Sarasota County is a suburb in west-central Florida. According to the US Census Bureau, the County has a population of approximately 434,006. Spanning an area of 555.87 square miles, there are 780.8 persons per square mile. The County is home to the City of Sarasota which also serves as its County seat.

Courts in Sarasota County

Located within the Florida 12th Circuit Court, Sarasota County is served by a circuit and the county courts. The circuit court is a trial court of general jurisdiction. Also, appeals from the County Court are heard in this court. It comprises five divisions:

The Civil Division of the Circuit Courts has jurisdiction in all civil actions exceeding $50,000. The Probate Division of the Circuit Court has jurisdiction over proceedings for the settlement of estates, granting of wills, guardianship, and involuntary hospitalization. The Criminal Division of the Circuit Courts has jurisdiction over all criminal cases, such as felonies and offenses punishable by imprisonment in a state penitentiary. 

Another division of the circuit court is the Family Division. The court has jurisdiction over civil cases involving marriage dissolution, child support, and name change. It also hears juvenile cases and gives injunctions for protection against domestic violence. There is also the Problem-solving Division, which employs case management techniques. This enables the court to resolve the causes of people’s involvement in the criminal justice system.

On the other hand, the County Court, which has limited jurisdiction, handles civil actions in which the sum in disputes does not exceed $50,000. It also hears small claims of $8,000 or under and most landlord/tenant cases.

The following are the locations of the courthouses in the County: The Desoto County Courthouse, Manatee County Judicial Center, Judge Lynn N. Silvertooth Judicial Center, South Sarasota County Courthouse, and Sarasota County Justice Center.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Sarasota County

The Clerk of the Court is responsible for maintaining public court records. However, the Public Access Department keeps these records, giving interested individuals access through the online search engine. 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 Sarasota County during business hours.

Types of Public Court Records in Sarasota County

All court records are public except those sealed by court orders and thereby exempt from public disclosure. Sarasota County makes the following court records accessible to the public:

• Criminal Court Records
• Family Court Records
• Civil Court Records
• Probate Court Records
• Will and Guardianship Records

Confidential Court Records

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 include:

• Juvenile delinquency records
• Social Security numbers
• Health records
• Bank account numbers
• Addresses of victims of domestic violence.

Juvenile Delinquency in Sarasota, FL

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

In 2017, a total of 582 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Sarasota County. Of that total, 100% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 582 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Sarasota County, FL

https://www.myflorida.com/

County Seat:	Sarasota
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1921
Total Square Miles:	725
2019 Population:	419,119
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00

Sarasota County, FL Courts