Located in Florida’s Panhandle, Gadsden County is a part of the Tallahassee, Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a population of approximately 43,826. Spanning an area of 516.4 square miles, there are 84.8 persons per square mile. Its County seat and largest city is Quincy.
Courts in Gadsden County
Located within the Florida 2nd Circuit Court, Gadsden County is served by a circuit and county court. The circuit court is a trial court of general jurisdiction handling cases such as major criminal offenses and probate matters involving settlement of decedent's estates, granting of wills, and guardianships. The court employs case management techniques to resolve domestic issues such as dependency, delinquency, and family disputes. Also, civil cases involving monetary claims exceeding $30,000 and appeals from the County Court are heard in this court.
The County Court is a court of limited jurisdiction that handles civil actions in which the sum in disputes does not exceed $15,000. It also hears misdemeanors, traffic violations, and most tenant eviction cases.
Where to Find Public Court Records in Gadsden County
The Clerk of the Court is responsible for maintaining public court records, thereby making them accessible to interested individuals. Requests for copies of these records can be made by filling out the Record Search Requests. In addition to online access, anyone can visit the locations of the various courts in Gadsden County during business hours.
Types of Public Court Records in Gadsden County
All court records are public except those sealed by court orders and thereby exempt from public disclosure. Gadsden County makes the following court records accessible to the public:
- Criminal Court Records: These include court proceedings for misdemeanors and felonies
- Family Court Records: These include divorce, custody, and adoption cases
- Civil Court Records: These include non-criminal disputes like breaches of contract and personal injury cases
- Probate Court Records: These include wills, codicils, and documentation of estate assets and liabilities
- Traffic Court Records: These include traffic violations like driving without a seat belt or license
Confidential Court Records in Gadsden County
These court records are considered confidential and can only be accessed by the parties involved in the case or their attorneys. Examples of confidential records in Gadsden County include:
- Juvenile delinquency records
- Social Security numbers
- Health records
- Addresses of victims of domestic violence
- Identifying information about jurors
- Adoption records.
Juvenile Delinquency in Gadsden, FL
Unfortunately, in many areas of the Gadsden 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 127 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Gadsden County. Of that total, 100% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 127 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.
A lot of counties, including, Gadsden County, are focusing on family health and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Gadsden County juvenile delinquency statistics will show whether or not this approach is working.
| Juvenile Cases | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| Delinquency | 5,378 |
| Dependency | 0 |
| Status | 0 |
Government of Gadsden County, FL
| County Seat: | Quincy |
| Government Type: | County |
| Authority: | Dillon's Rule |
| Year Organized: | 1823 |
| Total Square Miles: | 529 |
| 2019 Population: | 46,071 |
| Persons/Square Mile: | 0.01 |