Search Hardee County Court Records

Hardee County court records are managed by the Clerk of Court in Wauchula. This is a small, mostly agricultural county in central Florida with a population around 27,000. The clerk handles all filings for civil, criminal, family, and traffic cases in the county. Court records here are public under Florida law, with the usual exceptions for sealed and confidential files. Clerk Hugh E. Bradley Jr. oversees the office and all court records operations. You can look up Hardee County case information online through the CiviTek portal, or you can go to the clerk's office at the courthouse in Wauchula.

Hardee County Clerk of Court

The Hardee County Clerk of Court is the official keeper of all court records in the county. The main office is at the Hardee County Courthouse in Wauchula, Florida. You can call the clerk at (863) 773-4174 for questions about records or services. The office handles case filings, maintains court documents, and gives copies of records to the public. Under Florida Statute Chapter 119, court records in Hardee County are public unless a judge has sealed the file or a law makes them confidential.

Hardee County is part of the 10th Judicial Circuit, which also includes Highlands and Polk counties. The circuit court takes felony cases, civil cases above $50,000, family law, probate, and juvenile cases. The county court in Hardee handles misdemeanors, small claims, and traffic matters. Both types of records go through the same clerk's office. Wauchula is the only courthouse location in Hardee County, so all filings end up there regardless of where the case started.

The Hardee County Clerk of Court website provides access to court services and records information.

The clerk's site also covers recording services, marriage licenses, and other non-court functions for Hardee County residents.

Hardee County Court Records Search

You can search Hardee County court records online through the CiviTek online records portal. This is the main tool for looking up case filings in Hardee County. It lets you search by party name, case number, or document type. The portal covers civil, criminal, family, and traffic cases. Searching is free. Fees may apply if you want copies or downloads of certain documents. CiviTek runs the online records system for several smaller Florida counties, and Hardee is among them.

The search results show basic case info. You get party names, case type, filing date, and case status. Some court documents can be viewed right from the results page. Others may only be available through the clerk's office in Wauchula. Hardee County does not have the case volume of a county like Polk or Hillsborough, but the same access rules still apply. Florida law says you can look at court records unless there is a specific reason they are restricted.

The CiviTek portal for Hardee County gives you online access to court records and case data.

If you cannot find a record online, call the clerk at (863) 773-4174. The staff can check what is on file and walk you through how to get a copy.

Note: Hardee County's online records system may not include all historical case filings, particularly those from before the digital conversion.

Public Access to Hardee County Records

Court records in Hardee County follow Florida's public access laws. Florida Statute Section 119.0714 requires the clerk to redact certain personal details from public records. Social security numbers, bank account numbers, and similar sensitive data get removed from court records before they are shared with the public. Filers also have a duty to strip out confidential information before submitting documents to the clerk in Hardee County.

Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420 spells out which court records are open and which can be sealed. Most records are public by default. Juvenile cases, mental health proceedings, and cases sealed by court order are restricted. If you believe a Hardee County court record has been improperly kept from public view, you can file a challenge under Rule 2.420. The process requires a written request to the court explaining your position.

Under Supreme Court Administrative Order AOSC 16-14, Florida courts can post public court documents on the internet. Hardee County participates in this process. Because it is a smaller county, the number of records online may be less than what you see in bigger jurisdictions. That said, your right to access public records does not change based on county size. The same rules apply in Hardee County as they do in Orange County or Broward County.

Getting Copies of Hardee County Court Records

Copies of Hardee County court records are available in person at the Wauchula courthouse, through the online portal, or by mail request. The clerk charges standard fees set by Florida law. Certified copies cost more than plain copies. If you need a document for a court proceeding or legal matter, get the certified version. Walking into the clerk's office is the quickest way to get records in Hardee County.

Standard copy fees include:

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

For a mail request, write to the Hardee County Clerk of Court in Wauchula. Include the case number, the documents you want, and a check or money order. Call ahead if you are not sure of the total cost. Mail requests can take a week or more to process. For new court filings, Florida requires e-filing in most cases, so use the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal instead of mailing documents.

Note: Hardee County shares the 10th Judicial Circuit with Polk and Highlands counties, so some circuit-level records may reference all three counties together.

State Resources for Hardee County

Several statewide tools can help with Hardee County court records. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers website links to every county clerk in Florida. Use it to find the right clerk if you are unsure which county has your records. The MyFloridaCounty portal handles online payments for court fees and fines in Hardee County and throughout the state.

The Appellate Court Information System (ACIS) gives free access to case info from Florida's District Courts of Appeal and the Supreme Court. If a Hardee County case was appealed, you can follow it through ACIS. The Florida Courts Help center has free forms and self-help guides for common case types like divorce, custody, and small claims. These resources are useful if you are handling a case on your own in Hardee County.

Cities in Hardee County

Hardee County is a rural area in central Florida. Wauchula is the county seat and the largest town. Other communities include Bowling Green and Zolfo Springs. All court records for Hardee County are filed and stored at the clerk's office in Wauchula. There are no major cities with separate pages in Hardee County, but the same clerk's office serves the entire county.

Nearby Counties

Hardee County borders several counties in central Florida. Each one has its own clerk and court records system. If you need records from a neighboring county, check the links below to go to that county's page.