Bradford County Court Records
How To Find Court Records in Bradford County in 2026
Members of the public seeking court records in Bradford County may access publicly available case information through several official channels. BradfordRecords.org provides access to publicly available information related to court records maintained by government agencies in Bradford County, Florida. The records available through such resources may include case summaries, docket entries, party names, filing dates, and disposition information, subject to applicable access restrictions under Florida law. Users should be aware that record availability varies by case type, filing date, and whether a court has ordered sealing or restricted access.
Court records that may be searchable include:
- Criminal case filings and dispositions
- Civil court judgments and orders
- Family law matters, including dissolution of marriage and custody proceedings
- Probate filings and estate records
- Traffic infractions and misdemeanor citations
- Small claims court filings
- Juvenile dependency matters (subject to confidentiality restrictions)
Court records in Bradford County may be searched through five primary methods:
1. Clerk of Court Office The Bradford County Clerk of Circuit Court maintains the official repository of trial court records. Members of the public may visit the clerk's office in person to request case files, docket sheets, or certified copies. Providing the full case number, party name, or approximate filing date assists staff in locating records efficiently.
Bradford County Clerk of Circuit Court
945 Temple Ave N
Starke, FL 32091
Phone: (904) 966-6280
Bradford County Clerk of Courts
2. Courthouse Public Access Terminals Public access computer terminals are available at the Bradford County Courthouse during regular business hours. These terminals allow members of the public to search case indexes and view docket entries at no charge, though printing fees may apply.
3. Online Court Search The Bradford County Clerk's official website provides an online case search portal where users may search by party name, case number, or case type. Access to document images may be limited for certain case categories under Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.420.
4. State-Level Judicial Search Tools The Florida Courts website provides statewide resources for locating court information, including links to clerk portals and appellate case systems. The Florida Appellate Case Information System allows users to search dockets and available case documents in all of Florida's appellate courts, including the First District Court of Appeal, which has jurisdiction over Bradford County matters.
5. Written or Mail Requests Members of the public may submit written requests to the Bradford County Clerk of Circuit Court by mail. Requests should include the case number or party name, the type of record sought, and a return address. Fees for copies and certified documents apply and must be submitted with the request.
Are Court Records Public In Bradford County
Court records in Bradford County are subject to Florida's broad public access framework. Under Florida Statute § 119.01, it is the policy of the state that all state, county, and municipal records are open for personal inspection and copying by any person. This principle extends to court records maintained by the Clerk of Circuit Court, subject to specific exemptions established by statute or court rule.
Records that are public under current law include:
- Case docket entries and indexes
- Party names and case numbers
- Hearing dates and courtroom assignments
- Filed pleadings, motions, and responses in civil and criminal matters
- Final judgments, orders, and decrees
- Sentencing records and disposition entries
- Probate inventories and estate filings
Records that may be confidential, sealed, redacted, or restricted include:
- Juvenile delinquency and dependency records
- Adoption proceedings
- Mental health commitment records
- Expunged or sealed criminal history records under Florida Statute § 943.0585
- Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and other protected personal identifiers
- Domestic violence address confidentiality filings
- Grand jury materials
A distinction exists between courthouse inspection and online access. While a member of the public may inspect a broader range of documents at the courthouse, Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.420 governs which documents may be made available through electronic means. Certain case types and document categories accessible in person are not available through online portals due to privacy protections embedded in court rules.
As the Florida Courts system notes, "the public has a right to inspect and copy most court records," while acknowledging that specific exemptions protect sensitive personal information and certain categories of litigants.
What Are Court Records in Bradford County?
Court records are the official documents, filings, and entries created and maintained by a court or its clerk in connection with judicial proceedings. In Bradford County, the Clerk of Circuit Court serves as the official custodian of trial court records, maintaining files from the time a case is initiated through final disposition and any subsequent post-judgment proceedings.
A docket entry is a chronological log of all actions taken in a case, while a full case file contains the actual documents filed by parties and the court. Civil court records arise from disputes between private parties or between a party and a government entity, while criminal court records document proceedings initiated by the State of Florida against an individual charged with a violation of law. Filed pleadings are the formal documents submitted by parties, whereas final judgments represent the court's conclusive resolution of the matter.
Public filings are those accessible to any member of the public under Florida's open records framework, while sealed or restricted filings have been removed from public access by court order or statute. Trial court records originate in the circuit or county court and are maintained by the Bradford County Clerk. Appellate records, by contrast, are maintained by the First District Court of Appeal and are searchable through the Florida Appellate Case Information System.
Court records are created at the moment a party files an initial document, such as a complaint, petition, or charging instrument. The clerk assigns a case number, opens a file, and begins recording docket entries. As the case progresses through hearings, motions, and rulings, each action is logged. Upon final disposition, the record is closed but retained according to applicable retention schedules.
What's Included in a Bradford County Court Record?
A Bradford County court record may contain a range of documents and data elements depending on the case type, the stage of proceedings, and applicable public-access rules. The following information may appear within a court record:
- Case number assigned by the clerk at filing
- Court name and division, such as Circuit Civil, Circuit Criminal, County Civil, or County Criminal
- Filing date and case initiation information
- Party names, including plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, and attorneys of record
- Case type and current status, such as open, closed, or disposed
- Docket entries listing each action taken in chronological order
- Scheduled hearing dates, continuances, and courtroom assignments
- Motions, complaints, petitions, answers, orders, judgments, notices, minute entries, decrees, and similar filed documents
- Outcome information, including dismissals, verdicts, guilty pleas, convictions, sentencing entries, custody rulings, probate orders, or appellate decisions
- Administrative and financial information, such as filing fees, assessed court costs, fines, restitution amounts, and bond information where publicly displayed
Certain information is excluded or restricted from public court records. Sealed filings are removed from public view by court order. Expunged matters are treated as though they never occurred under Florida law. Juvenile delinquency and dependency files are confidential by statute. Adoption records are sealed. Protected personal data, including Social Security numbers and financial account numbers, is redacted from publicly accessible documents pursuant to Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.425. Physical exhibits and certain attachments may not be reproduced or made available through standard records requests.
Types of Courts in Bradford County
Bradford County is served by the Eighth Judicial Circuit of Florida, which also encompasses Alachua, Gilchrist, Levy, and Union counties. The circuit court is the court of general jurisdiction, hearing felony criminal cases, civil matters involving amounts over $50,000, family law proceedings, probate matters, and juvenile cases. The county court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, civil matters up to $50,000, small claims, and traffic infractions.
The Bradford County Courthouse houses both the circuit court and the county court. The Clerk of Circuit Court maintains official records for both courts. Appellate review of Bradford County trial court decisions is conducted by the First District Court of Appeal, located in Tallahassee. Case information from the Florida Supreme Court is available for matters that reach the state's highest court.
Bradford County Courthouse
945 Temple Ave N
Starke, FL 32091
Phone: (904) 966-6280
Bradford County Official Website
First District Court of Appeal
2000 Drayton Dr
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Phone: (850) 487-1000
First District Court of Appeal
Bradford County courts hear the following case types:
- Felony criminal: Circuit court, all felony charges under Florida law
- Misdemeanor criminal: County court, including DUI and battery
- Civil circuit: Disputes exceeding $50,000, injunctions, and equitable relief
- Civil county: Disputes up to $50,000, landlord-tenant matters
- Small claims: Disputes up to $8,000, simplified procedures
- Family law: Dissolution of marriage, paternity, child support, and custody
- Probate: Estate administration, guardianship, and trust matters
- Juvenile: Dependency and delinquency proceedings
- Traffic: Civil infractions and criminal traffic offenses
How to Search Bradford County Court Records for Free?
Members of the public may search Bradford County court records at no cost through several methods. In-person inspection at the Bradford County Clerk of Circuit Court is free of charge; any person may review publicly available case files and docket entries during regular business hours without paying a fee. Public access terminals at the courthouse similarly allow free case index searches.
The Bradford County Clerk's online portal provides free access to case docket information and party name searches. The Florida Courts website offers free statewide resources and links to clerk portals. The Florida Appellate Case Information System provides free docket searches for appellate matters.
Fees apply when copies or certified documents are requested. Under Florida law, standard copy fees and certification charges are established by statute:
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Plain paper copies | $1.00 per page |
| Certified copies | $1.00 per page + $2.00 certification fee |
| Electronic copies (where available) | Varies by clerk |
| Research fee (extensive requests) | $1.00 per hour after first hour |
These fees are established pursuant to Florida Statute § 28.24, which governs clerk service charges. Members of the public who require only docket information or case status may obtain that information at no cost through in-person or online methods.
How Long Does Bradford County Keep Court Records?
The retention period for Bradford County court records is governed by the Florida Supreme Court's records retention schedules, which establish minimum periods for which clerks must maintain court files before destruction or archival transfer. Retention periods vary by case type and record category.
Under the Florida Supreme Court's approved retention schedules, the following periods apply:
- Felony criminal case files: Retained for 75 years from the date of final disposition
- Misdemeanor and county criminal files: Retained for 5 to 10 years depending on offense classification
- Civil circuit court files: Retained for 5 years after final disposition, with judgments retained for 20 years
- Probate files: Retained for 20 years after closing
- Family law files: Retained for 10 years after the youngest child reaches majority or final order
- Traffic infraction files: Retained for 3 to 5 years
- Docket books and minute records: Retained permanently
Certain records are retained permanently, including judgment dockets, minute books, and records of significant public interest. Paper files may be destroyed after imaging and digital archival, provided the electronic record meets applicable standards. The destruction of a physical file does not constitute expungement; the record continues to exist in digital or microfilm form.
Expungement and sealing are distinct from destruction. An expunged record is removed from public access and, in most circumstances, treated as though it does not exist. A sealed record remains in the clerk's custody but is withheld from public inspection. Archival retention means the record is preserved but may be stored off-site or in a state archive rather than the active clerk's system. Older records from Bradford County may exist in paper files, microfilm, or county archives maintained at the courthouse or transferred to the Florida State Archives in Tallahassee.
How To Find a Court Docket in Bradford County
A court docket is a chronological index of all actions, filings, and proceedings in a specific case. It differs from a full case file in that the docket lists entries and dates without necessarily containing the full text of each document. The docket serves as the official record of what has occurred in a case and is the primary tool for tracking case progress.
Bradford County court dockets are available through the following channels:
Bradford County Clerk Online Portal: The clerk's website provides a case search function where users may enter a party name or case number to retrieve the docket for a specific matter. The docket displays filing dates, document titles, hearing dates, and case status. Document images may be available for some entries, subject to access restrictions under Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.420.
Courthouse Public Terminals: Members of the public may access docket information at terminals located in the Bradford County Courthouse during business hours. Staff at the clerk's office can assist in locating a docket when a case number or party name is provided.
Florida Appellate Case Information System: For cases on appeal, the Florida Appellate Case Information System provides docket searches across all Florida appellate courts, including the First District Court of Appeal. Users may search by case number or party name to retrieve appellate dockets, which include filings, orders, and scheduling entries.
Florida Supreme Court Case Information: For matters before the state's highest court, case information from the Florida Supreme Court includes orders, filings, and other case-related documents, with the option to subscribe to receive opinions.
A court docket contains hearing dates and times, continuances, motion filings, minute entries, status updates, and final disposition entries. A docket does not include the full text of sealed filings, confidential attachments, physical exhibits, or documents restricted from public access by court order. Hearing calendars and daily court schedules may be separately available through the Bradford County Courthouse or the clerk's office, providing information on upcoming proceedings without disclosing restricted case details.
Lookup Court Records in Bradford County
- Florida Courts – Search dockets and documents from Florida's Supreme Court and District Courts of Appeal via the statewide Appellate Case Information System (ACIS).
- Florida Appellate Case Information System – Search court dockets and available case documents in all of Florida's appellate courts.
- Case Information - Florida Supreme Court – Access orders, filings, and other case-related documents from the Florida Supreme Court.
- Crystal K. Kinzel – Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller for Collier County – Access court records, public documents, and pay traffic tickets through the Collier County Clerk's office.