Sarasota County Circuit Court Case Search

In Sarasota County, the 12th Judicial Circuit Court clerk’s office creates and maintains information concerning court activities and events in the circuit court.

Persons or entities seeking to obtain the record must contact the court clerk or other official record custodians. Note that the clerk’s office has the legal right to redact information that, if disclosed, will violate the privacy or safety of concerned persons. For this reason, court documents concerning informants or crime witnesses are not publicly accessible. Only authorized persons or entities can obtain confidential records.

Note: Public members search circuit court records for different reasons, including obtaining information about court activities and legal research.

What Kinds of Cases Are Heard in Sarasota Circuit Court?

The Sarasota County’s 12th Judicial Circuit Court typically hears court cases that are beyond the jurisdiction of other county courts. Furthermore, the court may have exclusive or shared jurisdiction over certain cases, as shown in this table.

Note: The circuit court does not have specialized departments or divisions for hearing specific case types.

Sarasota County Circuit Court

The 12th Judicial Circuit Court in Sarasota County is a trial-level court with general jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases. In addition, the court oversees other case types like family law and probate. Note that the circuit court will only oversee civil and criminal cases that meet the financial threshold or severity. As an example, the court hears general civil claims for $15,000 or more.

The circuit court is an important part of the county’s judicial system due to the significance of cases under its purview. Local residents file cases with the circuit court to settle huge claims or disputes, get justice, and document vital events like divorce. Residents can find the circuit court at these addresses:

Circuit Courts in Sarasota County
Sarasota County Circuit Court
Sarasota County Historic Courthouse
2000 Main Street
Sarasota, FL 34237
Phone: (941) 861-7400

Sarasota County Circuit Court—Venice Branch
Robert L. Anderson Administration Center
4000 South Tamiami Trail
Venice, FL 34293
Phone: (941) 861-7400

Sarasota County Case Lookup

Persons or entities can look up case files in Sarasota County by using the following access or request options:

Online searches for court records

In Sarasota County, the Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller is the record custodian of all case records. The agency hosts an online case search platform for locating the documents. Persons interested in using the platform may either sign in as a guest or create an account. The former option allows users to search court documents by providing search inputs like case party names and case numbers. However, you must create an account to view certified court documents.

To view appellate court information, inquirers must use the Florida Courts of Appeals’ online case search platform. The platform provides case docket information concerning closed and active appeals in the court of appeal.

Walk-in requests for court records

For in-person access to court records, applicants must visit the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Country Comptroller at this address:

Sarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller
P.O. Box 3079
Sarasota, FL 34230-3079
Phone: (941) 861-7400

The applicant must provide information about the requested document and pay the required fees. The estimated cost of obtaining the document can be determined by checking the clerk's fee schedule.

Note: There are no self-service public terminals for viewing court records. Instead, inquirers must make their requests directly at the designated service point.

Mail-in requests for court records

For mail-based requests, inquirers must follow these steps:

1. Fill out the court record request form
2. Attach a valid ID if requesting confidential or restricted court records.
3. Include a money order or check for the estimated copies. For credit card payments, inquirers must fill out the credit card details in section 2 of the request form.
4. Submit the documents and fees to:
   Sarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller
   P.O. Box 3079
   Sarasota, FL 34230-3079

Sarasota Circuit Court Case Search by Name

Name-based searches involve using a record subject’s name or aliases to locate public documents. Inquirers may name-search Sarasota County circuit court records by using online or offline resources and options.

For online name-based searches, inquirers must fill in the case party name in the clerk of the circuit court’s online searchable platform. On the other hand, you can use the case party name to retrieve court documents during open hours at this location:

Sarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller
P.O. Box 3079
Sarasota, FL 34230-3079

Name-based searches often bring up case information for case parties that have similar names. For most inquirers, it is quite difficult to check through multiple files before locating the right one. Thus, inquirers must provide additional data, such as the case party name and filing date, to locate court information.

Sarasota Circuit Court Docket Search

Court docket provides summarized information about all activities that occurred in a case proceeding. Such records typically include case descriptions, filed documents, case-party information, court notations, and information on related cases.

Interested parties can obtain circuit court docket information by using the court clerk’s online case search repository. Requesters may create an account or sign in as a guest to conduct searches on the platform. Conversely, interested parties can obtain the records in person by visiting the clerk’s office during open hours at:

Sarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller
P.O. Box 3079
Sarasota, FL 34230-3079

Public members may search court dockets for these reasons:

• To locate important documents filed during a case proceeding.
• To stay updated on upcoming court dates.
• To track the progress of a court case.
• To conduct legal research.

Lookup Sarasota County Circuit Court Online

You can look up Sarasota County Circuit court records through the court clerk’s online searchable platform. The platform provides access to case files, court dockets, and related data.

Alternatively, third-party online search platforms like Floridacourtrecords.us also contain circuit court records. These platforms are generally easy to use and may not require user authentication or logins. Some platforms include additional functions, such as free downloads. Despite the benefits of third-party websites, they are mostly unregulated and may not offer accurate court information.

Supreme Court vs. Circuit Court

The Florida Supreme Court is different from the circuit court in terms of its hierarchy in the judicial system. For instance, the Supreme Court is the state’s highest court and functions as the last resort for all cases handled in lower courts. However, the Circuit Court is a trial court with county-wide jurisdiction over most cases filed in the county.

Based on function, the Supreme Court has authority over discretionary and mandatory appeal reviews. It may choose to review appeals concerning opinions or judgments passed in the appellate or trial courts. However, it has mandatory authority over appeals for cases that carry the death penalty. In contrast, the Circuit Court has general jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases, but it will only hear cases beyond the jurisdiction of other courts.