Highlands County, Florida State Court Records
Court records in Highlands County stem from legal proceedings within the local justice system. The Highlands County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller's Office serves as the statutory records custodian and facilitates public inspection in accordance with Florida statutes and court rules.
Court records encompass a variety of papers, forms, and exhibits submitted to or created by the Clerk's Office as a particular court case progressed through the county justice system. Oftentimes, these records feature others collated from similar public agencies and filed either as evidence or to support a claim in court. A case in point concerns business records maintained by the Florida Department of State's Division of Corporations, which may be filed in civil actions to prove that a company-perhaps acting as either the defendant or the plaintiff-is duly registered.
Are Highlands County Court Records Public?
Yes. Public access to Highlands County court records is regulated by Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.420. Under this court rule, records maintained by the judiciary are broadly open, meaning they can be reviewed or copied by anyone. Residency or citizenship does not restrict an individual's access to court files.
While Rule 2.420 makes the vast majority of court records available for public perusal, it-along with the applicable Florida Statutes (F.S.)- sets forth critical exemptions. Records are kept confidential if their disclosure would imperil a person's life or safety, interfere with the administration of justice, or expose law enforcement investigative practices. Additionally, records tied to juvenile delinquency, adoptions, and sealed court proceedings are strictly exempt from open access.
What Information is Available in Highlands County Court Records?
Highlands County court records typically comprise these components:
- Case Summary: High-level metadata summarizing the critical details of a legal matter. Frequent data points include the litigants' names, case number, attorney(s) of record, filing date, presiding official, specific claim/action, scheduled hearings (including dates, times, and locations), and the final disposition.
- Court Docket: A registry indexing every event, action, and filing tied to the case, presented in chronological order.
- Filings: The original documentary materials submitted by the case parties (e.g., pleadings, motions, affidavits, notices), alongside items or records generated by the court or clerk (e.g., calendars, docket sheets, judgments, orders)
Highlands County Court Records Search
Members of the public who wish to inspect or duplicate Highlands County court records have the following primary access channels available to them:
Online Access
Online access favors those who do not reside in or near Highlands County. It allows any individual to look up local court cases from any location with an internet connection.
The Highlands County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller's Online Court Records Search (OCRS) is the premier online resource for local case research. OCRS is searchable, at a minimum, by name (via the Person Search feature) or case number (via the Case Search feature).
User registration is offered for expanded viewing capabilities, but it is not necessary for public (anonymous) lookups. Remote access is governed by Florida Supreme Court Administrative Order AOSC 18-16 and the updated Standards for Access to Electronic Court Records (which includes the Access Security Matrix), which define what information is accessible online based on user security tiers.
Anonymous searches through OCRS are entirely free. Public users can view case summaries, chronological dockets (including available document images), upcoming court events, and financial ledgers for a case. A comprehensive User Guide is located on the OCRS homepage under the "Help" top menu.
Individuals can also order electronically certified documents from the Clerk's Office online.
In-Person Access
If remote access does not yield the required information (especially concerning confidential case types and certified document copies), individuals may visit the Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller's Office to research or request a case record. The physical courthouse facility in Highlands County accepts walk-ins during standard weekday business hours.
Mail and Phone Requests
Written correspondence can be routed to 590 South Commerce Avenue, Sebring, FL 33870-3867 (the Clerk's mailing address) to request Highlands County court records. Requesters are advised to include detailed information about the case whose records they seek, including related party names, filing dates, or case numbers. Because copy requests attract a fee in Florida, it is also important to verify rates by calling the Clerk's Office at (863) 402-6565.
Fees for Court Records in Highlands County
F.S. 28.24 establishes the standard service charges for court record requests made to the Clerk and Comptroller's Office in Highlands County. These fees typically surround copy requests and assisted searches performed by the Clerk's Office; self-service record inspection remains free in Florida:
- $1 per page for documents not larger than 14" x 8.5."
- $5 per page for documents larger than 14" x 8.5."
- $2 per document certification, plus the standard per-page copy fee.
- $7 per instrument, plus the standard per-page copy fee, for exemplified or authenticated copies.
- $2 per year, per name for assisted record searches performed by Clerk personnel.
Highlands County Courthouse Locations
Highlands County is part of Florida's 10th Judicial Circuit, which also encompasses Polk and Hardee counties. This circuit consists of a county court and a circuit court in each county, which hear all cases for their particular jurisdictions.
In Highlands County, the Circuit Court serves as the general trial jurisdiction court, presiding over broad categories of criminal and civil cases. Meanwhile, the County Court possesses limited jurisdiction, constrained to hearing only specific matters assigned to it by state law. The full legal authorities of these courts are outlined in the Florida Judiciary's Court Structure page.
Below is the physical courthouse location and its primary contact number in Highlands County.
430 South Commerce Avenue
Sebring, FL 33870
Phone (Main Clerk's Office Line): (863) 402-6565
Criminal Records Access in Highlands County
When researching criminal records generated by the Highlands County criminal justice system, two primary agencies are of importance: law enforcement bodies and the judicial branch.
People seeking comprehensive criminal histories-covering both Highlands County and the broader State of Florida-can approach the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). As the central repository for criminal history data in Florida, the FDLE offers name-based background checks for a baseline fee of $24. These searches are conducted using specific tools (including the Instant Search, Certified/Non-Certified Search, or ORI Search portals) hosted on the FDLE's Criminal History Record Check page.
If the purpose of the search is simply to determine if a known arrest or indictment resulted in a conviction or other disposition, individuals can instead access criminal court records preserved by the Highlands County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller's Office. Local criminal case searches can be completed online using the Clerk's Online Court Records Search application or in person/by mail with a formal records request to the Clerk's Office.
Highlands County Probate Records
The probate court in Highlands County is the Circuit Court. This court maintains exclusive original jurisdiction over matters of probate-proceedings initiated to administer a decedent's estate. The court also determines guardianship for minors or incapacitated adults, oversees trust administration, and hears will contests. "Probate records" is the formal term used by the court to refer to official documents and files from these proceedings.
The Highlands County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller's Online Court Records Search portal can be searched by name or case number to find information about recent probate cases. A written request can also be made via mail or in person to the Clerk's Office (in-person requesters can also submit oral requests).
Requesters should note, however, that while probate records fall under the provisions of Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.420 (which grants broad public access), sensitive probate filings, such as estate inventories, financial accountings, and clinical evaluations, are heavily redacted or are fully confidential to protect individual privacy interests. Further, per Florida AOSC 18-16 and F.S. 28.2221(5)(a), the Clerk is prohibited from publishing images of probate filings on the internet.
Highlands County Family Court Records
Highlands County family court records encompass information, papers, and other documentary items generated from domestic relations proceedings held in the Highlands County Circuit Court. Highlands County does not have a standalone, dedicated family court; instead, the Circuit Court maintains exclusive jurisdiction over divorces (dissolutions of marriage), alimony, child custody, domestic violence, and other related family matters.
Members of the public have a few options for retrieving plain or certified copies of Highlands County family court records:
- E-Certify Portal: Researchers can order electronically certified copies of family law files via the Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller's E-Certify Portal.
- Email or In-Person Request (E-Copies): For documents unavailable online, individuals may request e-certification by emailing the Clerk at record@highlandsclerkfl.gov or by stopping by the Clerk's Office in person.
- In-Person or Mail Request (Uncertified Copies): Physical uncertified copies or traditional wet-ink certified copies can be obtained at the Clerk's Office or by submitting a written request by mail.
It should be noted that while the ability to research or track Highlands County family cases online is feasible via the Clerk's Online Court Records Search portal, Florida AOSC 18-16 and F.S. 28.2221(5)(a) prevent the dissemination of family document images on a publicly accessible portal.
Federal Court Records in Highlands County
The federal court system deals with actions or disputes filed under federal law, including cases where the U.S. government is a party, diversity disputes (involving parties from different states/countries with over $75,000 in controversy), matters related to the United States Constitution, and bankruptcy.
These proceedings, when arising in Highlands County, are handled by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida (also called the Florida Southern District Court). The court's Fort Pierce Division receives filings from Highlands County at
Alto Lee Adams, Sr. U.S. Courthouse
101 South U.S. Highway 1
Room 1016
Ft. Pierce, FL 34950
Phone: (772) 467-2300
To inspect the federal court records generated in the Alto Lee Adams, Sr. U.S. Courthouse, individuals can access PACER-the federal case locator. PACER can be accessed online or using a public terminal at any of the Florida Southern District Court courthouse locations. A standard PACER search costs 10 cents per page. (See other fees associated with PACER usage.)
Alternatively, record seekers can purchase copies in person at any courthouse location (see court fees) or by contacting the Florida Southern District Court's centralized Records Section:
United States District Court
Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. U.S. Courthouse
Records Section
400 North Miami Avenue, 8th Floor North
Miami, FL 33128
Phone (Main Number): (305) 523-5210
For information about retrieving older federal court records archived at the Federal Records Center (FRC) in Atlanta, Georgia, or the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), individuals can review guidelines on the Florida Southern District Court's Records page.
