Find Gulf County Court Records

Gulf County court records are held by the Clerk of Court in Port St. Joe. This small county on the Florida panhandle coast has a population around 16,000. The clerk files and stores all civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic case records for the county. Clerk John Hammond runs the office and manages all court records operations. Under Florida's public records laws, most court records are open to anyone. You can search case filings online, visit the courthouse in Port St. Joe, or make a request by mail.

Gulf County Clerk of Court

The Gulf County Clerk of Court is the custodian of all court records in the county. Clerk John Hammond manages the office at the Gulf County Courthouse in Port St. Joe. You can call the clerk at (850) 229-6112. The office handles case filings, document storage, and providing copies to the public. Under Florida Statute Chapter 119, court records in Gulf County are public unless sealed by a judge or protected by a specific law.

Gulf County is part of the 14th Judicial Circuit, which also includes Bay, Calhoun, Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties. The circuit court handles felony cases, civil cases over $50,000, family law, probate, and juvenile proceedings. County court covers misdemeanors, small claims, and traffic cases. Both court levels file their records through the same clerk's office in Port St. Joe. The 14th Circuit covers a large area of the western panhandle. Bay County, with Panama City, handles most of the circuit's case volume. Gulf County is one of the smaller members.

The CiviTek portal provides online access to Gulf County court records and case information.

You can also visit the clerk's website for more details on court services and how to request records from the office in Port St. Joe.

Gulf County Court Records Search

Gulf County court records can be searched online through the CiviTek online records portal. You can search by party name, case number, or document type. The system covers civil, criminal, family, and traffic cases filed in Gulf County. Searching is free. Copies of documents may cost a fee. CiviTek runs the online records platform for several smaller Florida counties, including Gulf County.

The search results show basic case details: party names, case type, filing date, and status. Some documents can be viewed online. Others will need a trip to the courthouse in Port St. Joe or a mail request. Gulf County has a low case volume, which is typical for a county of this size. That can make your search easier since there are fewer records to sort through.

For broader searches, the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal connects to court data from counties across the state. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers site links to every county clerk in Florida.

The Florida Courts statewide portal has resources covering Gulf County and the entire state court system.

If you cannot find a record through the online system, call the clerk at (850) 229-6112. Staff can check if the record is on file and help you get a copy.

Note: Gulf County's online database may not include all older records, especially those filed before the county started using its current digital system.

Public Access to Gulf County Records

Court records in Gulf County are subject to the same public access laws that apply across all of Florida. Florida Statute 119.0714 requires the clerk to strip out sensitive personal information before releasing records. Social security numbers, bank account numbers, and dates of birth are removed. Filers must also take out confidential data before submitting documents to the clerk's office.

Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420 sets the rules for which court records are open and which can be sealed or restricted. The vast majority are public. Juvenile cases, mental health proceedings, and records sealed by court order are exceptions. Supreme Court Administrative Order AOSC 16-14 lets courts post public documents online. Gulf County follows this, though the total number of records available is limited due to the small population.

If you believe a Gulf County court record has been wrongly restricted, you have the right to challenge that under Rule 2.420. File a written request with the court explaining why the record should be opened. The judge reviews the request and makes the final decision. This right applies in every Florida county, regardless of size.

Getting Copies of Gulf County Court Records

Copies of Gulf County court records are available from the clerk's office in Port St. Joe. Walk-in requests are the fastest. You can also send a written request by mail. The clerk charges fees set by Florida law for copies and certifications.

Standard fees in Gulf County include:

• Plain copies: $1.00 per page
• Certification fee: $2.00 per document
• Search fee: $2.00 per year per name

For mail requests, write to the Gulf County Clerk of Court in Port St. Joe. Include the case number, a description of the documents you need, and payment by check or money order. Call the clerk for a fee estimate before you send payment. Mail requests may take a week or more. All new court filings must go through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal per state rules.

Note: If you need a certified copy for a legal matter, ask for it specifically. Certified copies carry the clerk's official seal and are the only type most courts will accept.

State Resources for Gulf County

State-level tools can help you with Gulf County court records. The MyFloridaCounty portal processes online payments for court fees and fines. The Appellate Court Information System (ACIS) provides free access to Florida appellate court data. If a Gulf County case was appealed, ACIS will have the records from the appeal.

The Florida Courts Help center has free legal forms and self-help guides. These cover common case types like divorce, custody, and small claims. The Florida Courts main site links to resources for the 14th Judicial Circuit and all other circuits in the state. Since Gulf County shares the 14th Circuit with Bay County and others, some circuit resources may be based in Panama City rather than Port St. Joe.

Cities in Gulf County

Gulf County is a small, coastal county in the Florida panhandle. Port St. Joe is the county seat and the largest town. Wewahitchka is the other main community in the county. All court records for Gulf County are filed and stored at the clerk's office in Port St. Joe. There are no major cities with separate pages in Gulf County, but the same clerk's office handles court records for every resident in the county.

Nearby Counties

Gulf County borders Franklin County to the east, Calhoun County to the north, and Bay County to the west. Each county has its own clerk and court records system. Make sure your case was filed in Gulf County before you search here. A case from a neighboring county will not show up in Gulf County's records.