Search Broward County Court Dockets

Broward County court docket records are managed by the Clerk of the Court in Fort Lauderdale. This county has more than 1.9 million residents and sits in the 17th Judicial Circuit. The clerk handles case filings, docket updates, and document storage for all circuit and county court matters. You can search Broward County court docket records online through the clerk's case search portal or visit any of the four courthouse locations in person. The county provides free access to basic case information including names, case numbers, and hearing dates. Broward County has one of the busiest court systems in Florida, and the clerk office processes thousands of new filings each month across civil, criminal, family, and traffic divisions.

Broward County Clerk of Court

The Broward County Clerk of the Court keeps all court docket records for the 17th Judicial Circuit. The main office is at the Central Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale. Staff there handle civil, criminal, and family court docket filings. The clerk also runs three regional courthouses to serve different parts of the county.

You can reach the Broward County Clerk at (954) 831-6565 for general questions about court docket records. Attorneys have a dedicated line at (954) 831-5600. The Archives Division takes calls at the same main number, option 3. Send records request faxes to (954) 831-5550 or email Redactarchives@browardclerk.org for help with docket searches. The Broward County Clerk website lists all services and office hours.

The clerk site is your starting point for any court docket search in Broward County. From there you can reach the case search tool, records request forms, and fee information.

Search Broward County Court Docket Online

The Broward County Clerk runs an online case search tool that lets you look up court docket records from home. The main search portal is at browardclerk.org/Search. You can search by party name, case number, or date range. Results show case type, status, filing dates, and docket entries for each case.

Enter a last name and first name to find court docket records tied to that person in Broward County. The system pulls up all matching cases from circuit and county courts in the 17th Circuit. Each result links to the full docket with every filing listed in order. You can also use the web search tool for another way to access Broward County court docket data.

Both search tools are free for basic lookups. No account is needed to view case numbers, party names, and hearing dates. Under Florida Statute Chapter 119, court docket records in Broward County are public. Anyone can search them at any time. Florida Rules of Judicial Administration Rule 2.420 sets the rules for which records stay confidential, such as juvenile and mental health cases.

Broward County Court Docket Fees

The Broward County Clerk charges set fees for copies and certified documents tied to court docket records. These fees apply whether you search online or visit in person. Knowing the costs before you request documents can save you time at the courthouse.

The records request page on the Broward County Clerk website has the full fee schedule and request forms for court docket documents.

Current fees for Broward County court docket records are:

• Electronic certified documents: $8.00 per document
• Copy fee: $1.00 per page
• Certification fee: $2.00 per document
• Search fee: $2.00 per case, per year searched

Electronic certified copies of court docket records from Broward County never expire. You can use them for any legal purpose, and they hold up the same as paper certified copies. Documents that run over 100 pages are not available for online purchase. For large files, visit the clerk office in person. Processing time for email and fax requests runs up to two weeks, so plan ahead if you need Broward County court docket copies by a certain date. You can file documents through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, which updates the docket in real time.

Note: Fees can change, so call (954) 831-6565 to confirm current rates before you request court docket records from Broward County.

Court Docket Access Rules in Broward

Administrative Order AOSC24-65 from the Florida Supreme Court governs how the Broward County Clerk provides electronic access to court docket records. The order defines 15 user roles. The general public falls under Role 7, which gives access to case numbers, party names, and basic docket entries without registration. Attorneys of record get Role 3 access, which opens up documents in their own cases. Registered users can see more than the general public but less than attorneys or judges.

Some court docket records in Broward County are not open to the public. Sealed and expunged records stay hidden. Juvenile dependency cases, mental health files, and substance abuse records are confidential under Rule 2.420. The clerk must redact personal info like Social Security numbers and bank account details from any court docket record before it goes public in Broward County. If you think a record was wrongly restricted, you can ask the clerk to review it. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers association can also answer questions about access rights across the state.

Cities in Broward County

Broward County has more than 30 cities. All of them file court cases through the 17th Judicial Circuit. The clerk office in Fort Lauderdale handles court docket records for every city in the county.

Other cities in Broward County include Weston, Margate, Coconut Creek, and Hallandale Beach. All court docket cases from these areas go through the Broward County Clerk.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Broward County. Check the address where the case was filed to make sure you search the right county for court docket records.