Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade County is the most populous county in Florida, with almost 2.7 million residents and 34 incorporated municipalities. It was created in 1836 and spans over 2,000 square miles of area. The county seat is the City of Miami.
The court structure in Miami-Dade County has several courts. The Criminal Court handles cases involving felony and misdemeanor offenses, including criminal traffic violations. It operates in two levels, namely the County Criminal and Circuit Criminal levels. Cases filed in the Civil Court fall under the jurisdiction of the following courts:
- Circuit Court - For civil cases where the amount in dispute exceeds $50,001
- County Court - For civil cases where the amount in controversy is between $8,000 and $50,000
The Civil Court also handles small claims cases. Cases heard by the Miami-Dade County Family Court are broadly categorized into probate, domestic relations, and domestic violence. On the other hand, the Juvenile Court hears cases of dependency actions, delinquency actions, and Marchman Act petitions for minors under 18 years. The Probate Court handles cases involving decedents' estates, wills, and guardianships. Miami-Dade County also operates a Mental Health Court.
The Office of the Miami-Dade County Clerk of the Court and Comptroller is the county's court records repository. Unless sealed or deemed confidential, court records in Miami-Dade County are public records and can be accessed by interested members of the public. Several documents, transcripts, information, and files gathered during legal proceedings are what make up a court record. In Miami-Dade County, records of cases listed below are available for inspection and/or copying at the Clerk of Court's office:
- Family law cases
- Criminal cases
- Civil cases
- Probate cases
- Traffic violation cases
While certified copies of criminal court records can be requested online or by email, certified civil case records can be requested in person, by mail, or via email in Miami-Dade County. Alternatively, interested individuals can use any of the following online systems provided by the Clerk of Court's Office to search the county's court records:
- Civil, Family, and Probate Courts Online System - For family, civil, and probate case records
- Criminal Justice Online System - For criminal case records
