Leon County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Leon County covers a land area of 668 square miles in the Florida Panhandle. It was established in 1824 and named after Juan Ponce de León, the Spanish explorer who was the first European to settle in Florida. Leon County is home to about 294,128 residents. Its county seat is Tallahassee which is also the capital of the state of Florida. The county's judicial arm comprises two trial courts: Circuit and County Courts.

Florida's 2nd Judicial Circuit Court serves as the apex court in Leon County. The court has original jurisdiction over felony proceedings and civil claims in which the monetary disagreement is more than $15,000. Other legal matters the Circuit Court handles include landlord-tenant cases, probate matters, divorce, guardianships/conservatorships, property disputes, and juvenile delinquencies. Residents may also approach the Circuit Court to appeal administrative decisions and county court judgments. Leon County has a County Court tasked with handling misdemeanor criminal proceedings and city ordinance violations. The County Court also resolves civil cases such as small claims of not more than $15,000 and juvenile traffic cases.

In 2019, the total crime index for Leon County was 11,400, but it dropped to 8,600 crimes in 2021. As of 2021, the crime rate in the county is 2,900 crimes per 100,000 persons. According to Florida's Trial Court Statistics, the Circuit Court handles more than 11,000 cases, while the County Court receives about 25,000 cases annually. Each court maintains a minimum of 95% clearance rate each year. In Leon County, the Clerk of the Circuit Court is responsible for maintaining court records. Interested record searchers can contact the Court Clerk to obtain copies of public court records. The Court Clerk provides access to court records online. Official court records are also accessible online. The Court Clerk does not grant access to confidential court records such as juvenile and mental health case files but can assist in the process to do so. Court orders or special permission is required to obtain access to confidential or sealed files.

In summary, the Circuit and County courts located in Leon County are committed to ensuring fair and equitable handling of all legal matters. The Leon County judiciary makes public case files and court proceedings available online to build public trust. The Leon County judiciary promotes a just and orderly society for all its residents through its dedication to justice, fairness, and transparency.