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Flagler County, Florida State Court Records

As defined in Rule 2.420(b) of the Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration, "court records" is a legal term that refers to the contents of a court file. These records include a variety of documents made or received in connection with legal proceedings within a particular jurisdiction.

In Flagler County, these records are known as Flagler County court records and encompass all cases filed in the county’s circuit and county courts. The Flagler County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller is the designated custodian of these records. The clerk is tasked with managing, organizing, filing, and providing public access where requested and legally permitted.

Among the core reasons courts generate a complete and verbatim record of proceedings is to minimize public reluctance to use the court system and to foster transparency and accountability within the judicial branch. While court records, on their own, provide extensive information about a litigation, they can be cross-referenced with other records, like arrest and property documents, to gain a broader understanding of a legal matter. For instance, arrest and conviction records are vital for establishing a person’s criminal history. Moreover, property records frequently include liens, which may result from favorable court judgments.

Are Flagler County Court Records Public?

Yes. According to the Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration, Rule 2.420, court records in Flagler County are widely open to the public, except for records classified as confidential by law or court order. Restricted records include

  • Pre-sentence investigation reports
  • Juvenile dependency and delinquency records
  • Judicial work product
  • Identities of victims of child abuse or sexual offenses
  • Health records
  • Addresses of domestic violence victims
  • Social Security numbers
  • Bank account numbers

Where a record has been made confidential, access is only granted as authorized by law or to legally permitted parties.

What Information is Available in Flagler County Court Records?

The documentation for Flagler County court cases varies depending on the type and complexity of the matter. Cases that are shorter in duration or involve fewer defendants typically generate fewer documents. Additionally, the records produced for civil and criminal proceedings are fundamentally distinct.

For instance, criminal cases, which deal with the prosecution of an individual for a violation of the law, generate documents that reflect the court process. These may include charging instruments, warrants, plea agreements, sentencing orders, and evidence filed with the court. In contrast, civil court records focus on private disagreements between two or more parties (individuals, businesses, or agencies), often seeking remedies such as money damages or specific actions. Documentation in a civil case may include initiating documents (complaint/petition), summonses, discovery documents (e.g., interrogatories), proofs of service, motions, settlement agreements, and judgments.

Notwithstanding, all Flagler County court records share certain common elements, such as

  • Participants/Parties: All defendants and plaintiffs involved in the case, including the names or bar numbers of their legal counsel.
  • Case Number: A unique identifier, typically following the Florida Uniform Case Numbering (UCN) System, that distinguishes the case from others within the judicial system.
  • Case Status: Whether the case is still pending or has been closed.
  • Judicial Assignment: The specific judge assigned to the matter.
  • Case/Court Docket: Sometimes called the register of actions, this is a chronological log of every action taken since the case’s inception.
  • Events/Hearings: A schedule of all past and future court dates, including the hearing type and courtroom location, and the assigned judge.
  • Financial Records: All court fines, costs, restitutions, or bonds related to the case, plus the date paid/satisfied.
  • Disposition: The court’s final ruling and the date entered.

Flagler County Court Records Search

Below are methods provided to members of the public interested in accessing Flagler County court records

  • Online Access: The Flagler County Clerk & Comptroller provides a Case Search portal for viewing cases filed in the county. Various criteria can be used to find records on the portal, mainly a case party’s name, case number, or citation number. Results include both case details and uncertified copies (digitized images) of filed documents.

Individuals can also access a Daily Court Docketon the clerk’s website, which highlights all hearings pending before the county’s courts on a particular calendar day. Daily court dockets are also accessible by selecting the corresponding tab on the left menu of the Case Search portal.

Both portals are free to access.

  • In-Person Access: As an alternative to online access, members of the public can stop by the county courthouse (Kim C. Hammond Justice Center) to request the inspection (viewing) or copying of court records. Fees apply for copy requests. Note that a courthouse visit is often necessary to request older or archived court records from the clerk’s Records Management Division.
  • Mail and Phone Requests: Public court record requests can be directed to the Flagler County Clerk & Comptroller’s Office at (386) 313-4400. Although the clerk does not specify procedures for mail-in requests on their official website, individuals can obtain these by phone call during normal business hours.

Fees for Court Records in Flagler County

According to F.S. 28.24, the clerks of circuit court are allowed to charge certain nominal fees to cover the actual costs of reproducing records upon a member of the public’s request. These fees are thus:

  • Standard copies (not larger than 14" x 8.5"): $1 per page
  • Standard copies: (larger than 14" x 8.5"): $5 per page
  • Certified copies: $2 per instrument, plus the standard copy charges
  • Exemplified copies: $7 per document, plus the standard copy charges
  • Authenticated copies: $7 per document, plus the standard copy charges
  • Record search by the clerk’s office: $2 per year, per name
  • Verifying any instrument presented for certification (when prepared by someone other than clerk or deputy clerk): $3.50 per page

The clerk’s office also disseminates certified copies of marriage licenses (marriage certificates) for a fee-$2 for certification, and $1 for each standard copy. These copies, as well as other certificates of vital records (birth, death, and divorce), can also be purchased by eligible parties from the Florida Department of Health and Vital Statistics in Flagler County.

Flagler County Courthouse Locations

There are two courts that hear matters under local ordinances and Florida state law in Flagler County: the circuit and county courts. Both courts are part of Florida’s 7th Judicial Circuit and maintain particular jurisdictions, with the circuit court having the broadest trial powers, as well as limited appellate jurisdiction over certain administrative actions and cases from the county court. The courts are situated at the following location:

Kim C. Hammond Justice Center

1769 East Moody Boulevard

Building 1

Bunnell, FL 32110

Phone: (386) 313-4400

Criminal Records Access in Flagler County

One way to access criminal records in Flagler is to request criminal court records from the Flagler County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller’s Office or view those records through the clerk’s Case Search portal. The court records provide event, trial, and disposition (e.g., conviction) information about a criminal matter heard in Flagler County.

However, for arrest and conviction data (criminal history records), one can request records held by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Unlike the court records that feature mainly case data, FDLE records cover the entire state and are based on reports made by criminal justice departments (courts, law enforcement) within Flagler and other state jurisdictions. These records are largely open to the public under Florida’s open records law and per Section 943.053, F.S., and can be purchased (for $24 + a $1 credit card processing fee) from the FDLE’s official website via a name search.

Flagler County Probate Records

The circuit court in Flagler County oversees proceedings for the administration of decedents’ estates ("probate"), the supervision of trusts, and special proceedings involving vulnerable persons or social issues, such as guardianships, substance abuse proceedings (Marchman Act), and mental health (Baker Act) cases. Collectively, records from these proceedings make up the probate court records and are accessible through the Flagler County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller’s Office.

Notably, Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.420 allows public access to court records, including probate records, to the extent that a record is not deemed confidential or exempt. This means the public can access probate records, sometimes referred to as "estate records," through the clerk’s office. However, confidential records, such as estate inventories and accounting, guardianship reports, substance abuse records, and mental health records, are not disclosed publicly.

Besides accessing the clerk’s Case Search portal forFlagler County probate records, one can stop by the courthouse to access actual filings, including older ("historical") court files.

Flagler County Family Court Records

Family law is a specialized branch of civil law that addresses matters pertaining to domestic or familial relationships. In Flagler County, the Family Division of the Circuit Court handles these cases, which include dissolution of marriage (divorce), annulment, name changes, adoption, paternity, child support, parental plans/time-sharing, and injunctions for the protection against domestic and repeat violence.

Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.420 classifies family court records the same as other court records-as judicial documents open to the public. Notably, unlike standard civil court cases, family cases often involve sensitive and private issues, leading to greater restrictions on what the general public can access.

Case metadata, such as the parties’ names and progress docket, is viewable via the clerk’s Case Search portal. However, F.S. 28.2221(5)(a) prohibits the clerk from publishing digitized images from family court files on a publicly accessible website. Consequently, a direct inquiry at the Flagler County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller’s Office, as explained earlier, is necessary to retrieve actual filings. Full access privileges are typically reserved for eligible parties, such as the case parties or the attorneys of record.

Federal Court Records in Flagler County

Trial jurisdiction over federal cases arising in Flagler County is held by the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, in Jacksonville.

Bryan Simpson United States Courthouse

300 North Hogan Street

Jacksonville, FL 32202

Phone (Clerk’s Office): (904) 549-1900

To obtain court records from this division, one can stop by the Bryan Simpson Courthouse. Public access terminals are located in the courthouse to assist researchers (viewing cases is free, but copies attract a 10-cent-per-page charge). Visitors can also submit a copy request to the clerk’s office at the courthouse for 50 cents per page.

Alternatively, federal case access can be obtained through PACER, the online federal case locator. PACER is generally a paid portal that charges for access, but users can obtain free access in certain instances, such as when viewing court opinions.