Putnam County
Putnam is Florida's 28th county. It was established in 1849 from portions of five other counties and, as of 2020, was home to at least 73,321 people. The county spans 728 square miles and has its seat in Palatka.
In Putnam County, the Circuit and County Courts provide judicial services to county residents. The Circuit Courts handle more advanced cases such as felonies, family law disputes, juvenile matters, and cases involving probate and mental health. They also preside over civil cases with claims exceeding $50,000 and have appellate authority over certain noncriminal infractions and administrative agency cases. The County Courts have limited jurisdiction. They typically hear misdemeanors, municipal ordinance violations, traffic offenses, and civil cases involving claims of up to $50,000. For claims under $8,000, they offer a simplified small claims process. They also hear landlord-tenant disputes, simplified divorces, and uncontested civil dissolutions.
Public court records are official documents emanating from court cases within the county. They typically include case summaries, names of parties involved in the case, filing and hearing dates, legal motions, evidence presented before the court, orders issued, and final court judgments. These records are available at the office of the Putnam County Clerk and Comptroller, located on St. Johns Avenue in Palatka. Examples of public court records in the county include:
- Civil records
- Criminal records
- Probate records
- Family records
Besides obtaining these records at the clerk's office, individuals may also obtain the records online through the following steps:
- Click “official records search†on the homepage of the Putnam County Clerk's website
- Enter search keywords related to the desired record in the provided fields. Searches can be conducted using the party name, legal description, or case number
- Click the "search" button, then review the results to locate the desired record
Fees for obtaining court records vary by the service provided. Obtaining a copy of court records at the clerk's office costs around $1. If the desired record is to be certified, an additional $2 fee applies.
