Manatee County Court Docket Records

Manatee County court docket records are managed by the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Bradenton. The 12th Judicial Circuit serves Manatee County along with DeSoto and Sarasota Counties. With a population over 400,000, Manatee County courts process a large number of cases each year. You can search court docket entries online through the clerk website or visit the Bradenton courthouse. All civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic cases create court docket records that the clerk tracks. Florida's public records law gives anyone the right to view these records without providing a reason for the request.

Manatee County Clerk of Court

The Clerk of the Circuit Court in Manatee County maintains all court docket records at the Bradenton courthouse. This office processes new case filings, logs docket entries, and stores documents for every case. The clerk is an elected constitutional officer who also manages official records, jury services, and county financial duties. With the county's rapid growth, the clerk office handles a growing caseload each year.

The Manatee County Clerk website offers online case search tools, e-filing access, and contact details for the office. Walk-in visits to the Bradenton courthouse let you search court docket records in person and request copies. Certified copies are available for a fee. Staff can help with searches by name or case number. Call ahead if you need files from older or closed cases.

Search Manatee County Court Docket Online

Online tools provide the quickest access to court docket records in Manatee County. The clerk website has case search features that let you look up cases by party name, case number, or date range. Results show docket entries, filing dates, case type, and current status.

The Manatee County Clerk site covers both circuit and county court cases. Circuit court handles felonies, family law, probate, and civil cases over $50,000. County court takes traffic, misdemeanors, and small claims. All case types create court docket records available through the clerk.

Statewide portals also give access to Manatee County court docket data. The Florida Courts E-Filing Portal tracks over 30 million filed documents each year from all 67 counties. The ACIS portal covers appellate court docket searches. No registration is needed for basic public searches. The MyFloridaCounty portal lets you search official records in Manatee County, such as deeds, mortgages, and liens that may connect to court cases.

Note: Manatee County's growing population means name searches may return many results. Using a case number or adding a date range helps narrow things down.

Public Access to Manatee County Court Dockets

Court docket records in Manatee County are public under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes. All state, county, and municipal records are open for personal inspection and copying. You can view any court docket file at the Manatee County clerk office without stating a reason. Providing access is a legal duty of the clerk.

Some court docket records are exempt from public view. Florida Rules of Judicial Administration 2.420 governs confidential records. Sealed and expunged cases are not available to the public. Social Security numbers, bank details, and medical data get redacted from copies. Juvenile and adoption records stay confidential. The Florida Supreme Court's Administrative Order AOSC24-65 sets 15 user roles for electronic access. The general public can view case numbers, party names, and basic docket entries from Manatee County without an account.

Manatee County Court Structure

The 12th Judicial Circuit covers Manatee, DeSoto, and Sarasota Counties. Circuit court handles general jurisdiction matters including felony cases, family law, divorce, probate, and civil disputes over $50,000. County court takes on traffic offenses, misdemeanors, small claims up to $8,000, and civil cases up to $50,000. Both court levels produce court docket records.

The Manatee County Clerk maintains dockets for both circuit and county court. Every filing, hearing, motion, and order gets a docket entry with a date stamp. The Florida Courts website explains the state's 20 judicial circuits. Attorneys and parties file through the E-Filing Portal. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers site has contact info for all 67 county clerks in the state.

Manatee County Court Docket Resources

The Manatee County Clerk provides forms, filing guides, and self-help resources. The Florida Courts website has family law forms and tools for self-represented parties. For e-filing questions, call the support desk at (850) 577-4609 during weekday hours.

For questions about specific court docket records in Manatee County, call the clerk at (941) 749-1800. Legal aid services in the 12th Circuit may offer free or low-cost help to qualifying residents. The Manatee County Bar Association can also provide attorney referrals for those who need representation.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Manatee County on Florida's Gulf Coast. Each clerk office maintains separate court docket records.