Hillsborough County Court Records
Hillsborough County court records are held by the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Tampa. The clerk's office serves close to 1.5 million people in the 13th Judicial Circuit, one of the busiest courts in Florida. You can search court records online through the HOVER system, which is free and runs around the clock. Civil, criminal, family law, and probate cases are all kept at the clerk's office. If you need a certified copy, you can order one from home at any time of day. The clerk also helps with court filings, fee payments, and public records requests for Hillsborough County.
Hillsborough County Quick Facts
Hillsborough County Clerk of Court
Victor D. Crist serves as the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Hillsborough County. The clerk's office is the main place to get court records, file new cases, and pay court fees in the county. All case types pass through this office. That includes circuit civil, county civil, family law, probate, guardianship, trust, and mental health cases. Criminal court records are also kept here, from felonies down to misdemeanors. The office is in Tampa and serves the full county.
The Hillsborough County Clerk of Court website lets you handle many tasks from home. You can search court records, order certified copies, and check case status at any hour. The site also has a section on confidential information in court records. Under Florida Statute 119.0714, the clerk must keep social security numbers, bank account data, and other sensitive details out of public view without anyone having to ask. This rule applies to all court records in Hillsborough County.
The Hillsborough County Clerk homepage shows the full list of services you can use online for court records and filings.
The clerk also offers a "File without an Attorney" option. This gives self-represented people the forms and guidance they need to move through the court system in Hillsborough County. Court services cover domestic violence and restraining orders, foreclosure sales, and juvenile delinquency matters as well.
| Office | Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court |
|---|---|
| Clerk | Victor D. Crist |
| County Seat | Tampa, Florida |
| Website | hillsclerk.com |
Search Hillsborough County Court Records Online
The main way to search court records in Hillsborough County is through HOVER. This stands for Hillsborough Online Viewing and Electronic Records. The Florida Supreme Court gave the Hillsborough Clerk permission to offer this tool for electronic access to court records. HOVER lets you search by case number, uniform case number, or citation number. It is free to use. You do not need to sign up or make an account to run a basic search of Hillsborough County court records.
To use HOVER, go to the Hillsborough County court records search page. Pick the type of search you want. Type in the case number or citation number and hit search. Results show case details, party names, and filing dates. Some court documents may be viewable as images. Under Supreme Court Administrative Order AOSC 16-14, the clerk can post many public court document images for viewing in Hillsborough County. Cases sealed by a judge or made confidential by law will not show up in these results.
You can also use the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal to file documents in Hillsborough County cases. This portal works around the clock. E-filing is required for attorneys, and self-represented parties can use it too. The Appellate Court Information System covers appeals from Hillsborough County that go to the Second District Court of Appeal.
Note: HOVER searches work best when you have the exact case number or citation number for your Hillsborough County court records lookup.
Hillsborough Court Records by Case Type
Hillsborough County handles a wide range of case types. Each one creates different kinds of court records. Circuit civil cases deal with disputes over $30,000, injunctions, and appeals from lower courts. County civil cases cover smaller claims and landlord-tenant matters. Both types are searchable through HOVER. The 13th Judicial Circuit is one of the largest in Florida, so the volume of new filings each year is high in Hillsborough County.
Criminal court records in Hillsborough County fall into two main groups. Circuit criminal covers felonies, grand jury cases, and warrants. County criminal handles misdemeanors. The clerk also manages bond agent registration and processes for expungement and sealing of criminal court records. Under Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420, court records are public unless a specific rule or statute makes them confidential. If you want a criminal record sealed or expunged in Hillsborough County, the clerk's office has the forms and the fee schedule for that process.
The Hillsborough County family law section of the clerk's site covers divorce, custody, child support, and name changes. These court records can be searched through HOVER as well. The family law page has links to forms and instructions for people who file on their own in Hillsborough County.
Probate and guardianship cases round out the main case types. These court records in Hillsborough County deal with estates, wills, and care of minors or incapacitated adults. Trust matters are handled here too.
Hillsborough County Records and Reports
The records and reports page on the clerk's site is a good starting point. It has links to official records, court records, and reports that the clerk puts out each year. You can order electronic certified copies of Hillsborough County court records at any time. The system runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Certified copies carry the clerk's seal and are accepted by courts and agencies as proof of what the record says.
Under Florida Statute Chapter 119, court records in Hillsborough County are public. Anyone can ask to see them. You do not need to be a party in the case. The law says the clerk must let you inspect and copy public records during regular business hours. Some records have parts blacked out to protect private data like social security numbers. The clerk follows state rules on what stays visible and what gets removed from public copies of court records in Hillsborough County.
If you need records from the Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers network, that site connects all 67 county clerks. You can also check MyFloridaCounty.com to make payments on court fees for cases in Hillsborough County.
Legal Resources for Hillsborough County
The Florida Courts Help center has free forms and self-help guides for people who need to file in Hillsborough County without a lawyer. All court forms approved by the Florida Supreme Court are available at no cost. The 13th Judicial Circuit also has a self-help center at the courthouse in Tampa. Staff there can point you to the right forms and explain the steps in Hillsborough County court filings. They cannot give legal advice, but they can help you understand the process.
The Hillsborough County Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service. If you need help finding an attorney for a court case, this is a solid option. Bay Area Legal Services also serves Hillsborough County with free legal aid for people who qualify based on income. They handle family law, housing, and consumer cases. For general questions about Florida's court system, the state courts website has guides, statistics, and contact information.
Note: The clerk's office can help you find the right form, but they are not allowed to tell you what to write on it or give legal advice in Hillsborough County.
Confidential Court Records in Hillsborough
Not all court records in Hillsborough County are open to the public. Florida law shields certain types of information. Juvenile records are generally confidential. Mental health cases have limited public access. Domestic violence injunction records may have parts sealed to protect the safety of the people involved. The clerk follows the rules set by the Florida Supreme Court and Florida Statute 119.0714 when deciding what to show and what to hold back from public view in Hillsborough County.
If a judge seals a case in Hillsborough County, the record will not appear in HOVER or any other public search tool. Sealed and expunged records are removed from public access. The process to seal or expunge a criminal record in Hillsborough County starts with a form from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. You submit that form along with a petition to the court. The clerk keeps the sealed file, but only certain people can see it after the court grants the order. This covers both misdemeanor and felony court records in Hillsborough County.
Cities in Hillsborough County
All cities in Hillsborough County file court cases through the county clerk's office in Tampa. Select a city below to learn more about court records access in that area. Smaller communities like Plant City and Temple Terrace also file through the same clerk.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Hillsborough County. Make sure you file in the right county for the court to have jurisdiction over your case. Each county has its own clerk and its own court records system.