Eighth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida Court cases in Alachua County, Gainesville, FL
Alachua County Circuit Court in Gainesville is part of Florida's Eighth Judicial Circuit, a state trial court of general jurisdiction. It handles felony criminal cases; civil actions with amounts in controversy over $50,000; family law matters (divorce, paternity, custody, child support); probate and guardianship; juvenile delinquency and dependency; and petitions for injunctions for protection. The Circuit Court also exercises appellate jurisdiction over certain Alachua County Court decisions, including criminal misdemeanors, traffic infractions, and civil cases within county court jurisdiction.
Eighth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida Contact and Location Information
| Court Type: | Circuit Court |
| County: | Alachua |
| Street Address: | 201 East University Ave. |
| City: | Gainesville |
| Zip Code: | 32601 |
| Phone: | 352-374-3638 |
| Hours: | Monday - Friday 8:00AM - 5:00PM |
| Website URL: | https://www.circuit8.org/ |
| Parking: | Jurors summonsed to report to either courthouse can park in the Southwest Downtown Parking Garage as indicated in your summons. The Clerk of Court will validate your parking ticket at the time of service. Please note that the Clerk will only validate parking stubs for the Southwest Downtown Parking Garage located across SW 2nd Avenue on the northwest side of the Criminal Justice Center. |
| Forms & Filing: | https://circuit8.org/self-help/forms-and-checklists/ |
| Divisions / Services: | https://circuit8.org/departments-services/ |
| Dockets / Schedule / Calendar: | https://circuit8.org/court-calendars/ |
| Jury Service: | https://circuit8.org/jurors/ |
| Languages: | English |
| Email: | CourtAdmin@circuit8.org |
| Twitter: | https://twitter.com/8circuitflorida?lang=en |
| ADA: | ADA Coordinator |
| ADA Phone: | 352-337-6237 |
| ADA Fax / Email: | ada@circuit8.org |
| About / Additional Info: | The Eighth Judicial Circuit is one of twenty trial court circuits in the State of Florida. The Circuit included the counties of Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, Levy and Union, and spans from the Gulf Coast to the Georgia border. The Eighth Circuit has thirteen circuit judges and ten county court judges. They are assisted by general magistrates and hearing officers in the adjudication and disposition of cases. |
Services and Case Types Handled in Eighth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida
Alachua County Circuit Court (Florida's Eighth Judicial Circuit) provides trial-level adjudication and case management for: criminal felonies; civil disputes exceeding $50,000; family law (dissolution, paternity, support, custody); domestic, dating, repeat, sexual-violence, and stalking injunctions; juvenile delinquency and dependency; probate, guardianship, trusts; mental-health and substance-abuse petitions (Baker/Marchman Act); and appeals from county court.
Public-facing services include:
- Case filings via the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal/Clerk of the Circuit Court; payment and records access through the Clerk.
- Protective-order intake, emergency and final hearings, and enforcement.
- Scheduling and conducting arraignments, trials, motions, case management, specialty/problem-solving courts, and mediation.
- Jury services: summonsing, orientation, excusals/deferrals, reporting instructions, and juror payment.
- Court calendars, forms, self-help resources, interpreters, ADA accommodations, and remote/virtual hearing options when authorized.