How do i look up a court case in florida

Redaction Instructions and Forms

Your Clerk of the Circuit Court is authorized to "redact" (black out or conceal) specific information from an Official Record or a court file upon request. There is no fee for this service. 

Information that may be redacted (removed from official & court records):

  • Social Security number
  • bank account number
  • credit card number
  • charge account number
  • debit account number

DRIVER'S LICENSE NUMBERS MAY NOT BE REMOVED.

If your Redaction Request does not have the correct information, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROCESS YOUR REQUEST!

Guidelines for Sealing or Expunging a Record

In order to determine eligibility to have your cases sealed or expunged, you will first need to obtain an application to seal or expunge your case records by visiting the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) website.

The purpose of this application process is to obtain a Certificate of Eligibility prior to petitioning the court. 

The packet consists of the application and fingerprint card. You must be fingerprinted by authorized law enforcement personnel or a criminal justice agency. 

You will also need a certified copy of the final disposition of your case. You can obtain certified copies of the final disposition on the case(s) from the Clerk's office

The copies of the dispositions are $1.00 per page and $2.00 per certification. You may contact the Clerk's office at (727) 464-7000 or via email at for further information on how to obtain copies. 

Once you have completed the application and fingerprint card, and obtained certified copies of your dispositions, all of these items, plus a cashier's check or money order for $75.00 made payable to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, must be mailed to the address listed on the application. 

If you are eligible to have your case sealed or expunged, the FDLE will mail a Certificate of Eligibility to you. 

You will need to bring this certificate to the Clerk's office located at: 

Pinellas County Justice Center
14250 49th Street North,
2nd Floor Clearwater, FL 33762

At the Clerk's office, you will complete additional paperwork that must be filled out for the Judge that will be reviewing your case. This paperwork includes the petition, affidavit and an order to seal or expunge, all of which can be found on our Forms page (under Criminal Court) and must be filed with the court.

The filing fee is $42 plus copy and certification fees. The total fee is approximately $50 to $60. This case will not be sealed/expunged until service charges and copy costs have been paid.

Upon the filing of the Order granting the petition to seal or expunge the case record and file, the Clerk will remove all information from your judicial record and forward certified copies of the order to the appropriate agencies.

To request a quote, click here. Please allow 2 business days for an email response.

How do i look up a court case in florida

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Redacting Official Records

Redaction of recorded documents within the Official Records can be requested online for Social Security, Bank Account, Credit, Debit or Charge Card numbers.  Select the following link to submit your request online: Official Records/Recorded Documents Redaction Request Form.

Official Records Protected Address

To request Official Records redaction of Florida Statute Exempt Personal Information, please download, complete and submit the Request to Redact Personal Information Form. The form can be submitted to the Official Records Department in person, via mail or fax.

Select only the Exemption Information categories that apply to you, enter your contact information and identify the documents to receive redaction. Submit the completed form to Official Records via mail or in person. 

Please note: 

  • Documents Recorded in the future will not receive automatic Exempt Information redaction.  A new Official Records Request form must be completed and submitted to Official Records to identify future documents.
  • Exempt personal information is specified by the Florida Statutes.  All current exemptions are included on the form.  The Clerk cannot redact personal information that does not have a current Exemption classification under the Florida Statutes.  There are no exceptions.

Official Records Department
315 Court Street, Room 163
Clearwater, FL 33756
Phone: (727) 464-7000
Fax: (727) 453-3451
Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Court Records Redaction

For the removal of confidential information contained within a COURT CASE FILE (Civil, Criminal, Traffic, and Probate case files), please click on this link: Court Case File Redaction Request Form to submit your request online.

PLEASE NOTE: JUVENILE COURT RECORDS ARE NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ONLINE. Therefore, you are unable to search for required information online. Please call Court Records at (727) 464-7000 for more information.

Request For Protected Address

Pursuant to Florida Statutes, the following personnel and their spouses and children may request protected address status. “The home addresses, telephone numbers, social security, numbers and photographs of active or specified agency, law enforcement, judiciary personnel, firefighters, etc. ….” 

(See Section 119.071(4)(d) 2a-l, Florida Statutes for a complete list of information/agency personnel.)

For Administrative Records and other records, enter your information in the Request to Redact Personal Information Form, print it then submit it by fax, mail or bring it directly to any of the Clerk's office locations. 

Please note the form must be complete in order to process your request promptly.

The Clerk shall maintain the exempt status of this information only if the officer, employee, justice, judge, other person, or employing agency of the designated employee submits a written request for maintenance of the exemption.

Per Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420, Court Records require the request be submitted as a motion to the Court.

  • Motion to Determine the Confidentiality of Trial Court Records
    Word    PDF

Confidentiality Orders

Supreme Court of Florida - No. SC06-2136

IN RE: AMENDMENTS TO FLORIDA JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION 2.420 - SEALING OF COURT RECORDS AND DOCUMENTS

Posting Notice of Entry of Order Authorizing Sealing

Upon the filing of any court order authorizing the sealing of any court record, the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Pasco County or the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Pinellas County, as appropriate, is hereby authorized and directed to seal the designated records immediately. They are further directed to post a copy of the "Notice of Entry of Order Authorizing Sealing" on the bulletin board of the court facility where the order was issued and on the Clerk's website for a period of thirty (30) days. Click here to view the Order on Review of Court Files. ordered on June 14, 2007, by (former) Chief Judge David Demers.  20-001851-GD

  • Keich Order Case No: 21-000204-CI
  • Consul Partners Order Case No: 21-003948-CI
  • Bushee Order Case No: 22-006570-ES
  • Davenport Order Case No: 22-010222-GD

Are all court cases public record?

Court records are under the control of the judiciary and are not accessible under the Freedom of Information Act. Outside of the Freedom of Information Act, right of access to some court records is ordinarily reserved for parties concerned or their legal representatives.

How do I find local court cases?

PACER allows anyone with an account to search and locate appellate, district, and bankruptcy court case and docket information. Register for a PACER account. Use the PACER Case Locator if you are not sure which specific federal court the case was filed.

Are court transcripts public record?

Generally speaking Statements of Case and Judgments and Orders that are a made 'in public' are public documents and are available from court record.

Are Family court records public in Florida?

Family court records are available to the public unless they have been expunged or sealed by order of the court. All people of the public may access divorce records in-person at the county clerk's office or online, although it is possible to find more complete records online.