Duval County is located in northeastern Florida, with a total land area of 918 square miles. Its county seat is the City of Jacksonville. According to the US Census Bureau, the county had about 940,000 residents as of 2020.

Courts in Duval County

The 4th Judicial Circuit Court in Florida serves as the apex court in Duval. As the court of general jurisdiction, all civil and criminal beyond other lesser courts are brought before the Circuit Court. The Circuit Court judge in Duval County often presides over felony criminal cases and certain misdemeanor offenses. The court also hears civil lawsuits involving financial settlements above $15,000 in value. Other civil cases resolved at Circuit Courts include probate matters, family law cases, and mental health cases.

Duval County has two County Courts. These courts have limited jurisdiction over certain criminal and civil cases. Criminal cases heard at County Courts include traffic offenses, misdemeanors, and other local ordinance violations. Duval County Courts also preside over landlord-tenant disputes and simple marriage dissolution cases. Civil cases brought before these courts are typically monetary disputes of less than $15,000.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Duval County

In Duval County, the Clerk of Court is tasked with creating, maintaining, and disseminating all public court records. Court record seekers can use the Clerk Online Resource ePortal (CORE) to view and print non-certified copies of court records online. The online platform is available to the public. However, to request certified copies of court records, users must sign up on CORE with their email and username. Note that public court records maintained by the Clerk of Court often contain the following information:

• Transcripts
• Dockets
• Affidavits of witnesses
• Jury lists
• Depositions
• Summons and subpoenas
• Indictments
• Verdicts

Types of Public Court Records in Duval County

Duval County provides public access to the following court records:

• Criminal records, showing court proceedings and verdicts in cases involving prosecutors and accused defendants.
• Civil court records, involving disputes between individuals or organizations, such as lawsuits, contract disputes, and personal injury cases.
• Family court records, involving family-related issues such as divorce, child custody, and support arrangements.
• Probate records, showing documents of how deceased persons' estates are distributed.
• Traffic court records, involving traffic violations, including speeding tickets, DUI charges, and other infractions.
• Small claims court records, involving relatively small amounts of money, typically under a specific financial threshold.

Confidential Court Records

In Duval County, not all records are accessible to requesters. According to Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420, the following types of records are confidential and are not available to the public:

• Juvenile and adoption records, involving minors.
• Baker Act records. These are documents related to involuntary psychiatric evaluations and commitments.
• Substance abuse records
• Victim identity information. These are records that identify the victim of sexual offenses, child abuse, or domestic violence.
• Social Security numbers
• Bank account numbers
• Credit card numbers:
• Grand jury records
• Trade secrets
• Attorney-client privileged information

Juvenile Delinquency in Duval, FL

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

In 2017, a total of 767 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Duval County. Of that total, 100% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 767 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Duval County, FL

https://www.myflorida.com/

County Seat:	Jacksonville
Government Type:	City-County Consolidation
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1822
Total Square Miles:	918
2019 Population:	937,934
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00
County Contact:	330 E Bay St County Courthouse Jacksonville , FL 32202-2921 http://www.coj.net

Duval County, FL Courts