Beach County criminal records and other official documents in the possession of government agencies.

However, Rule 2.420 of the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration, Section 943.053 of the Florida Statutes, and the U.S. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act exempt access to some criminal records in Palm Beach County. For privacy and safety reasons, custodians of Palm Beach County criminal records will deny non-authorized entities access to criminal records relating to:

• Juveniles
• Active law enforcement or judicial investigations
• Witness and victim identities
• Undercover law enforcement agents
• Sealed or expunged criminal cases.

Who is Eligible to Access Palm Beach County Criminal Records in Florida?

Palm Beach County criminal records are accessible to all interested entities. These include:

• Law enforcement agencies
• Interested individuals
• Employers, legal representatives
• Media practitioners
• Authorized government agencies.

Generally, anyone can access Palm Beach County arrest records, inmate records, and criminal case-related documents.

However, there are limits to access to some Palm Beach County criminal records. For instance, access to sealed or expunged criminal records requires legal authorization or court orders.

How to Request Criminal Records in Palm Beach County

Individuals can request Palm Beach County criminal records through the Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller Office, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, and Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). The Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller Office and the FDLE offer access to complete criminal histories. In contrast, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office provides access to arrest records, incident reports, jail/inmate records, and active warrants.

Individuals seeking access to Palm Beach criminal records should:

• Visit or send mail requests to the Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller Office at:

The Palm Beach County Main Courthouse
205 N. Dixie Highway,
West Palm Beach,
FL 33401

• Log into the Palm Beach County's Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller’s eCaseView Search Portal and access criminal records as guests or as registered users
• Visit the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Online Records Request System, fill out and submit the online forms to access criminal records. Alternatively, visit or send mail requests to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office at:

3228 Gun Club Road,
West Palm Beach,
FL 33406

• Search for Palm Beach County criminal records through independent platforms like floridacourtrecords.us or other online databases
• Visit the State of Florida Criminal History Record Check Page and request Palm Beach County criminal records through any of the various search methods, or mail formal requests for Palm Beach County criminal records to:

Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Attention: Criminal History Services
P.O. Box 1489,
Tallahassee,
FL 32302.

Requesters should note the following accompanying fees for accessing Palm Beach County's criminal records:

The Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller Office:

• Non-certified copies - $1.00 per page
• Certified copies - $1.00 per page and a $2.00 certification fees
• Electronic copies - $8.00 per document (this includes a $2.00 statutory fee plus a $6.00 service fee). Also, there is a 3.5% payment processing fee.

The Florida Division of Law Enforcement - $24.00 per search.

What Information Is Contained in Palm Beach County Criminal Records?

Palm Beach County criminal records refer to collections of documents on arrests, trials, convictions, and incarcerations of criminal offenders within Palm Beach County, FL. Generally, criminal records encompass:

• Personal details
• Arrest information
• Case details
• Court information
• Sentencing information
• Incarceration information.

A typical Palm Beach County criminal record information includes:

• The name, date of birth, gender, and race of the subject
• Arrest history (including date of arrests, case numbers, names of the arresting agencies, mugshots, charges, and bail/bond information)
• Docket entries
• Trial dates
• Judgments
• Dates of convictions
• Length of imprisonments
• Arrest warrants (if applicable)
• Names of prison facilities
• Sealing and expungement details (if applicable).

Palm Beach criminal information seekers should note that Florida Statutes instruct the Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller Office to deny unauthorized entities access to sealed, expunged, and juvenile criminal records.

Are There Restrictions on Accessing Criminal Records in Palm Beach County?

Yes, there are restrictions to accessing Palm Beach County criminal records. Under Florida laws, the public cannot access criminal records whose disclosures violate privacy or compromise public safety. For these reasons, the public cannot access sealed and expunged Palm Beach criminal records. In addition, there are restrictions on accessing criminal records relating to juveniles, ongoing law enforcement or judicial investigations, and victims or witnesses of crimes.

However, irrespective of the status of Palm Beach County criminal records, they are accessible to law enforcement agencies and the courts.

What Happens if My Request for Criminal Records is Denied in Palm Beach County?

The Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller Office may deny individuals access to criminal records for the following reasons:

• The records are sealed or expunged.
• The agency does not possess the records
• The records are part of an active investigation
• The request does not meet procedural requirements
• There are legal restrictions on the documents.

The following steps may help requesters access Palm Beach County criminal records if the Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller Office deny a requester access:

• Verify the details of the request to ensure they comply with the requirements
• Request official clarification for the denial
• Try a different agency (maybe the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office) if the Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller's Office does not have the records
• Appeal to the agency to reconsider if there is reason to believe that the denial was in error
• Modify and resubmit the request (if necessary)
• If the above steps does not resolve the issue, send a formal petition to:

The Office of the Attorney General State of Florida
The Capitol PL-01,
Tallahassee,
FL 32399-1050

• Consider legal actions if other efforts fail.

How to Expunge or Seal Palm Beach County Criminal Records

Per Sections 943.059 and 943.0585 of the Florida Statutes, a Palm Beach County criminal record may be eligible for sealing or expungement if:

• The underlying crime does not result in convictions
• The criminal record is for an eligible misdemeanor or non-violent felony
• The owner of the criminal record serves the sentence for the crime
• The petitioner does not have outstanding criminal cases
• The applicant does not have a previous expungement or sealing.

Individuals seeking to seal or remove their criminal records in Palm Beach County should:

• Verify their eligibility for sealing or expunging criminal records
• Request and obtain certificates of eligibility from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)
• File petitions to seal or expunge criminal records through the Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller Office at:

205 N. Dixie Highway, Room 4.2500,
West Palm Beach,
FL 33401

• Pay all applicable fees
• Notify the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office and the arresting agency.
• Wait for the outcomes of the petitions. If the Palm Beach County Circuit Court approves the record sealing or expungement, it will order the FDLE and other relevant agencies to update their databases.