Seminole County Court Records
How To Find Court Records in Seminole County in 2026
Members of the public seeking court records in Seminole County may access publicly available case information through several official channels. SeminoleRecords.org provides access to publicly available information related to court records and related case data for Seminole County, Florida. The information available through such resources may include case status, party names, hearing dates, and docket entries, subject to applicable access restrictions under Florida law.
Court records that may be located through official sources include:
- Civil court filings and judgments
- Criminal case records and dispositions
- Family court orders and decrees
- Probate filings and estate records
- Traffic citations and infractions
- Small claims court judgments
- Appellate court decisions
Court records in Seminole County may be searched through five primary methods:
1. Clerk of Courts Office The Seminole County Clerk of Courts maintains the official repository of court records. Members of the public may submit requests in person or by mail, providing the case number, party name, or filing date to assist staff in locating records. Fees apply for copies and certified documents.
2. Courthouse Public Access Terminals Public access terminals are available at the Seminole County Courthouse, allowing members of the public to search case information at no charge during regular business hours. These terminals provide access to docket entries and case status but may not display images of all filed documents.
3. Online Court Search The Seminole County Clerk of Courts online case search portal allows users to search civil, criminal, family, and probate cases by party name or case number. Access to document images may be limited for certain case types under Florida statutes.
4. State-Level Judicial Search Tools The Florida Courts E-Filing Portal and the Florida Clerk of Courts statewide case search system provide access to case information across multiple counties. These tools are particularly useful when a case may have been filed in or transferred to another jurisdiction.
5. Written or Mail Requests Requests for court records may be submitted in writing to the Clerk of Courts. Written requests should include the full case number, names of parties, approximate filing date, and the specific documents requested. Processing times and applicable fees vary based on the scope of the request.
Are Court Records Public In Seminole County
Court records in Seminole County are public records under current Florida law. Florida Statute § 119.01, the Florida Public Records Law, establishes that all state, county, and municipal records are open for personal inspection by any person unless specifically exempted. The Florida Rules of Judicial Administration further govern access to court records, with Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.420 providing the framework for determining which court records are confidential.
Records that are public under current law include:
- Docket entries and case numbers
- Party names and attorney information
- Hearing dates and courtroom assignments
- Filed motions, complaints, and petitions
- Court orders and final judgments
- Sentencing records and dispositions
Records that may be confidential, sealed, or restricted include:
- Juvenile delinquency and dependency records
- Adoption proceedings
- Mental health commitment records
- Records sealed or expunged by court order
- Protected personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and dates of birth
- Certain domestic violence case information
As the Florida Courts system notes, "Court records are presumed to be open to the public unless a specific exemption applies under Florida law or court rule." A distinction exists between courthouse inspection and online access: certain documents may be inspected in person at the clerk's office but are not available through online portals due to privacy protections under § 119.0714, Florida Statutes.
What Are Court Records in Seminole County?
Court records are the official documents, filings, and entries created and maintained by a court or clerk of court in connection with judicial proceedings. In practical terms, a court record encompasses everything filed with or generated by the court from the initiation of a case through its final disposition and any subsequent appeal.
A distinction exists between docket entries and full case files. A docket is a chronological index of all actions taken in a case, listing filings, hearings, and orders by date. The full case file includes the actual documents underlying those docket entries, such as complaints, motions, exhibits, and signed orders.
Civil court records document disputes between private parties or between a party and a government entity, covering matters such as contract disputes, personal injury claims, and property actions. Criminal court records document proceedings initiated by the state against an individual charged with a violation of Florida law, from arraignment through sentencing or acquittal.
Filed pleadings are the formal documents submitted by parties to initiate or respond to litigation, while final judgments are the court's conclusive rulings resolving the matter. Public filings are accessible to any member of the public, whereas sealed or restricted filings are withheld from public inspection by court order or statutory exemption.
Trial court records are maintained by the Clerk of Courts for the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, which serves Seminole County. Appellate records for cases appealed from Seminole County are maintained by the Fifth District Court of Appeal. The Florida Supreme Court maintains records for matters reaching the highest state court.
Court records are created when a party files an initial pleading and are updated continuously as documents are filed, hearings are held, and orders are entered. Upon final disposition, the record is closed but remains subject to retention schedules and public access rules.
What's Included in a Seminole County Court Record?
A Seminole County court record may contain a range of information depending on the case type, the stage of proceedings, and applicable public-access rules. The following elements are present in most publicly accessible court records:
- Case number assigned at filing
- Court name and division (civil, criminal, family, probate, traffic)
- Filing date and case initiation information
- Party names, including plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, and attorneys of record
- Case type and current status
- Docket entries listing each action taken in chronological order
- Scheduled and past hearing dates
- Motions, complaints, petitions, answers, and responses
- Court orders, judgments, decrees, and notices
- Minute entries reflecting what occurred at hearings
- Outcome information, such as dismissals, verdicts, pleas, convictions, sentencing entries, custody rulings, probate orders, or appellate decisions
- Financial information such as filing fees, assessed costs, fines, restitution amounts, and bond information where publicly displayed
Certain information is excluded or restricted from public court records. Sealed filings, expunged matters, juvenile case files, adoption records, and protected personal data such as Social Security numbers and financial account numbers are not available for public inspection. Some exhibits, particularly those containing sensitive personal information or proprietary materials, may be withheld from the public record by court order.
Types of Courts in Seminole County
Seminole County is served by the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, which has general jurisdiction over felony criminal cases, civil matters exceeding $50,000, family law, probate, and juvenile matters. The County Court, also part of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, handles misdemeanor criminal cases, civil matters up to $50,000, small claims, and traffic infractions. The Florida Courts website provides a full explanation of the state's court structure.
Seminole County Clerk of Courts
301 N. Park Ave.
Sanford, FL 32771
Phone: (407) 665-4330
Seminole County Clerk of Courts
Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Court
301 N. Park Ave.
Sanford, FL 32771
Phone: (407) 665-4330
Eighteenth Judicial Circuit
Fifth District Court of Appeal
300 S. Beach St.
Daytona Beach, FL 32114
Phone: (386) 947-1500
Fifth District Court of Appeal
What Types of Cases Do Seminole County Courts Hear
The Circuit Court handles felony criminal prosecutions, civil disputes exceeding $50,000, dissolution of marriage and family law matters, juvenile dependency and delinquency, probate and guardianship, and appeals from County Court decisions. The County Court handles misdemeanor and criminal traffic offenses, civil claims up to $50,000, landlord-tenant disputes, small claims up to $8,000, and non-criminal traffic infractions.
The Circuit Court is a court of general jurisdiction, meaning it has authority to hear any matter not exclusively assigned to another court. The County Court is a court of limited jurisdiction, restricted to the case types and monetary thresholds defined by Florida law.
How to Search Seminole County Court Records for Free?
Members of the public may search Seminole County court records at no cost through several methods. In-person inspection at the Clerk of Courts office is free of charge during regular business hours. The Seminole County Clerk of Courts online case search portal provides free access to case dockets, party names, and case status information.
Public access terminals located at the courthouse allow free searches of case information. The Florida Clerk of Courts statewide case search system is also available at no charge for basic case lookups.
Fees apply for the following services:
| Service | Approximate Fee |
|---|---|
| Plain copy of a court document | $1.00 per page |
| Certified copy of a court document | $2.00 per certification + $1.00 per page |
| Research fee (clerk-assisted) | Varies by request |
| Electronic copies (where available) | Varies |
The applicable fee schedule is governed by § 28.24, Florida Statutes, which establishes the fees that clerks of court may charge for copies and services. Viewing records in person or on public terminals does not incur a fee.
How Long Does Seminole County Keep Court Records?
The retention of court records in Seminole County is governed by the retention schedules established by the Florida Division of Library and Information Services and the Florida Supreme Court. Retention periods vary by case type and record category.
Under the current judicial records retention schedule:
- Felony criminal records are retained permanently
- Misdemeanor criminal records are retained for a minimum of 10 years following disposition
- Civil court records are retained for varying periods depending on the nature of the judgment, with records involving final judgments often retained for 20 years or more
- Probate records are retained permanently
- Family court records, including dissolution of marriage and custody matters, are retained permanently
- Traffic infraction records are retained for a minimum of 5 years
- Docket books and minute records are retained permanently
Paper files may be destroyed after imaging and transfer to electronic storage, provided the imaging meets state archival standards. Destruction of a paper file does not constitute destruction of the record itself if a complete electronic image has been preserved. Older records may exist in paper files, microfilm, or county archives maintained by the Clerk of Courts.
A distinction exists between destruction, archival retention, sealing, redaction, and expungement. Destruction removes the record entirely. Archival retention preserves the record but may limit access. Sealing restricts public access while preserving the record for authorized parties. Redaction removes specific information from an otherwise public document. Expungement, under § 943.0585, Florida Statutes, results in the physical destruction or obliteration of a criminal history record.
How To Find a Court Docket in Seminole County
A court docket is a chronological index of all actions, filings, and proceedings in a specific case. It differs from the full case file in that it lists entries by date and description without necessarily including the full text of each filed document. The docket serves as the official record of what has occurred in a case and when.
Dockets for Seminole County cases are available through the following sources:
- Clerk of Courts online portal: The Seminole County Clerk of Courts case search allows users to retrieve a docket by entering a case number or party name. The docket displays each filing, hearing, and order in chronological order.
- Courthouse public access terminals: Terminals at the Seminole County Courthouse provide docket access during business hours at no charge.
- In-person clerk request: Staff at the Clerk of Courts office can retrieve a docket upon request, with copies available for the applicable per-page fee.
To locate a docket through the online portal, a user should navigate to the case search function, select the appropriate case type (civil, criminal, family, probate, or traffic), and enter either the case number or the full or partial name of a party. The system returns a list of matching cases, and selecting a case displays the full docket.
A docket entry includes the date of the action, a description of the filing or event, and the party or court that initiated the action. A docket does not include the full text of filed documents unless document imaging is available and the document is not restricted. Sealed entries, confidential attachments, and exhibits subject to protective orders do not appear in the public docket.
Hearing calendars and motion calendars for the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit are separately available through the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit's official website, which publishes daily and weekly hearing schedules by division and judge. As the Florida Courts system states, "The clerk of court is the official custodian of all court records and is responsible for maintaining the accuracy and completeness of the docket."