Palm Beach County, Florida State Court Records

Palm Beach County court records include petitions, motions, orders, session transcripts, judgments, and other official materials related to legal matters in the county. These records are maintained in multiple formats, including written, visual, or audio, through standard clerk filing systems, digital case management systems, and archival storage facilities.

Court records are part of a broader public records ecosystem in which information is shared and integrated across multiple government agencies. Thus, a criminal prosecutor may tender arrest reports as evidence in a felony trial, and civil litigants may rely on property records to support a claim or counterclaim.

The Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller has custodial responsibility for court records in Palm Beach County.

Are Palm Beach County Court Records Public?

Yes. A presumption of openness is established practice in Florida, and Palm Beach County is no exception. The public has an inherent right to review or copy case files in most court matters.

This right of access is formalized in Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.420, which lists the contents of a case file, dockets, case transcripts, evidentiary material, electronic records, and audiovisual tapes among clerk-managed information open to the public.

Even so, Section D of the rule designates some types of court records as confidential. Among these are

Active arrest and search warrants
Family law records in dependency, termination of parental rights, or child abuse cases
Adoption files
Social security numbers, bank account numbers, and credit/debit card numbers
Specific medical and mental health records
Juvenile delinquency

Only those related to the case and authorized government agencies can access confidential case files.

What Information is Available in Palm Beach County Court Records?

The public can access these details within a standard Palm Beach County court case file:

Case number
Names of the parties, attorneys, and presiding judge
Filing dates
Charges or causes of action
Case status, such as whether the case is ongoing, open, closed, settled, or dismissed
Past and upcoming court dates
Case disposition
Sentence or judgment details, such as fines, jail time, probation terms, or monetary judgment amount

Palm Beach County Court Records Search

Court records in Palm Beach County and throughout Florida are unified under a single custodian-the Clerk of Court and County Comptroller. This makes things simpler for record seekers, as there is no need to check with other local government offices.

The Clerk manages two record types:

Circuit Court Records: Major cases are heard in Circuit Court, including civil claims exceeding $50,000, felony criminal cases, probate matters, family law cases, and juvenile dependency cases.
County Court Records: Less serious matters are heard in the various County Courts. The Clerk maintains associated records for civil disputes up to $50,000, misdemeanor cases, traffic infractions, small claims, and uncontested dissolution of marriage.

Online Access

The Clerk of Court operates eCaseView for Palm Beach County court records searches. It has a free and registered user mode. The free section offers searches for case number, name, and citation number across all circuit and county court divisions. Available details are listed below, with the final three applicable to criminal cases:

Case information
Party names
Court events
Case fees
Dockets
Document images (in certain cases only)
Charges and sentences
Arrests & bonds
Warrant information

People who have registered and logged in to eCaseView can unlock date of birth, incident number, booking number, and driver's license number as extra search options. In addition, this group can view or print standard document images for probate, guardianship, mental health, and family cases. However, sealed records, such as juvenile and adoption files, are only available to attorneys of record.

All user categories can order certified copies of documents available to them via eCaseView. An electronically certified copy costs $8, broken down as $2 for certification and a $6 service fee.

The Clerk also has an Official Records Search, which offers access to court judgments, deeds, liens, marriage licenses, plats, tax deeds, and other documents that may originate from court proceedings.

In-Person Access

People looking for records that are unavailable online or were filed before 2008 can visit the Clerk's window in person at the nearest courthouse to make a request. A search fee may apply if the record in question is not immediately available or if the requester does not provide sufficient information.

Mail and Phone Requests

Inquirers who prefer to receive records by mail must complete the Records Service Transmittal Form and submit it through the postal service to

Records Service Center

PO Box 4526

West Palm Beach, FL 33402-4526

The envelope must include a money order or cashier's check for the appropriate amount, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Alternatively, individuals may send the completed form to Orweb@mypalmbeachclerk.com.

Fees for Court Records in Palm Beach County

The following copy, research, and certification fees apply to Palm Beach County court records requests. Note that these payments are exclusively for services rendered by the Clerk of Court, as the actual public court records are free to review.

Standard Copies & Certification

$1 per page on 8½" x 14" paper
$5 per page on paper larger than 8½" x 14"
$2 certification fee per document
$2 per year/name search fee

General In-Person Copy Fees

$1 per page on 8½" x 14" paper
$3 certification fee ($2 to certify the document and $1 for a cover page with scannable QR code)

Online Fees

Uncertified copies are free to print online
$8 for a certified copy per document ($2 for certification plus $6 service charge)
3.5% credit/debit card surcharge on top of any online payment

Mail Fees (apply only if no self-addressed stamped envelope is included)

1-5 pages: $1.50
6-50 pages: $4.50
51-150 pages: $9.50
151+ pages: Postage calculated at time of request

Speciality Documents

$7 to authenticate or exemplify a document
$7 for a Clerk's affidavit
$5 per page for plats on 24" x 36" paper

Bulk/Media Fees

$20 for CD-ROM or document images per Official Record Book
$40 for CD-ROM of Official Record Index per year

Palm Beach County Courthouse Locations

The Circuit and County Courts in Palm Beach County share the same courthouses across several regional locations. Here are their addresses and contact details:

Main Courthouse (West Palm Beach / Lake Worth Beach / Riviera Beach)

205 North Dixie Highway

West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Phone: (561) 355-2996

Criminal Justice Complex

3228 Gun Club Road

West Palm Beach, FL 33406

Phone: (561) 355-2996

North County Courthouse (Palm Beach Gardens / Jupiter / North Palm Beach)

3188 PGA Boulevard

Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410

Criminal Phone: (561) 355-2996

Civil Phone: (561) 624-6650

Royal Palm Beach Branch (Royal Palm Beach / Wellington / Loxahatchee)

200 Civic Center Way

Suite 400

Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411

Phone: (561) 784-1271

South County Courthouse (Delray Beach / Boca Raton / Boynton Beach)

200 West Atlantic Avenue

Room 1S-124

Delray Beach, FL 33444

Criminal Phone: (561) 355-2996

Civil Phone: (561) 274-1588

West County Courthouse (Belle Glade / Pahokee / South Bay)

2950 State Road 15

Room S-100

Belle Glade, FL 33430

Phone: (561) 996-4843

Criminal Records Access in Palm Beach County

Employers, landlords, licensing boards, and other agencies check criminal records to see whether someone has prior arrests, convictions, or open criminal cases. The major components are

Arrests, including same-day releases
Charges and indictments
Court case outcomes, including dismissals, convictions, acquittals, and plea bargains
Sentences-most commonly fines, probation, or jail/prison time
Booking and arrest details
Sentence violations

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) consolidates criminal records sourced from police departments, courts, and correctional institutions throughout Florida. Interested persons can request a Computerized Criminal History Information (CCHI) record, but must pay a $24 fee for each name search.

Case information and certain documents in closed or ongoing criminal prosecutions are accessible through eCaseView or the Clerk's office.

The Palm Beach Sheriff's Office and municipal police departments maintain records of people they apprehend, while the local jails create booking records for everyone in custody. The public can access arrest or custody information by making formal records requests to the specific agency, visiting in person to inquire, or consulting official arrest logs or jail rosters.

Palm Beach County Probate Records

Wills, letters of administration, inventories and accountings, notices of trusts, appointment petitions/orders, and disposition orders are common records generated by the Probate Division of the Palm Beach Circuit Court.

These records are related to the administration and apportionment of a deceased person's estate, involuntary commitment proceedings under the Baker Act, guardianship appointments for juveniles or incapacitated adults, and conservatorships for people presumed missing.

Although anyone can view basic docket information through the eCaseView, probate documents are not available for general online access due to restrictions imposed by Fla. Stat. § 28.2221(5).

However, registered users or those eligible under Fla. Stat. § 731.201(23) can view or purchase images of probate documents on the website. The Clerk of Court also processes in-person and mail requests for people who provide proof of eligibility.

Palm Beach County Family Court Records

Family Court records in Palm Beach County pertain to divorce, domestic violence, adoption, child support or custody, alimony, time-sharing (parental visitation), and other domestic relations matters.

Because of the private nature of most family matters, a majority of family cases have some public access restriction, although dockets and case information may be accessible online or offline. Adoption records are an important exception: the public is not permitted to access either dockets or case files (Fla. Stat. § 63.162).

For the rest, public family case information is viewable through the Clerk's online search system, while registered users who are also eligible can print electronic images or buy certified copies electronically. Interested individuals can also submit copy requests at any regional courthouse where the Clerk operates.

Federal Court Records in Palm Beach County

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida hears federal cases originating from Palm Beach County and maintains associated court records. The divisional clerk operates out of

Paul G. Rogers Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse

701 Clematis Street

Room 202

West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Phone: (561) 803-3400

The Clerk's office charges $34 for a name search, 50 cents per page for a plain copy, $12 to certify a document, and $24 to exemplify one. Those who want remote access can use the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system, which requires a registered user account and a 10-cent-per-search fee.

Records accessible via the Clerk's office and through PACER include those involving federal crimes, bankruptcy, civil rights matters, intellectual property infringements, and disputes above $75,000 involving claimants from different states.