Search Sumter County Court Records

Sumter County court records are managed by the Clerk of Court in Bushnell. The county has grown fast in recent years, largely due to The Villages retirement community that spans much of the area. Clerk Gloria Hayward runs the office and handles all court filings for civil, criminal, family, and traffic cases. You can search Sumter County court records online or visit the courthouse in Bushnell to get copies in person. Most records are public under Florida law, and the clerk provides free online search tools to help you find what you need.

Sumter County Clerk of Court

The Sumter County Clerk of Court is the official custodian of all court records in the county. Gloria Hayward serves as clerk. The office is at the Sumter County Courthouse in Bushnell. You can reach them by phone at (352) 569-6600. The clerk files and stores all case records, provides copies to the public, and runs the online search system. Under Florida Statute Chapter 119, court records here are public unless a court has sealed them or a law exempts them.

Sumter County is part of the 5th Judicial Circuit, which also includes Citrus, Hernando, Lake, and Marion counties. The circuit court handles felony cases, civil cases worth more than $50,000, family law, probate, and juvenile cases. County court deals with misdemeanors, small claims, and traffic cases. Both types of records go through the clerk's office in Bushnell. The 5th Circuit has seen a big jump in case volume as the county's population has grown.

The Florida Courts website gives you a broad look at how the state court system works, including the 5th Circuit that serves Sumter County.

From this site you can find links to every judicial circuit, court forms, and guides for the public. It is a good backup if the county clerk's site is down.

Sumter County Court Records Online Search

The Sumter County court records search is the main tool for looking up cases in the county. You can search by name, case number, or document type. The system covers civil, criminal, family, and traffic case filings. It is free to search. No account is needed. Results show case details like party names, dates, case type, and case status.

Sumter County also has records available through the CiviTek online records portal. This system hosts court records for many smaller Florida counties. You can search for official records like deeds, liens, and other recorded documents through this tool. It works well for both court case data and non-court public filings.

Keep in mind that the online system may not have every record. Older paper files from before the digital switch may not be in the database. If you can't find what you need, call the clerk at (352) 569-6600. They can check the paper records and tell you what is on file.

The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers website connects you to all 67 county clerk offices in the state.

If you need records from multiple counties, this is a good starting point. You can jump to any county clerk's site from one place.

Note: Sumter County's population has grown quickly, so the volume of court records has gone up in recent years. Use specific search terms to narrow your results.

Public Access and Privacy in Sumter County

Florida Statute 119.0714 requires the clerk to redact certain personal data from public court records. Social security numbers, bank account info, and similar details are removed before records go online or are given out. If you file a document in Sumter County, you are also responsible for removing confidential data before you submit it. This rule protects privacy while keeping the records open to the public.

Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420 spells out which court records are open and which can be restricted. Most are public. Juvenile cases, certain mental health records, and files sealed by a judge are not available for public review. Supreme Court Administrative Order AOSC 16-14 lets Florida courts post public documents online, and Sumter County follows this order. You can view many case documents through the clerk's online system without visiting the courthouse.

The right to access court records in Sumter County is the same as in every other Florida county. The size of the county does not change your rights. If you think a record was improperly withheld, you can challenge that under Rule 2.420 by filing a written request with the court.

Getting Copies of Sumter County Court Records

You can get copies of court records by visiting the clerk's office in Bushnell, by mail, or online. Fees are set by state law. Certified copies cost more than plain copies. If you need a document for a legal case, you will most likely need the certified version. Walk-in requests at the courthouse are the quickest option.

Standard copy fees in Sumter County:

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

For mail requests, send a letter to the Sumter County Clerk of Court in Bushnell. Include the case number, the documents you need, and a check or money order for the fees. Call ahead if you are not sure of the cost. Mail requests usually take a week or more. All new court filings in Sumter County go through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal. The state requires electronic filing for most case types.

State Resources for Sumter County

The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers website has links to every county clerk in the state. The MyFloridaCounty portal handles online payments for court fees and fines across Florida, including Sumter County. For appellate records, the Appellate Court Information System (ACIS) gives free access to case data from all Florida appellate courts. If a Sumter County case was appealed, you can track it through ACIS.

The Florida Courts Help center offers free forms and guides for self-represented parties. These tools cover common case types like divorce, small claims, and custody. They can help you understand what to expect in Sumter County court without hiring a lawyer right away.

Note: Sumter County shares the 5th Judicial Circuit with Citrus, Hernando, Lake, and Marion counties, so circuit-level resources may reference all five counties together.

Cities in Sumter County

Sumter County includes the communities of Bushnell, Wildwood, Coleman, Center Hill, and Webster. The Villages, a large retirement community, spans a big part of the county. All court records for these areas go through the Sumter County Clerk of Court in Bushnell.

Nearby Counties

Sumter County shares borders with Lake, Marion, Citrus, Hernando, and Pasco counties. Each has its own clerk and court records system. Court records filed in one county will not show up in another county's database.