Florida Criminal Court Records Search: Cases & Dockets
Independent Florida criminal court records guide
Florida Criminal Court Records Search: Cases, Dockets, Clerk Records, FDLE History and Public Records
Use this guide to search Florida criminal court records, county clerk case dockets, circuit and county criminal cases, appellate dockets, FDLE criminal-history records, Florida offender records, jail and inmate searches, sex-offender registry records and federal PACER cases.
Florida criminal court records are not stored in one single public database. A county criminal case, circuit felony docket, county misdemeanor case, appellate docket, FDLE criminal-history search, county jail booking, Florida Department of Corrections offender result and federal criminal case each has a different official route.
Florida Criminal Court Records Are Usually County-Based
For most Florida criminal cases and dockets, start with the Clerk of Court in the county where the case was filed. Florida’s circuit courts handle major criminal trial matters, but the clerk is the practical record custodian for trial-court case files. For Supreme Court and District Court of Appeal dockets and public documents, use ACIS. For statewide Florida criminal-history information, use FDLE. For state prison or state supervision information, use Florida Department of Corrections. For federal cases, use PACER.
Do not treat an arrest, charge, booking record, jail entry, offender record or docket event as proof of conviction. Always verify final disposition from the official court record or official criminal-history process.
Quick Answer: How To Search Florida Criminal Court Records
To search Florida criminal court records, start with the Clerk of Court in the county where the criminal case was filed. Use the Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers “Find a Clerk” directory if you do not know the local clerk website. Use Florida ACIS for Supreme Court and District Court of Appeal dockets and available public documents. Use FDLE for Florida criminal-history searches, the Florida Department of Corrections for state prison or state supervision records, county sheriff or county jail pages for local bookings, and PACER for federal criminal cases.
Which Florida Criminal Records Source Should You Use?
The best source depends on what you need to prove. A Florida county clerk docket helps you follow a local criminal case. ACIS helps with appellate dockets. FDLE is the state criminal-history route. County jail searches help with local custody. FDC helps with state prison and supervision information.
| Need | Use this official route | What it can show | What it does not prove by itself |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida criminal trial-court case | County Clerk of Court / Clerk & Comptroller case search | Case number, defendant name, charges, events, hearings, docket entries, documents or disposition depending on county access | Complete statewide criminal-history or federal records |
| Certified court copy or disposition | Clerk of Court that holds the case file | Certified judgment, sentence, docket sheet, disposition, order or case document | Every record from every county or agency |
| Florida appellate docket | Florida ACIS | Florida Supreme Court and District Court of Appeal dockets and available case documents | Complete trial-court file or FDLE background check |
| Florida criminal-history search | FDLE Criminal History Record Check | Florida criminal-history information based on FDLE’s search process and rules | Federal records, out-of-state records or every local document image |
| County jail booking or inmate information | County sheriff, county jail or Florida county jail directory | Current custody, booking data or local jail information when published | Conviction or final court disposition |
| State prison or supervision information | Florida Department of Corrections offender search | State prison, inmate release, supervised population or state offender data where available | County jail records, county probation or complete court files |
| Florida sex-offender/predator registry | FDLE Sexual Offender and Predator Search | Public registry information reported to FDLE | All criminal convictions or all court records |
| Federal criminal case in Florida | PACER or PACER Case Locator | Federal district, bankruptcy and appellate court records where available | Florida state court criminal records |
Official Florida Criminal Court Records Links and What To Do After Opening
Use these official routes for final searches, certified-copy requests, appellate lookup, criminal-history checks, jail searches, offender lookup, registry searches and federal case research.
Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers: Find a Clerk
Use for: Finding the Clerk of Court or Clerk & Comptroller in the county where the Florida criminal case was filed.
After opening: Choose the county, open the clerk website, then look for Criminal Records, Case Search, Court Records, Public Records, Dockets or Records Request.
Check before relying: Each county portal can look different and may have separate felony, misdemeanor, traffic, juvenile or sealed-record rules.
Find a Florida ClerkFlorida Courts: Circuit Trial Courts
Use for: Understanding Florida circuit trial courts and finding the correct circuit/county court context.
After opening: Review the court structure, then use the linked clerk route or county clerk website for case records.
Check before relying: Court structure pages explain jurisdiction; the clerk usually provides case-record access.
Open Circuit Trial CourtsFlorida ACIS
Use for: Florida Supreme Court and District Courts of Appeal dockets and available public documents.
After opening: Choose Search, then search by case number, party, case type, filed date, document search or appellate court where available.
Check before relying: ACIS is appellate; use the county clerk for trial-court criminal case files.
Open Florida ACISFDLE Florida Criminal History Record Check
Use for: Florida criminal-history record checks, instant searches, certified/non-certified requests and FDLE criminal-history services.
After opening: Choose the request option that fits your purpose, review fees, enter accurate identifiers and read result limitations before relying on the match.
Check before relying: FDLE history checks are not the same as a certified county court docket copy.
Open FDLE Criminal HistoryFDLE Personal Review
Use for: Fingerprint-based personal review of your own Florida criminal-history record for accuracy and completeness.
After opening: Read the fingerprint instructions, download or complete the application, and follow FDLE’s submission process.
Check before relying: FDLE states personal review results cannot be used for immigration, employment, licensing or certification purposes.
Open FDLE Personal ReviewFlorida County Jails and Inmate Searches
Use for: Finding official county jail, sheriff and inmate-search links across Florida counties.
After opening: Choose the county, open the official jail or sheriff search link, then confirm custody details directly with that county source.
Check before relying: Jail custody or booking data is not a final court disposition.
Find County Jail SearchFlorida Department of Corrections
Use for: State prison, inmate release, supervised population and offender-search information.
After opening: Use Offender Search, then search by name, DC number or other available identifiers and compare details carefully.
Check before relying: FDC offender data does not include county jail, county probation or every court record.
Open Florida Department of CorrectionsFDLE Sexual Offender and Predator Registry
Use for: Florida sex-offender and predator registry searches.
After opening: Search by name, city, county, zip code, address or registry options where available and read FDLE limitations before relying on the result.
Check before relying: Registry information is not a full criminal-history report.
Open FDLE RegistryPACER Federal Court Records
Use for: Federal criminal cases filed in U.S. district courts and federal appellate courts.
After opening: Register or sign in, search the federal court if known or use PACER Case Locator if the court is unknown.
Check before relying: PACER is federal; Florida state criminal cases are searched through county clerk routes.
Open PACERStep-by-Step: How To Search Florida Criminal Court Records
Use this process when your goal is a Florida criminal court case, docket, disposition or certified court record. If you need a statewide criminal-history report, use the FDLE route instead.
Identify the county first
Florida trial-court criminal records are usually searched through the county Clerk of Court where the case was filed. Start with the county, not a broad national website.
Open the official county clerk website
Use the Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers Find a Clerk page, choose the county, and open the official clerk website.
Choose the criminal case or court records search
Look for labels such as Criminal Records, Case Search, Court Records, Public Access, Clerk Records, Dockets, Online Services or Records Search.
Search by the strongest identifier
Case number, citation number, booking number, DC number or exact legal name is stronger than a broad name-only search. Name-only searches can match the wrong person.
Confirm county, court type and case type
Check whether the record is felony, misdemeanor, traffic criminal, juvenile, appellate, jail, FDC, FDLE or federal PACER before relying on it.
Read the disposition carefully
A charge, docket entry, arrest or jail record is not the same as conviction. Look for final disposition, judgment, dismissal, sentence, plea or other court outcome.
Request certified copies from the clerk when needed
If the record is for legal, licensing, immigration, employment or formal use, contact the clerk that holds the case file and ask for the correct certified document.
Use FDLE, FDC, registry or PACER when the clerk route is not enough
Use FDLE for state criminal-history searches, FDC for state offender data, FDLE registry for sex-offender/predator search and PACER for federal criminal cases.
Florida Criminal Court Records Problem Finder
Select what you need and why you need it. This helper runs only in your browser and does not collect names, dates of birth, case numbers or private identity details.
Find the right official route
Florida County Clerk Criminal Case Records
The county clerk route is the most important route for Florida criminal court cases. Each Florida county has its own Clerk of Court or Clerk & Comptroller website, and local search labels can vary.
Use the clerk route for
- Felony criminal court cases
- Misdemeanor criminal cases
- Traffic criminal cases
- Court dates and docket entries
- Disposition and judgment information
- Certified copies of court documents
- Case number and defendant search where available
Prepare before contacting the clerk
- County where the case was filed
- Full legal name searched
- Case number or citation number if known
- Approximate filing or offense date
- Case type: felony, misdemeanor or traffic criminal
- Document needed: docket, disposition, judgment or certified copy
- Delivery method and copy fee questions
Florida Appellate Criminal Dockets: ACIS
ACIS is the Florida Appellate Case Information System. It is the official route for Florida Supreme Court and District Courts of Appeal dockets and available public case documents.
Use ACIS for
- Florida Supreme Court dockets
- District Court of Appeal dockets
- Appellate case search
- Party search
- Document search where available
- Oral argument and appellate calendar search
Do not use ACIS as
- A county trial-court case search
- A certified criminal-history check
- A county jail search
- A complete FDLE criminal-history report
- A federal PACER search
- A substitute for legal advice
FDLE Florida Criminal History Record Check
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is the state repository route for Florida criminal-history information. FDLE offers public criminal-history search options, and public requests have a fee.
| Need | Likely route | What to check first |
|---|---|---|
| Florida public criminal-history search | FDLE Florida Criminal History Record Check | Fee, instant search, certified/non-certified option, identifiers and result limitations |
| Personal review for accuracy | FDLE Personal Review | Fingerprint process, submission instructions and stated use limits |
| Certified county disposition | County Clerk of Court | FDLE history search does not replace certified court documents |
| Employment or licensing background check | Agency-specific authorized process | The requesting agency may require Livescan, ORI, fingerprints or separate legal authority |
| Federal or out-of-state record | PACER, FBI or other state repository | Florida FDLE does not replace every other jurisdiction’s records |
Florida County Jail Records, Arrests and Booking Searches
Florida county jail and booking records are usually handled locally by the county sheriff or jail. A county jail search is useful for custody or booking information, but it is not a final court outcome.
| Need | Try this route | Important warning |
|---|---|---|
| Current jail custody | County sheriff or jail inmate search | Current custody does not prove conviction. |
| Recent arrest or booking | County jail booking log, sheriff page or arresting agency | Booking charges may change, be dropped or be resolved later. |
| Arrest report | Police department, sheriff or arresting agency public-records route | Reports may be redacted, restricted, delayed or fee-based. |
| Final case outcome | County Clerk of Court criminal case record | Court disposition is the better route for final result. |
Florida Department of Corrections Offender Search
Florida Department of Corrections records are useful when someone is sentenced to state prison or state supervision. They are not the same as county jail records or a complete court history.
Use FDC offender search for
- State prison inmate information
- Inmate release information
- Supervised population information
- Offender search by name or DC number where available
- State correctional custody or supervision follow-up
Do not use FDC as
- A county jail booking search
- A county probation record search
- A full Florida court docket search
- A certified FDLE criminal-history report
- A federal inmate or PACER search
Florida Sexual Offender and Predator Registry Search
FDLE provides Florida’s public sexual offender and predator registry search. Registry information is useful for registry-specific questions, but it is not a full criminal-history report or complete court docket.
Search carefully
- Use the official FDLE registry route.
- Search by name, city, county, zip code or address tools where available.
- Compare identifying details before assuming a match.
- Read FDLE registry limitations and correction instructions.
Understand the limits
- Registry data is not every criminal record.
- FDLE compiles information from multiple reporting sources.
- A registry entry does not replace court documents.
- Questions about accuracy should follow FDLE registry contact instructions.
Federal Criminal Records in Florida: Use PACER
Federal criminal cases filed in Florida are not searched through FDLE, FDC, the county sheriff or a county Clerk of Court. Use PACER or PACER Case Locator for federal criminal cases.
Use PACER when
The case is in a U.S. District Court, U.S. Court of Appeals or another federal court system.
Search by court if known
If you know the federal district or division, search that federal court after signing in.
Use Case Locator if unsure
If you do not know the federal court, use the PACER Case Locator as a nationwide index.
What To Do When You Cannot Find a Florida Criminal Court Record
A no-result search does not always mean there is no record. The case may be in another county, spelled differently, filed under a different case type, sealed, expunged, juvenile, restricted, federal, not online, recently filed or held by another agency.
| Problem | Possible reason | Best next step |
|---|---|---|
| Name search has no match | Different spelling, alias, maiden name, middle initial, wrong county or portal filter | Try case number, citation number, county filter and spelling variations |
| Clerk site does not show the case | Record not online, older record, sealed/restricted access or wrong court type | Contact the Clerk of Court or use the courthouse public-access route |
| ACIS does not show the record | The case may be trial-level, not appellate-level | Search the county clerk trial-court route |
| FDLE result differs from court record | Different data source, reporting timing, identity match or disposition issue | Review FDLE instructions and verify with the court clerk |
| County jail search has no result | Released, transferred, wrong county, not in custody or state/federal custody | Check court records, FDC, sheriff or federal custody routes |
| Federal case missing | Federal cases are in PACER, not Florida county clerk portals | Search PACER or PACER Case Locator |
Sealed, Expunged, Juvenile and Restricted Florida Records
Some Florida records may not appear in public court searches because of sealing, expunction, juvenile confidentiality, redaction, court order, public-record exemptions or access restrictions.
Records may be unavailable when
- The case was sealed or expunged.
- The matter involves juvenile confidentiality.
- The document contains protected victim or witness information.
- The court limits online access.
- The record is older or not converted online.
- The record is held by a different custodian.
Ask the official custodian
- County Clerk of Court for trial-court case files.
- Florida ACIS or appellate clerk for appellate dockets.
- FDLE for state criminal-history review questions.
- County sheriff for arrest or jail-related records.
- FDC for state offender information.
- A qualified Florida attorney for sealing or expunction questions.
Responsible Use, FCRA and Identity-Matching Warnings
Criminal court record searches can affect jobs, housing, licensing, immigration, reputation and personal safety. Use official sources, confirm identity and verify final disposition before relying on a result.
Do not assume
- An arrest means conviction.
- A charge means guilt.
- A docket event means final outcome.
- A jail entry is a full criminal history.
- A name match is the correct person.
- A county clerk search replaces FDLE criminal-history search.
Be extra careful for screening
- Employment and tenant screening may trigger FCRA obligations.
- Use authorized consumer-reporting processes when required.
- Give required notices when the law requires them.
- Allow correction or dispute rights when applicable.
- Do not use sealed, expunged, stale or mismatched records unfairly.
- Consult qualified counsel for regulated screening decisions.
Florida Local Record Context: Why County-Level Details Matter
Florida has 67 counties, and criminal case search access can vary by county clerk website, court level, case type, document-access rules and local search tools. A search in Miami-Dade may look different from a search in Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsborough, Orange, Duval, Pinellas, Polk, Lee, Volusia, Brevard, Sarasota, Manatee, Leon or Escambia County.
Large counties
Large counties often have detailed online clerk portals, but certified documents still come from the official clerk.
Smaller counties
Smaller counties may require phone, email, mail or in-person clerk contact for older records or certified copies.
Statewide routes
FDLE, FDC, ACIS and PACER are useful statewide/federal routes, but each covers a different record type.
Florida Criminal Court Records Glossary
- Clerk of Court
- The county office that maintains trial-court case records and provides case search, docket, copy and certified-copy services.
- Criminal court docket
- A list of case events, hearings, filings and status information for a criminal case.
- Disposition
- The final or current court outcome of a charge or case, such as conviction, dismissal, acquittal, plea or sentence.
- ACIS
- The Florida Appellate Case Information System for Supreme Court and District Court of Appeal dockets and public documents.
- FDLE criminal-history search
- A Florida Department of Law Enforcement route for state criminal-history information.
- FDC offender search
- A Florida Department of Corrections route for state prison, inmate release and supervised population information.
- Sexual offender/predator registry
- An FDLE public registry for Florida sexual offender and predator information.
- PACER
- The federal judiciary’s public access system for federal court records.
Florida Criminal Court Records Search FAQs
How do I search Florida criminal court records?
Is there one statewide Florida criminal court records search?
Where do I search Florida appellate criminal dockets?
Is FDLE the same as a county court docket search?
How do I get a certified Florida criminal court record?
Where do I search Florida jail records?
Where do I search Florida state prison records?
Where do I search the Florida sex-offender registry?
Does a Florida arrest record mean someone was convicted?
Where do I search federal criminal cases in Florida?
Official Sources and Final-Action Links
Use these official links for final searches, certified-copy requests, appellate lookup, criminal-history checks, jail searches, offender records, registry searches and federal case research.
- Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers: Find a Clerk
- Florida Courts: Circuit Trial Courts
- Florida Appellate Case Information System
- Florida ACIS Search
- FDLE Florida Criminal History Record Check
- FDLE Personal Review
- Florida County Jails and Inmate Searches
- Florida Department of Corrections
- FDLE Sexual Offender and Predator Registry
- PACER Federal Court Records
Editorial Accuracy and Use Note
This guide separates Florida county criminal court records, appellate ACIS dockets, FDLE criminal-history checks, county jail records, Florida Department of Corrections offender data, registry records and federal PACER cases. It avoids implying that one Florida search covers every criminal public record.
WordPress and Yoast can manage the SEO title, primary H1, canonical URL and meta description. This HTML intentionally starts with an H2 and does not include an H1.
Last reviewed: October 13, 2026