Suwannee County was created in 1858 as the 37th county in the State of Florida. At least 43,474 individuals live in the county. The City of Live Oak is the county seat.

Courts in Suwannee County

Suwannee County’s court system includes a Circuit Court and a County Court that decides legal issues under their jurisdictions.

The county’s Circuit Court is part of Florida's Third Judicial Circuit. The court’s Civil Division handles all civil matters, except those within the jurisdiction of the County Court. It handles cases in which the amount in controversy is more than $30,000. The Circuit Civil Division also has jurisdiction over injunctions, personal injury, negligence and malpractice cases, contract disputes, equity cases, and matters concerning property boundaries and titles.

Cases involving felonies committed by adults or juveniles are under the jurisdiction of the Circuit Criminal Court. Felonies include criminal offenses that are punishable by death, incarceration, or fines, depending on the seriousness of the crimes. The Criminal Court also hears cases concerning juveniles who committed delinquent acts like local ordinance violations or misdemeanor crimes.

In Suwannee County, the Circuit Court is responsible for overseeing probate proceedings. These proceedings involve matters related to deceased individuals, such as the execution of wills, trusts, and estate administration.

Aside from delinquency matters, the Juvenile Court in Suwannee County handles dependency cases relating to minors under 18 years old who are facing abandonment, abuse, or neglect.

Family Law matters in Suwannee County are under the jurisdiction of Civil Courts. They determine cases concerning child support and custody, dissolution of marriage, adoption, paternity, parental rights, protection orders against domestic violence, and other domestic relations proceedings.

The County Court in Suwannee County hears both civil and criminal cases. The court's civil jurisdiction includes eviction lawsuits, personal property disputes, small claims matters, and other civil actions where the claims are below $30,000. On the other hand, the County Court has criminal jurisdiction over cases involving misdemeanors and traffic crimes. In Small Claims Court matters, the monetary damages cannot exceed $8,000.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Suwannee County

The Clerk of Court is the custodian of public court records in Suwannee County and provides access to such information. Individuals can submit requests for public court records to the Clerk's Office online or conduct record searches online. Anyone can also inspect public court records at the Clerk’s Office and obtain copies of related files or documents.

Types of Public Court Records in Suwannee County

The following types of court records in Suwannee County are publicly available to anyone upon request:

• Civil Court Records
• Small Claims Records
• Traffic Court Records
• Criminal Court Records
• Probate Court Records

Confidential Court Records in Suwannee County

Confidential court records in Suwannee County include case information, filings, or documents inaccessible to the general public. Usually, court regulations or Florida laws prohibit the disclosure of such records because they contain private or sensitive information. Likewise, the court may redact certain information or details in open court records. However, the court can permit specific individuals to inspect confidential court records in the county. Additionally, litigants involved in court proceedings may access records of their cases.

Generally, the following court records and information are confidential in Suwannee County:

• Domestic violence records
• Medical records
• Adoption records
• Juvenile records
• Mental health records
• Records containing identifying information about sexual crime victims
• Social Security numbers, tax identification numbers, and bank account numbers

Juvenile Delinquency in Suwannee, FL

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Suwannee 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 155 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Suwannee County. Of that total, 100% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 155 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Suwannee County, FL

https://www.myflorida.com/

County Seat:	Live Oak
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1858
Total Square Miles:	692
2019 Population:	44,190
Persons/Square Mile:	0.02

Suwannee County, FL Courts