Plantation Court Records Search

Plantation court records are managed by the Broward County Clerk of Courts in Fort Lauderdale. With a population of about 100,000, Plantation is one of the larger cities in Broward County and falls under the 17th Judicial Circuit.

Broward County Clerk of Courts

All court records for Plantation are filed with the Broward County Clerk of Courts. The clerk's main office is at 540 SE 3rd Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, roughly a 20-minute drive east from Plantation. There is no separate court branch in the city.

The clerk handles every type of case. Civil disputes, criminal charges, family law matters, probate, traffic cases. All of it goes through the same office for Plantation residents. Under Florida Statute Chapter 119, these are public records. You can view them without stating a purpose. The only records kept from public view are those sealed by a judge or classified as confidential under state law.

Plantation residents start most court tasks from the Broward Clerk's website, which offers links to search tools, forms, and office hours.

The site lists fee schedules, self-help resources, and contact details. You can also find information about marriage licenses, jury duty, and document recording from the main page.

Searching Plantation Court Records Online

The Broward County Web2 case search is where you look up court records for Plantation. Search by name, case number, or date. The system pulls results from civil, criminal, family, and traffic divisions. It is free to use.

You do not need an account to run a basic search. Party names, docket entries, and filing dates are visible right away. Registered users can view document images and get more detail on Plantation cases. The portal runs 24 hours a day, so you can check at any time.

Under Florida Statute 119.0714, the clerk automatically redacts sensitive data like social security numbers from public records. You do not have to ask for this. Sealed or confidential cases will not appear in your results.

The records request tool lets Plantation residents order official copies of court documents through the Broward Clerk's website.

If you need a certified copy, the cost is $1 per page. You can submit a request through the records request page or go to the clerk's office in person.

Criminal Records in Plantation

Criminal cases for Plantation go through the 17th Judicial Circuit. Circuit court handles felonies. County court handles misdemeanors. Both are stored by the Broward Clerk.

The Web2 portal shows charges, hearing dates, and dispositions. Arrest records are a different matter. Those are held by the Broward Sheriff's Office, not the clerk. If you need a background check that goes beyond Broward County, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement runs a statewide search.

Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420 keeps criminal court records open to the public. Juvenile records are the exception. They do not show in standard searches. A defendant can petition to seal or expunge a record under certain conditions. Once sealed, that case drops out of the public search results for Plantation.

Plantation Family Court Records

Family cases for Plantation are handled by the Broward County Family Division. Divorce, child custody, paternity, and domestic violence cases go through this division. Some family records have confidentiality protections. Child abuse and dependency records are restricted.

Plantation residents filing a family case must use the Broward County Circuit Court. Florida requires at least one party to have lived in the state for six months to file for divorce. The clerk can tell you the current filing fees. They change from time to time.

Court documents can be filed through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal at any hour. The portal itself is free, but court filing fees still apply. Credit card payments include a processing charge. The Florida Courts Help center has free forms and instructions for Plantation residents who are filing without a lawyer.

Other Court Resources for Plantation

For official records like deeds, liens, and recorded judgments, the Broward County Official Records Search is a separate tool. This is not the same as the court case search. Property transfers and mortgage documents are in this system.

The Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers site links all 67 county clerks across the state. It is useful if you need records from another county besides Broward. The MyFloridaCounty.com portal handles online payments for court fees. You get an instant receipt. Many Plantation residents use this instead of driving to the courthouse.

Plantation sits in Broward County. The 17th Judicial Circuit covers all of Broward, and nothing else. If your case was filed in a different county, you need that county's clerk. Under Supreme Court Administrative Order AOSC 16-14, the clerk is allowed to post court document images online for the public. However, sealed or confidential records remain hidden from public access.

Nearby Cities

These cities are close to Plantation in Broward County. Each one uses the same Broward County Clerk for court records.