Fort Lauderdale Civil Court Records

Civil court records in Fort Lauderdale are kept by the Broward County Clerk of Court. The central courthouse is located right in Fort Lauderdale, making in-person access convenient.

Broward County Clerk of Court

Fort Lauderdale is the county seat of Broward County. The Broward County Clerk of Court handles all civil court records for Fort Lauderdale and every other city in the county. The clerk's office manages civil filings, judgments, and court documents. More than a dozen cities in Broward County use this same clerk for all civil court matters.

The central courthouse sits in downtown Fort Lauderdale. That means Fort Lauderdale residents have easy access to the clerk's office for civil court records. The Broward County Clerk website also provides online search tools. You can look up cases by name or case number from any device.

The Broward County Clerk's online portal covers all types of court records for the county.

The website gives Fort Lauderdale residents direct access to civil court case information.

How to Search Fort Lauderdale Civil Court Records

There are two main ways to search for Fort Lauderdale civil court records. The Broward County Clerk's website has a case search tool. Enter a party name or case number and the results come up. The search covers all civil cases in Broward County, including those from Fort Lauderdale.

The Florida Courts E-Filing Portal gives you another way to search. This statewide system links to all 67 county clerks in Florida. You can search Fort Lauderdale civil court records and file new cases online. Registration is free.

Broward County is one of the most populated counties in the state. Thousands of civil cases go through the court system each year. The online tools let Fort Lauderdale residents search records without going to the courthouse.

The E-Filing Portal works around the clock from any device.

Since the central courthouse is in Fort Lauderdale, in-person searches are very convenient for local residents. Visit the Broward County Central Courthouse at 201 SE 6th St. Staff at the clerk's office can help with civil court record searches and copies. Plain copies have a small per-page fee. Certified copies cost more.

Broward County also has a North Regional Courthouse in Deerfield Beach. That location handles some court services if you live in the northern part of Fort Lauderdale or nearby communities.

Civil Court Structure for Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale is in the 17th Judicial Circuit. This circuit covers all of Broward County. Civil cases from Fort Lauderdale go to one of two court levels based on the claim amount.

Circuit Court handles civil cases with claims above $30,000. Contract disputes, personal injury lawsuits, and real property actions are heard at this level. Family law, probate, and guardianship cases also go to Circuit Court. County Court handles civil cases up to $30,000. Small claims up to $8,000 and eviction cases are in County Court.

The Fort Lauderdale courthouse handles both Circuit Court and County Court civil cases. Call (954) 831-6565 if you are not sure which court level is right for your Fort Lauderdale civil case.

Broward County Civil Court Records

All Fort Lauderdale civil court records are managed at the county level. For complete details on the Broward County Clerk, court procedures, fees, and all search tools, visit our Broward County civil court records page. That page covers everything for civil cases across the county.

Fort Lauderdale shares the same clerk with Hollywood, Coral Springs, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, and many other Broward cities. One clerk handles civil court records for the whole county.

Public Records Law and Fort Lauderdale Civil Court Records

Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes makes most government records open to the public. Civil court records in Fort Lauderdale fall under this law. You do not need to be part of a case to look at the file. Anyone can ask to view a public civil court record, and the clerk must let you see it within a reasonable time.

Some items are exempt. Social security numbers and bank account numbers cannot be in public files. Records sealed by a judge are off limits. But the vast majority of Fort Lauderdale civil court records are open for public access.

Confidential Information in Fort Lauderdale Civil Court Records

Anyone who files civil court papers in Fort Lauderdale must follow Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420. The Notice of Confidential Information form is required when a filing has sensitive data. Social security numbers, bank account numbers, and other protected details must be flagged for the clerk to keep them out of public view.

If private data shows up in a public civil court file from Fort Lauderdale, anyone can ask the clerk to redact it. Submit the request with the case number and page number. There is no charge for the redaction. The clerk removes the data from the public version of the record.

Self-Help Resources for Fort Lauderdale Civil Cases

The Florida Courts self-help page has forms and guides for people who want to handle civil court matters without a lawyer. Form packets for small claims, evictions, and other common civil case types are available. These work for Fort Lauderdale civil cases filed through the Broward County Clerk.

DIY Florida is a free tool inside the E-Filing Portal. It walks you through questions and fills out court forms step by step. More than 20 form types are available for civil cases. File the completed forms through the portal to the Broward County clerk's office. Standard filing fees still apply for Fort Lauderdale civil court cases.

The E-Filing Portal help desk is open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern at (850) 577-4609. Training videos on the portal show how to create an account and submit civil court documents for cases in Fort Lauderdale.

Nearby Cities

These cities are near Fort Lauderdale. Many share the Broward County Clerk for civil court records. Check the location of your dispute to make sure you file in the right county.