Monroe County Court Records
How To Find Court Records in Monroe County in 2026
Members of the public seeking court records in Monroe County may access publicly available case information through several official channels. MonroeFLRecords.us provides a directory of resources and publicly available information related to court records maintained by government agencies serving Monroe County, Florida. Depending on the case type and applicable access rules, users may find information such as:
- Civil case filings and judgments
- Criminal case dockets and disposition records
- Family law matters, including divorce and custody proceedings
- Probate filings and estate records
- Traffic citations and infractions
- Small claims court filings
- Appellate case information
Court records in Monroe County may be searched through the Clerk of Courts office, courthouse public access terminals, official court websites, written requests submitted by mail, and statewide judicial search tools maintained by the Florida court system.
Method 1 – Clerk of Court or Court Records Office: The Monroe County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller serves as the official custodian of court records for the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit. Members of the public may visit the clerk's office in person to request case files, obtain certified copies, or inspect available records. Providing a case number, party name, or approximate filing date assists staff in locating records efficiently.
Method 2 – Courthouse Public Access Terminals: Public access computer terminals are available at Monroe County courthouse locations. These terminals allow members of the public to search case indexes and review docket information at no charge during regular business hours.
Method 3 – Online Court Search: The Monroe County Clerk of Courts maintains an online case search portal through which members of the public may search civil, criminal, family, and traffic case information by party name or case number.
Method 4 – State-Level Judicial Search Tools: The Florida Appellate Case Information System provides access to public case dockets and electronic case filings in Florida's appellate courts. Additionally, Florida Courts maintains statewide resources for locating court locations and case information across all judicial circuits.
Method 5 – Written or Mail Requests: Members of the public who are unable to appear in person may submit written requests to the clerk's office. Requests should include the case number or party name, the type of record sought, and a return mailing address. Fees for copies apply and must be submitted with the request.
Are Court Records Public In Monroe County
Court records in Monroe County are public records under current Florida law. Florida Statute § 119.01 establishes the public policy that all state, county, and municipal records shall be open for personal inspection and copying by any person. This principle extends to court records maintained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court.
Records that are public under current law include:
- Case dockets and indexes
- Party names and case numbers
- Hearing dates and court calendars
- Filed pleadings, motions, and orders
- Final judgments and sentencing entries
- Probate filings and estate inventories
Certain categories of records are confidential, sealed, or restricted under Florida law and court rules. These include:
- Juvenile delinquency and dependency records
- Adoption records
- Mental health commitment proceedings
- Records sealed or expunged pursuant to Florida Statute § 943.0585
- Protected personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and dates of birth in certain filings
- Records subject to court-ordered sealing
A distinction exists between courthouse inspection and online access. While the public may inspect most court records in person at the clerk's office, not all documents are available through online portals. Sealed filings, confidential attachments, and certain exhibits may be withheld from electronic access even when the case docket itself is publicly visible.
What Are Court Records in Monroe 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 Monroe County, court records are maintained by the Monroe County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller for trial-level matters, and by the Third District Court of Appeal for appellate proceedings arising from the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit.
A docket entry is a chronological log of actions taken in a case, while a full case file includes all documents filed with the court, such as complaints, answers, motions, orders, and exhibits. Civil court records document disputes between private parties or between a party and a government entity, while criminal court records document proceedings initiated by the state against an individual charged with a criminal offense. Filed pleadings are the initial documents that frame the legal dispute, whereas final judgments represent the court's ultimate resolution of the matter.
Public filings are accessible to any member of the public under Florida's open-records framework, while sealed or restricted filings are withheld from public inspection pursuant to statute, court rule, or judicial order. Trial court records originate in the circuit or county court and are maintained by the clerk of court, while appellate records are maintained by the appellate court clerk and may be accessed through the Florida Appellate Case Information System.
Court records are created at the moment a document is filed with the clerk and are updated continuously as the case progresses through filing, service, hearings, motions, orders, and final disposition. Upon appeal, the trial court record is transmitted to the appellate court, where it becomes part of the appellate record.
What's Included in a Monroe County Court Record?
A Monroe County court record may include, depending on case type and applicable public-access rules, the following categories of information:
- Case identification: Case number, court name, division, and filing date
- Party information: Names of plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, and other named parties
- Case classification: Case type, charge or claim description, and current case status
- Docket entries: A chronological log of all filings, hearings, orders, and actions taken in the case
- Hearing information: Scheduled and past hearing dates, continuances, and courtroom assignments
- Filed documents: Complaints, petitions, answers, motions, notices, affidavits, subpoenas, and similar pleadings
- Judicial orders and judgments: Temporary orders, final judgments, sentencing entries, custody rulings, probate orders, decrees, and appellate decisions
- Outcome information: Dismissals, verdicts, pleas, convictions, acquittals, and case dispositions
- Financial and administrative data: 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 withheld from public inspection by court order. Expunged records are removed from public access pursuant to Florida Statute § 943.059. Juvenile case files, adoption records, and certain mental health proceedings are confidential under Florida law. Protected personal identifiers are redacted from publicly accessible documents. Physical exhibits and certain attachments may not be reproduced or made available through online portals.
Types of Courts in Monroe County
Monroe County is served by the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, which has exclusive jurisdiction over the county. The Monroe County court structure within the Florida judiciary includes both the Circuit Court and the County Court, each with distinct jurisdictional authority.
The Circuit Court is the court of general jurisdiction in Monroe County. It hears felony criminal cases, civil matters involving amounts exceeding $50,000, family law cases including dissolution of marriage, child custody, and adoption, juvenile dependency and delinquency proceedings, and probate and guardianship matters. The Circuit Court also hears appeals from the County Court.
The County Court is the court of limited jurisdiction. It handles misdemeanor criminal cases, civil matters involving amounts up to $50,000, small claims cases, landlord-tenant disputes, and traffic infractions. The Monroe County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller maintains the official records for both the Circuit Court and the County Court.
Appellate review of decisions from the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit is conducted by the Third District Court of Appeal, which serves Monroe County along with Miami-Dade County. Case information for appellate proceedings is accessible through the Florida Appellate Case Information System.
Monroe County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
500 Whitehead Street
Key West, FL 33040
Phone: (305) 292-3423
Monroe County Clerk of Courts
Monroe County Courthouse – Marathon Branch
3117 Overseas Highway
Marathon, FL 33050
Phone: (305) 289-6027
Monroe County Clerk of Courts
Monroe County Courthouse – Plantation Key Branch
88820 Overseas Highway
Tavernier, FL 33070
Phone: (305) 852-7145
Monroe County Clerk of Courts
How to Search Monroe County Court Records for Free?
Members of the public may search Monroe County court records at no charge through several methods. In-person inspection at any Monroe County Clerk of Courts location is free of charge. Public access terminals located within courthouse facilities allow users to search case indexes and review docket information without cost during regular business hours, which are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Monroe County Clerk of Courts online case search portal provides free access to case index information, docket entries, and certain document images. The Florida Courts website provides free access to court location information, self-help resources, and links to statewide judicial tools.
Charges apply for the following services:
| Service | Approximate Fee |
|---|---|
| Plain copy of a court document | $1.00 per page |
| Certified copy of a court document | $2.00 per certification + $1.00 per page |
| Electronic copies (where available) | Varies by clerk portal |
| Research fee (clerk-assisted) | Varies |
Fees for clerk services in Florida are governed by Florida Statute § 28.24, which establishes the schedule of service charges applicable to clerks of the circuit court. Members of the public who conduct their own research using public terminals or online portals are not subject to research fees.
How Long Does Monroe County Keep Court Records?
Monroe County court records are retained according to retention schedules established by the Florida Division of Library and Information Services and the Florida Supreme Court. Retention periods vary by case type and record category.
Criminal felony case files are retained permanently. Criminal misdemeanor case files are retained for a minimum of ten years following case disposition. Civil circuit court case files are retained for a minimum of five years following final disposition, with certain categories retained permanently. Probate and guardianship records are retained permanently. Family law case files, including dissolution of marriage and custody matters, are retained permanently. Traffic infraction records are retained for a minimum of five years.
Docket books, minute books, and judgment records are retained permanently as part of the official court record. Paper case files may be destroyed following imaging and transfer to electronic storage, provided that the electronic record meets archival standards. Older records may exist in paper files, microfilm, or county archives, and members of the public seeking historical records should contact the clerk's office directly to determine availability.
A distinction exists among destruction, archival retention, sealing, redaction, and expungement. Destruction refers to the physical elimination of a record at the end of its retention period. Archival retention means the record is preserved indefinitely, though it may be transferred to a different storage medium or location. Sealing restricts public access to a record without eliminating it. Redaction removes specific information from a document while leaving the remainder accessible. Expungement, authorized under Florida law, results in the removal of a record from public access and, in some circumstances, its physical destruction.
How To Find a Court Docket in Monroe County
A court docket is the official chronological log of all actions, filings, and proceedings in a specific case. It differs from a full case file in that it records what has occurred in a case without necessarily containing the full text of every document filed. The docket serves as the index to the case file and is the primary tool for tracking case status and history.
In Monroe County, court dockets are available through the following channels:
- Clerk of Courts online portal: The Monroe County Clerk of Courts maintains an online case search system through which members of the public may retrieve docket information by entering a case number or party name. The portal displays docket entries, hearing dates, and, where available, document images.
- Courthouse public access terminals: Terminals located at Monroe County courthouse locations provide access to the same case index and docket information available through the online portal.
- In-person clerk request: Members of the public may request docket printouts from clerk staff at any Monroe County courthouse location.
- Statewide appellate dockets: For cases on appeal, the Florida Appellate Case Information System provides access to appellate dockets, including filings, orders, and case status for matters before the Third District Court of Appeal. The Florida Supreme Court case information page provides docket access for matters before the state's highest court.
A court docket entry identifies the date of the action, the type of document filed or proceeding held, and the party or court responsible for the action. Dockets include hearing dates, continuances, motion filings, order entries, and status updates. A docket does not include the full text of sealed filings, confidential attachments, physical exhibits, or documents withheld from public access by court order. Hearing calendars and daily court schedules may be separately available through the clerk's office or posted at courthouse locations.