Find Washington County Court Records
Washington County court records are managed by the Clerk of Court in Chipley. This is a small, rural county in the Florida panhandle with a population of about 25,000. Clerk Lora C. Bell runs the office. The clerk handles all court filings for civil, criminal, family, and traffic cases in Washington County. Most of these records are public under Florida law. You can search online or go to the courthouse in Chipley to look up records and get copies.
Washington County Quick Facts
Washington County Clerk of Court
The Washington County Clerk of Court is the official custodian of all court records in the county. Lora C. Bell is the clerk. The office is at the Washington County Courthouse in Chipley. Call (850) 638-6289 for questions about court records, fees, or the filing process. Under Florida Statute Chapter 119, court records in Washington County are open to the public unless they have been sealed by a judge or made confidential by a specific state law.
Washington County is part of the 14th Judicial Circuit, which also includes Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, and Jackson counties. The circuit court handles felonies, civil cases over $50,000, family law, probate, and juvenile cases. County court takes care of misdemeanors, small claims, and traffic. All records from both court levels go through the clerk's office in Chipley. The 14th Circuit covers a large stretch of the panhandle and includes both rural counties and the more populated Bay County area around Panama City.
The CiviTek online records portal for Washington County gives you access to case data and official documents.
You can search by party name, case number, or document type. The portal covers court cases and recorded documents like deeds and liens.
| Office | Washington County Clerk of Court |
|---|---|
| Clerk | Lora C. Bell |
| Phone | (850) 638-6289 |
| Website | washingtonclerk.com |
Washington County Court Records Online Search
Washington County court records can be searched through the CiviTek online records portal. CiviTek hosts records for many of Florida's smaller counties. You can search by party name, case number, or document type. The system covers both court case data and official recorded documents. Searches are free. You may need to pay fees for copies or printed documents.
Results show the basic facts about each case. Party names, case type, filing date, and status are all listed. For the full case file or specific documents like orders and motions, you may need to visit the courthouse in Chipley. Washington County is a small county with a low volume of records. That means most searches are straightforward. But older records from before the digital system went live may not appear online.
The Florida Courts website is a statewide resource that includes info on the 14th Judicial Circuit and all other Florida courts.
This site has court forms, legal guides, and links to every circuit. It can fill in the gaps when the county clerk's online tools don't have what you are looking for.
Note: Washington County's online records may not include every file. Paper records from before the digital era are stored at the courthouse in Chipley. Call the clerk to ask about older cases.
Public Access and Privacy in Washington County
Florida Statute 119.0714 requires the clerk to redact certain personal details from public court records. Social security numbers, bank account numbers, and similar data get removed. Anyone filing documents in Washington County must also strip confidential info before submitting it. These protections apply in all 67 Florida counties.
Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420 lays out the rules for public access to court records. Most records are open. Juvenile cases, certain mental health files, and records sealed by a judge are restricted. Supreme Court Administrative Order AOSC 16-14 lets courts post public documents online. Washington County follows this order, though the total volume of online records may be smaller than in a larger county.
If you think a Washington County court record has been improperly withheld, you can file a written challenge under Rule 2.420. Your right to access public records applies no matter where you live or how big the county is.
Getting Copies of Washington County Court Records
You can get copies of Washington County court records at the clerk's office in Chipley, by mail, or through the online system. Fees are set by state law. Certified copies cost more than plain ones. If you need a document for a legal matter, you will typically need the certified version.
Standard fees in Washington 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 with the case number, the documents you want, and a check or money order for the fees. Call (850) 638-6289 first to check the total. Walk-in visits at the Chipley courthouse are the quickest way to get copies. Mail requests can take a week or longer. All new court filings go through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal. The state requires e-filing for most case types.
State Resources for Washington 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 in Washington County and every other Florida county. For appellate court records, the Appellate Court Information System (ACIS) provides free case data from all Florida appellate courts. If a Washington County case was appealed, you track it through ACIS.
The Florida Courts Help center offers free forms and guides for people in court without a lawyer. Common case types like divorce, custody, and small claims are all covered. These tools help Washington County residents understand the process and handle their cases on their own.
Note: Washington County is in the 14th Judicial Circuit with Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, and Jackson counties. Circuit resources may cover all six counties in one place.
Cities in Washington County
Washington County includes the communities of Chipley, Vernon, Caryville, Wausau, and Ebro. Chipley is the county seat and the main town. All court records for these areas are filed with the Washington County Clerk of Court in Chipley. No cities in Washington County meet the population threshold for a separate page, but the clerk's office serves everyone in the county.
Nearby Counties
Washington County borders Holmes County to the north, Jackson County to the northeast, Calhoun County to the east, Bay County to the south, and Walton County to the west. Each county has its own clerk and court records system. Check that you are searching in the right county before you start.