Search Florida court docket records through the state’s official portals, county clerk websites, and the ACIS appellate system. Every person can look up case numbers, hearing dates, party names, and filed documents in all 67 Florida counties.
This page covers the fastest ways to find criminal, civil, family, probate, traffic, and small claims dockets from home or at a local courthouse.
What Florida Court Docket Records Contain
A Florida court docket is a list of every event in a court case. It shows the case number, the names of the people involved, the type of case, the judge assigned, and every paper filed. The docket also lists past hearings, future court dates, motions, orders, and the final judgment.
Each entry on the docket has a date, a short description, and a link to the filed paper. Many dockets also show the lawyer of record, the court division, and the next scheduled event. You can use this list to check the status of a case without calling the clerk’s office.
Florida keeps these dockets in two main ways. Trial court dockets sit with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where the case was filed. Appellate dockets sit in the ACIS system run by the Office of the State Courts Administrator.
How Florida Courts Are Organized
Florida has four court levels. Each level keeps its own docket records. The level you need depends on the type of case you want to see.
Florida Supreme Court
The Florida Supreme Court sits in Tallahassee. It is the highest court in the state. It hears a small number of cases each year, mostly death penalty reviews, district court conflicts, and cases that involve a judge. You can search its docket through the ACIS portal at acis.flcourts.gov.
Florida District Courts of Appeal
Florida has six District Courts of Appeal. They hear appeals from the circuit courts. Each district covers a group of counties. The ACIS portal covers all six districts. You can pull up dockets by case number, party name, or filing date.
Florida Circuit Courts
Florida has 20 circuit courts. These are the main trial courts. They handle felony criminal cases, family law, probate, juvenile cases, and civil cases over $50,000. Each circuit covers one or more counties. A clerk in each county keeps the docket records for cases filed in that circuit within that county.
Florida County Courts
Florida has county courts in all 67 counties. These courts handle smaller cases. They cover traffic tickets, misdemeanors, small claims up to $8,000, evictions, and civil cases up to $50,000. County court dockets sit with the same clerk office that handles circuit court dockets.
| Court Level | Case Types | Where to Search the Docket |
|---|---|---|
| Florida Supreme Court | Death penalty, judicial discipline, constitutional questions | ACIS portal |
| District Courts of Appeal | Appeals from circuit court | ACIS portal |
| Circuit Court | Felony, family, probate, juvenile, civil over $50,000 | County clerk website or E-Filing Portal |
| County Court | Traffic, misdemeanor, small claims, eviction, civil under $50,000 | County clerk website or MyFloridaCounty |
Search Florida Court Docket Records by Portal
Three statewide portals cover most docket searches in Florida. Each one covers a different part of the court system.
Florida ACIS Portal for Appellate Dockets
The Appellate Case Information System (ACIS) is the official system for the Florida Supreme Court and all six District Courts of Appeal. ACIS replaced the older eDCA system. It went live in all appellate courts. ACIS lets you search by case number, party name, attorney bar number, or filing date range. You do not need an account to search public dockets. The portal is free for basic searches.
Go to acis.flcourts.gov to start a search. Click the search link, then enter the case number or name. The results page shows the case type, status, and full docket history. You can click any entry to see the filed document if it is public.
Some docket entries stay sealed by rule or statute. Those entries show on the docket but the document is hidden. Attorneys of record and self-represented parties in their own cases can register for full document access. The ACIS information page at flcourts.gov lists what the system covers.
One ACIS account works in every Florida appellate court. The ACIS registration guide walks you through the sign-up. After you register, you can pull documents from your cases across all appellate courts.
Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
The Florida Courts E-Filing Portal is a statewide system for filing and tracking cases. More than 770,000 users have accounts. The portal handles over 30 million filings each year. It connects self-represented parties, lawyers, judges, and court staff across all 67 counties.
The portal is free to use for submitting papers, though standard filing fees still apply. The E-Filing Portal Authority page explains how the system is run and what it offers. The E-Filing Authority is an intergovernmental body made up of the 67 elected Clerks of Circuit and County Court plus the Clerk of the Supreme Court.
You can file papers in batches to save time. The portal runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Each filing updates the court docket in real time. Sign in or create an account at the E-Filing Portal login page at myflcourtaccess.com.
For portal help, call (850) 577-4609 between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM Eastern, Monday through Friday. The main portal page gives you one place to start any filing service in Florida.
MyFloridaCounty Portal
The MyFloridaCounty portal is the public-facing system for county-level services. It covers official records, traffic ticket payments, and child support payments. Many county clerk offices link their docket search tools to this portal. You can reach the portal at myfloridacounty.com.
The portal covers all 67 counties. You can search official records by name, document type, or date range. The official records search page lets you view and print recorded documents from county offices across Florida.
Many court cases involve property transfers, liens, or other recorded documents. Searching both the docket and the official records gives you a full picture of a legal matter in Florida.
Search Florida Court Docket Records by Case Type
Different case types sit in different dockets. Knowing the case type helps you pick the right portal and the right county clerk website.
Florida Civil Court Docket
Florida civil court dockets cover disputes between people or businesses. The circuit court handles civil cases over $50,000. The county court handles civil cases up to $50,000. You can search civil dockets at the county clerk website or through the E-Filing Portal.
Florida Criminal Court Docket
Florida criminal court dockets split between county and circuit court. Misdemeanors go to county court. Felonies go to circuit court. You can search criminal dockets by defendant name, case number, or court date. Each entry shows the charges, plea, bond status, and next hearing.
Florida Traffic Court Docket
Florida traffic court dockets sit in county court. They cover moving violations, DUI first offenses, and traffic infractions. The MyFloridaCounty portal has a traffic citations page where you can pay fines and check case status.
You can also look up traffic cases on the county clerk website. The traffic tickets portal connects to county courts across the state for quick status checks.
Florida Family Court Docket
Florida family court dockets cover divorce, child custody, child support, adoption, and domestic violence injunctions. Family cases sit in circuit court. You can search these dockets at the county clerk website.
Child support orders show up on circuit court dockets. The child support page on MyFloridaCounty tracks payments on family court orders in all 67 counties.
Florida Probate Court Docket
Florida probate court dockets cover wills, estates, guardianships, and trusts. Probate cases sit in circuit court. You can search probate dockets by case number, decedent name, or filing date. The docket shows the personal representative, the attorney, and each filing in the estate.
Florida Small Claims and Eviction Dockets
Florida small claims dockets cover civil disputes up to $8,000. Eviction dockets cover landlord-tenant cases. Both sit in county court. You can search these dockets at the county clerk website. The docket shows the parties, the amount in dispute, the hearing date, and the judgment.
Florida Juvenile Court Docket
Florida juvenile court dockets cover delinquency and dependency cases. These cases sit in circuit court. Most juvenile records stay sealed. Only the parties, their lawyers, and approved agencies can see the full docket. The public can see the case number and basic docket header, but not the documents.
How to Look Up Florida Court Dockets by Case Number
Searching by case number gives you the fastest and most exact result. A Florida case number uses a county code, a year code, a case type code, and a sequence number. For example, 05-2024-CF-012345 points to a felony case in the 5th circuit filed in 2024.
To search by case number on the county clerk website, go to the court’s online search page, pick the case type, and enter the full number. The system returns the docket sheet, the party list, and every filed entry. You can click any entry to see the document if it is public.
To search by case number on ACIS, go to acis.flcourts.gov, click the search link, and enter the case number in the right field. The portal shows the appellate docket with every motion, order, and opinion.
You can also search by case number on the E-Filing Portal. Sign in to your account, open the case search tab, and enter the number. The portal shows the full case history and lets you pull documents tied to the case.
Florida Court Docket Search by Hearing Type
Many people search Florida dockets to find a hearing date. Each hearing type sits in a separate docket list. Knowing the hearing type helps you find the right list at the courthouse.
Florida Arraignment Docket
The arraignment docket lists every criminal case where the defendant must enter a plea. You can see this list at the county courthouse on the day of the docket. The court clerk posts the list on the court website the day before.
Florida Trial Docket
The trial docket shows cases set for trial. Jury trials sit on the circuit court trial docket. Bench trials sit on the county court trial docket. Each entry shows the case number, the parties, the attorneys, and the trial date.
Florida Motion Docket
The motion docket lists cases where the court will hear a motion. Judges set these dockets each week. You can pull the motion docket from the county clerk website or call the clerk’s office to get the schedule.
Florida Preliminary Hearing Docket
The preliminary hearing docket lists felony cases where the judge must decide if there is enough evidence to bind the case over to circuit court. These dockets sit in county court.
Florida Sentencing Docket
The sentencing docket shows criminal cases set for sentencing. The docket entry lists the charges, the plea, and the sentencing judge. You can see the final sentence after the hearing closes.
Florida Public Access Laws for Court Dockets
Florida law keeps court docket records open to the public. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes says all state, county, and city records are open for personal inspection and copying. You do not need to state a reason for your request. The law also says automation of public records must not erode the right of access.
Some docket records stay exempt from public view. These include Social Security numbers, bank account and credit card details, medical records, juvenile records, and adoption records. The clerk redacts this data from the public docket.
Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420 sets the rules for sealing court records and redacting sensitive data. The Florida Supreme Court issued Administrative Order AOSC24-65 in September 2024 to set standards for electronic access to court records. The order defines 15 user roles with different access levels. The general public can see case numbers, party names, and docket entries without registering. Confidential, sealed, and expunged records need higher access.
Three access methods exist: direct access at clerk offices, secure web access for registered users, and public web portals. Each method gives a different level of access to court docket records in Florida. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers website lists all 67 county clerk offices and their services.
The court system also sets technology standards for how clerks must provide electronic access to court docket data across Florida. These standards cover portal security, data format, audit logging, and user authentication.
Daily Court Docket and Calendar Search
Florida courts post a daily court docket for each judge. The daily docket lists every hearing set for that day, the case number, the parties, and the time of the hearing. You can find the daily docket on the county clerk website under the court calendar section.
Many Florida counties let you subscribe to daily docket alerts by email. You pick the judge, the case type, or the party name. The system sends you an email each time a new entry lands on the docket. This feature is free in most counties.
The Florida Supreme Court also posts a daily docket for its oral arguments. You can see the schedule on the Supreme Court website the week before each session.
How Florida E-Filing Affects the Docket
Every paper filed through the E-Filing Portal lands on the docket within minutes. The clerk reviews the filing, stamps it, and posts it to the public docket. You can see new entries the same day they are filed.
When a judge signs an order, the clerk posts the order to the docket and marks the entry. The system then sends a notice to the lawyers and self-represented parties on the case. You get an email with a link to the new docket entry.
E-filing cut the time it takes to add a new entry to a Florida docket. Before the portal launched, filings took days to reach the docket. Now they take hours.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When You Search a Florida Court Docket
Many search errors come from typing the case number in the wrong format. Florida case numbers use a specific pattern. The county code comes first, then the year, then the case type, then the sequence. Leave out the dashes and the system may not find the case.
Some people confuse the county court docket with the circuit court docket. A case filed in county court will not show up on a circuit court search. Check the case type code to pick the right court level.
Juvenile records stay sealed in most cases. A search for a juvenile case will return limited data. You cannot get the full docket without court approval.
Sealed and expunged records do not show up on public dockets. The clerk removes the entry from the public system. Only a court order can reopen access.
Florida Court Records by County
Each of the 67 counties runs its own docket search system. The Florida Courts website links to every county clerk. You can also reach the Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers website at flclerks.com to find any county office.
The five largest counties run their own docket search portals. Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsborough, and Orange counties handle the most cases each year. Their portals see the highest traffic in the state. Pinellas County also has a high-volume portal.
Smaller counties share a single portal run by the clerk’s office. These portals cover all case types in that county. You can search by name, case number, or date range.
Florida Court Docket Search from the Florida Courts Website
The Florida Courts website at flcourts.gov is the main starting point for docket searches across the state. From this site, you can reach case search tools, court forms, and contact data for all 20 judicial circuits.
The courts site links to self-help resources for people who handle their own cases. It also warns users about scam emails. Scammers send fake messages about court cases or jury duty to steal personal data. Real court notices come by U.S. mail, not email.
Contact for Florida Court Docket Searches
For statewide docket questions, contact the Office of the State Courts Administrator. The office runs the ACIS portal and sets the technology standards for the court system.
Office of the State Courts Administrator
500 South Duval Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1927
Phone: (850) 488-0125
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern
Website: flcourts.gov
For county-level docket searches, contact your local Clerk of the Circuit Court. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers website at flclerks.com lists phone numbers, addresses, and websites for all 67 county clerk offices. Most clerk offices answer phone questions about docket searches during regular business hours.
For E-Filing Portal help, call (850) 577-4609 between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM Eastern, Monday through Friday. The support desk can help with login issues, filing errors, and docket search questions on the E-Filing Portal.
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions below cover the most common points people raise when they search Florida court docket records. Each answer gives direct steps and the rules that apply to that question.
How do I look up a Florida court docket by case number?
You can look up a Florida court docket by case number through three main systems. For trial court cases, go to the county clerk website where the case was filed, open the case search page, and enter the full case number with the county code, year, case type, and sequence number. The docket sheet returns the full event list, the party names, and links to the filed documents. For appellate cases, go to the ACIS portal at acis.flcourts.gov and enter the case number in the appellate search field. The portal shows the appellate docket with every motion, order, and opinion. For cases filed through the E-Filing Portal, sign in to your myflcourtaccess.com account and enter the case number in the case search tab. Each system updates the docket in real time, so you see the most recent entry at the top of the list. If you do not know the case number, you can search by party name, attorney bar number, or filing date range. The county clerk office can also help by phone during business hours.
Are Florida court docket records free to search?
Yes. Florida law makes court docket records free to inspect under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes. The ACIS portal, the E-Filing Portal, and the MyFloridaCounty portal all let you search dockets at no cost. The public web portals do not charge a fee for basic docket searches. You can pull the case header, the docket sheet, and most filed documents without paying. Some documents carry a small fee for certified copies. The clerk charges a fee per page for paper copies and a higher fee for certified copies that carry the court seal. E-filing fees still apply when you file a new paper, but the search function itself is free. The Florida Supreme Court Administrative Order AOSC24-65 confirms that the public can view case numbers, party names, and docket entries without registering and without paying a fee.
What court docket records are sealed in Florida?
Florida seals several types of court docket records by rule and by statute. Juvenile delinquency and dependency records stay sealed under Florida Rule of Juvenile Procedure 8.010. Adoption records stay sealed under Florida Statute 63.162. Expunged criminal records stay sealed under Florida Statute 943.0585. Court orders can also seal specific case files under Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420. The clerk removes the sealed entry from the public docket, but the court keeps a confidential copy. Sealed records do not show up on a public docket search. Mental health proceedings under Florida Statute 394 and certain family court records also stay sealed. To see a sealed record, you must file a written request with the court and show a legal reason. The court then holds a hearing and issues an order. The clerk releases the record only after the judge signs the order.
How long does it take for a new filing to show up on a Florida docket?
A new filing shows up on a Florida docket within hours of submission through the E-Filing Portal. The clerk reviews the filing, stamps it, and posts it to the public docket the same business day. Filings submitted after 5:00 PM Eastern or on a weekend or holiday post the next business day. The system sends a notice to the parties on the case when the new entry lands on the docket. For emergency filings, the clerk can post an entry within minutes. For in-person paper filings, the timeline depends on the county. Large counties like Miami-Dade, Broward, and Hillsborough process paper filings the same day. Small counties may take one to two business days. The docket entry shows the file date, not the posting date. The file date is the date the clerk accepted the paper for filing.
Can I view Florida court docket records from my phone?
Yes. The ACIS portal, the E-Filing Portal, and most county clerk websites work on mobile phones. The portals use responsive design, so the search fields and results fit the phone screen. You can search by case number, party name, or date range from a phone browser. You can also view and download filed documents on a phone. The mobile versions do not have every feature of the desktop version. Some older county clerk websites may not support mobile viewing, but most major counties have mobile-friendly portals. The Florida Courts website links to mobile-friendly search tools for all 20 judicial circuits. You can also pull daily docket alerts on a phone by email or text, depending on the county.
What is the difference between a Florida circuit court and county court docket?
Florida circuit court dockets and county court dockets cover different case types. Circuit court dockets cover felony criminal cases, family law, probate, juvenile cases, and civil cases over $50,000. County court dockets cover traffic offenses, misdemeanors, small claims up to $8,000, evictions, and civil cases up to $50,000. The case type code in the case number tells you which court holds the docket. A case number starting with “CF” is a felony in circuit court. A case number starting with “MM” is a misdemeanor in county court. A case number starting with “DR” is a domestic relations case in circuit court. The clerk in the county where the case was filed keeps both dockets. You can search both through the same county clerk website, but you must pick the right case type code to get the right docket.
How do I get certified copies of Florida court docket records?
You can get certified copies of Florida court docket records from the county clerk office that holds the case file. Certified copies carry the court seal and a signature from the clerk. You can request them in person, by mail, or online through the county clerk website. The clerk charges a fee per page and a separate fee for the certification. Most counties charge $1 per page for regular copies and $2 per page for certified copies. The clerk also charges a search fee if you do not know the case number. You must show a photo ID to pick up certified copies in person. Online orders use a secure payment portal and ship the copies by mail or email, depending on the county. The E-Filing Portal does not issue certified copies. You must go through the county clerk for that service. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers website lists the certified copy fee for each county.