Santa Rosa County Court Records

Santa Rosa court records are official documents that contain information about legal proceedings within the county's judicial system. They provide comprehensive details of all judicial proceedings handled in various courts in the county. Court records may be physical (such as written papers or photographs) or electronic (audio recordings or videotapes).

In Santa Rosa County, Florida, these records typically encompass the following:

• Pleadings and motions
• Judgments and orders
• Case information, including names of parties involved, names of attorneys involved, and case number
• Exhibits
• Transcripts.

Are Court Records Public in Santa Rosa County?

Yes, court records are public in Santa Rosa County. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, or the Florida Public Records Law, provides that all documents made or received by public agencies in the course of their official functions be made available for public inspection unless exempted by statute or court order.

Under this law, court clerks are obligated to provide reasonable means of access to records for interested members of the public. Santa Rosa court records are available online and at the offices of various court clerks. Notable exceptions to this law are sealed case records, juvenile records, dismissed case records, mental health records, adoption records, and victim information.

Santa Rosa County Court Records Search

Interested parties, including case parties, attorneys, and third parties, may access Santa Rosa court records via any of the following methods:

• At the office of the clerk of the presiding court (where the case was heard)
• Online databases provided by court court clerks
• Third-party websites.

Santa Rosa County Court Records Search by Name

Record seekers who know the name of any party in a case of interest can retrieve related court records using the name as a search parameter. Name-based searches can be performed online and in person at the court clerk's office where the specific case was filed or heard. During an online name-based search, inquirers may find multiple results for a particular name. In such cases, a party's date of birth or other case specifics, such as the case number or a filing date range, can be used as search filters.

For in-person record searches, an individual must submit a public record request form containing a party's name and other case specifics. Record request forms are downloadable online and at the office of the court clerk. Inquirers may visit the court clerk's website or contact their office for other relevant information.

Email: CourtInfo@santarosaclerks.com
Phone: (850) 981-5554
Fax: (850) 626-7849

Santa Rosa County Courts

The Santa Rosa County court system comprises two trial courts: county and circuit courts. Each court has its distinct jurisdiction and purpose. The Florida court structure also comprises a supreme court and district courts of appeal. Santa Rosa County falls under the jurisdiction of the First District Court of Appeals. Appeals from the Santa Rosa Circuit Court are handled here. The court locations of the various courts in the county are as follows:

Santa Rosa County Courthouse
4025 Avalon Boulevard
Milton, FL 32583
Email: CourtInfo@santarosaclerks.com
Phone: (850) 981-5554
Fax: (850) 626-7849

Santa Rosa County Circuit Court
Santa Rosa County Courthouse
6865 Caroline Street
P.O. Box 472
Milton, FL 32572
Phone: (850) 981-5554
Fax: (850) 626-7849

Santa Rosa County Circuit Court Case Search

In Santa Rosa County, the circuit court has superior jurisdiction. The Santa Rosa Circuit Court has jurisdiction over most case types, including those under the county court's jurisdiction. It handles felonies, matters of probate, appeals from county courts, family law matters, civil disputes involving amounts bigger than $15,000, and more. The Santa Rosa County Clerk of Court and Comptroller is responsible for gathering all court case records, maintaining them, and providing reasonable means by which members of the public can access them.

For remote access to records, various parties, including case parties, attorneys, and other members of the public, can use the clerk's Online Court Records Search tool. Access to records is free, and users can search using a party's first/last name and business name. Furthermore, users can also filter search results using a case's filing date range.

Record seekers may also visit the clerk's office during business hours at:

Santa Rosa County Courthouse
4025 Avalon Boulevard
Milton, FL 32583
Email: CourtInfo@santarosaclerks.com
Phone: (850) 981-5554
Fax: (850) 626-7849

Santa Rosa County District Court Records

Santa Rosa County does not have a district court. However, the county falls within the jurisdiction of the First District Court of Appeals. Note that district courts of appeals do not function as district courts. While the former function as trial courts (such as Santa Rora's county and district courts), the latter are intermediate appellate courts that review decisions made by trial courts.

Santa Rosa County Criminal Records

Santa Rosa County criminal records are managed by various government entities, including the county sheriff, the Santa Rosa County Clerk of Court and Comptroller, courts, and law enforcement agencies.

Interested persons may obtain Santa Rosa County arrest records and criminal records by performing a criminal history information search with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). This service is only available online and costs $24 per subject.

Santa Rosa County Criminal Court Case Lookup

The office of the Santa Rosa Clerk of Court provides criminal court record search services for interested individuals. The clerk of a court where a criminal trial was held is the primary custodian of the associated records. Members of the public can inspect and/or copy non-exempt portions and copies of Santa Rosa criminal records in person at:

Clerk of the Circuit Court
Santa Rosa County, Florida
Official Records Division
P.O. Box 472
Milton, FL 32572
Phone: (850) 983-1966
Fax: (850) 983-1991
Email: Recording@santarosaclerks.com.

In addition to exempt records, active criminal investigative information, active criminal intelligence information, and cases with an active warrant are not publicly available.

Get Santa Rosa County Civil Court Records

Santa Rosa civil court records are documents related to personal injury, family, juvenile, divorce, and property disputes. Santa Rosa County and circuit courts have jurisdiction over these case types. The circuit court has a higher jurisdiction and handles more serious civil cases, such as those involving more than $15,000. The clerk of the court where a civil dispute was adjudicated is responsible for all records pertaining to the case.

Parties interested in inspecting or copying non-exempt civil court records should visit the presiding court clerk's office during official court hours or use the online search option for a county-wide search. Under Florida statutes, records pertaining to the following, although selectively available for inspection at the clerk's office, may not be displayed on a publicly available website:

• Family law cases
• Juvenile hearings
• Matters of probate.

Santa Rosa County Family Court Records

All family law cases are handled by the county's circuit and county courts. Family court cases include child support, paternity, marriage dissolution, and divorce. The court clerks maintain all records related to these cases and are responsible for making them available to the public upon request, except those exempted by Florida law or other federal statutes.

Most records related to juveniles, probate matters, and adoption are considered confidential. Confidential information and documents related to family court cases may only be disclosed to case parties and authorized court staff. Any disclosure to third parties must be in accordance with applicable confidentiality statutes.

Parties interested in viewing family records should contact the relevant court clerk to confirm the public availability of the sought records. If a record seeker has a legitimate interest in a non-public case record, they may request authorization from the appropriate judicial officer, such as the presiding judge. Florida state law prohibits the placement of juvenile, adoption, and probate case records on public websites.

Santa Rosa County Dissolution of Marriage Records

The Family Division of the Santa Rosa Circuit Court typically handles all records on marriage dissolutions. The Clerk of the Circuit Court maintains these records and allows members of the public to inspect them upon request. Record seekers should file a public record request, containing specific details about the case of interest, with the clerk's office.

While records are typically obtainable for free, a requester must cover the cost of copying any record documents. Other applicable specialized fees include those for expedited processing and certified copies of records.

Santa Rosa County Marriage and Divorce Records

Santa Rosa County marriage and divorce cases fall under the jurisdiction of the county's Circuit Court. It issues marriage licenses and certificates as well as grants divorces. Marriage and divorce records are public in Santa Rosa County. Records are accessible to case parties, attorneys, and any interested individual. Santa Rosa County marriage and divorce records are available for inspection at the circuit court clerk's office.

A requester only needs to submit the spouse's name on the sought records and/or the filing number at the said office. This is typically done using a public record request application. However, certain divorce records may be sealed upon request by record parties. Such records are only available to attorneys, case parties, and authorized persons.

Santa Rosa County Birth and Death Records

Birth and death records fall under Santa Rosa County vital records. The Florida Department of Health (DOH), Santa Rosa County, is the primary custodian of all vital records generated in the county. While both record types are typically considered public, restrictions apply to certain records, depending on the record custodian. For example, death certificates available to the public do not show the cause of death. On the other hand, birth certificates are only available to third parties who present a proper means of identification and a notarized affidavit during a record request.

Santa Rosa birth and death records are available for in-person inspection at the DOH – Santa Rosa Office. Records can also be accessed online and by mail addressed to:

DOH-Santa Rosa
Office of Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 929
Milton, FL 32572-0929

Record seekers must mail their requests using a Florida Birth Record Application or a Santa Rosa County Death Record Application. For birth certificates, the fee is $15 per copy and $11 (plus a $2 shipping fee) for death records. Death certificates are vital to resolving issues of wills, taxes, deeds, insurance, and estate. Birth certificates are often required for voter registration, school admission, social security benefits, obtaining a driver's license, and public assistance.

Santa Rosa County Probate Court Records

The Santa Rosa County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller oversees all probate court records. The county circuit court handles probate matters as the county does not have a designated probate court. Examples of probate matters include probating a will, guardianship proceedings, estate administration, asset inventory, and debt payment.

Most records about probate matters are public. However, inventories filed in estates are confidential and are only available to the personal representative, their attorney, or an interested party, as defined in the Florida probate rules. Furthermore, the aforementioned set of rules classifies a person's cause of death as confidential and prohibits the placement of probate information on a publicly available website. Persons interested in viewing probate court records should contact the clerk's office by phone or mail or visit in person.

Santa Rosa County Property Records

All records regarding real property in Santa Rosa County are maintained by the county Property Appraiser. One may also find relevant records regarding real properties at the county tax collector's office. Record seekers should submit record requests to the property appraiser's office in person or via mail addressed to:

6495 Caroline Street,
Suite K,
Milton Florida 32570
Phone: (850) 983-1880
Email: publicrecords@srcpa.gov.

The property appraiser also provides a website for property searches. To search for records on this website, a user must enter the owner's name, the property's parcel number, or its address. Access to records on this website is free. During a property record search, a researcher typically finds ownership information, assessment information, property description, deeds and title information, and sales history.

Santa Rosa County Court Records Online

In addition to official online resources provided by court record custodians, record seekers may use third-party websites like Floridacourtrecords.us. These websites are managed by independent information service providers who gather data from various courts and other relevant sources and sell them to their users. Consequently, they usually have broader coverage, spanning multiple jurisdictions.

Like most official resources, users can search these third-party repositories using criteria such as names and case numbers. As hinted earlier, access to records on these websites is not free. A user must pay a certain amount, depending on their search volume. Some of these tools require a renewable subscription for access. To avoid unforeseen complications or errors, verify information obtained from these websites with official sources before usage in official matters.