Charlotte County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Charlotte County is a county in the Southwestern part of Florida, with Punta Gorda as its county seat. It has a population of over 189,900 residents and covers a land area of 681 square miles. The county's court structure primarily consists of the Circuit Court and the County Court, and both courts each have exclusive and concurrent jurisdiction over varying matters. The diversity of the cases handled by the courts underscores its broad legal landscape, which is crucial to the county's governance and maintenance of law and order.

The Circuit Court, which is part of the 20th Judicial Circuit, primarily handles civil cases involving sums exceeding $30,000, including mortgage and lien foreclosure, medical malpractice, negligence, and breach of contract. It also handles divorce proceedings, family-related matters, and criminal cases, including felonies. The County Court, located in Punta Gorda, has jurisdiction over civil matters between $8,000 and $50,000. Minor criminal cases, such as misdemeanors and traffic violations may also be filed at the County Court.

Charlotte County has a relatively efficient court system, partly due to the court's structure and the range of cases the courts handle. This is reflected in the decline of cases filed in each court annually. In 2022, the Circuit Court received about 1,400 civil case filings involving over $30,000, compared to the over 5,000 it received in 2013. Likewise, there were 1,457 filed misdemeanor cases, compared to the over 4,000 in 2018. The county's crime rate of 1,034 crimes per 100,000 persons, compared to the state average of 2,152.3, is further indicative of the efficient justice administration system and the respect for the rule of law. Cases decided by the courts, including all related documents, constitute the court's records. The records are available via the Charlotte County Case Search portal.There are some instances where records are inaccessible and would require permission for access to be granted, typically due to the nature of the case.

The Charlotte County court system remains a vital component of the county's governance, with key involvement in ensuring justice and preserving the rule of law. Maximizing the structure that includes the Circuit Court and the County Court, the county's judiciary utilizes its jurisdiction in addressing various legal issues, while improving its efficiency. Online access to court records also reflects transparency, ease of access to justice, and a judiciary that keeps up with the times. These attributes all make the county's court system stand out.