Alachua County was created in 1824 and lies in the north-central part of Florida. As of the 2020 census, it has a population of 278,468. Its county seat is Gainesville, which is home to the University of Florida. Alachua County’s total land area is 875 square miles, and its water bodies cover 94 square miles.

Courts in Alachua County

The highest court in Alachua County is the Alachua County Circuit Court. It has general jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases but typically hears cases beyond the jurisdiction of the County Court through its four divisions. The Criminal Division hears all felonies and lesser offenses arising from the same conditions as felonies. The Civil Division hears civil cases with claims worth less than $50,000. The Family Division handles domestic relations matters. The Juvenile Division hears all juvenile matters while the Probate Division handles all probate matters, such as admission of wills, administering trusts and estates, and committing persons to mental health institutions.

The County Court of Alachua County hears municipal ordinance violations, landlord-tenant relations, and traffic offenses. It also hears most misdemeanors and civil cases with claims under $50,000.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Alachua County

Public court records in Alachua County comprise court proceedings and judgments from the county courts that can be accessed by anyone. The Alachua County Clerk and Comptroller is responsible for all court records in the county. The County Clerk and Comptroller’s office attends to requests for public court records from the public and can produce copies of court records upon payment of specified fees. Alternatively, members of the public can access Alachua County public court records via the Court Records portal provided by the county.

Types of Public Court Records in Alachua County

Unless sealed by court orders, Alachua County makes the following types of court records available to the public:

• Criminal Court Records: misdemeanors and felonies
• Family Court Records: divorce orders, annulment, custody, and emancipation cases
• Civil Court Records: breaches of contract, personal injury, professional malpractices, product liability, mortgage foreclosures, contract indebtedness, and eminent domain cases.
• Probate Court Records: documentation of wills, estates, trusts, and guardianships

Confidential Court Records in Alachua County

Confidential court records in Florida are court records sealed by default under Florida laws or by court orders. Confidential records can only be accessed by court orders or authorized personnel such as law enforcement agencies. While Florida generally allows most court records to be open to the public, the following are usually excluded from public records:

• Most juvenile delinquency records, except for serious felonies
• Adoption records
• Substance abuse treatment records
• Sexually transmitted disease (STD) test results and treatment records
• Records of proceedings under the Florida Substance Abuse Impairment Act
• Identifying information about jurors
• Misdemeanor convictions after 10 years
• Felony convictions after 10 years, provided all terms of the sentence have been completed
• Dismissed charges after a year
• Acquittals after a year

The following are also concealed from public view in Florida:

• Social Security number
• Driver’s license number
• Bank account details
• Tax returns
• Psychological evaluation results

Juvenile Delinquency in Alachua, FL

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Alachua County, juvenile delinquency crimes are on the rise. There are many reasons for the increase in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Florida often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of offenses, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 929 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Alachua County. Of that total, 100% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 929 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Alachua County, are focusing on family health and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Alachua County juvenile delinquency statistics will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Alachua County, FL

https://www.myflorida.com/

County Seat:	Gainesville
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1824
Total Square Miles:	969
2019 Population:	266,944
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00

Alachua County, FL Courts