Hillsborough County Public Records /Hillsborough County Court Records

Hillsborough County Court Records

What Is Hillsborough County Court Records

Court records in Hillsborough County encompass the official documentation generated by judicial proceedings across all courts operating within the county's jurisdiction. These records constitute the formal written history of legal actions and include a broad range of documents: case files, docket sheets, pleadings, motions, orders, judgments, transcripts of proceedings, exhibits admitted into evidence, sentencing records, and appellate filings. Each document type serves a distinct evidentiary or administrative function within the judicial process.

Court records are distinct from other categories of public records maintained by Hillsborough County agencies. Property records, for example, are maintained by the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser and the Clerk of the Circuit Court in its capacity as recorder of deeds. Vital records—including birth, death, and marriage certificates—are administered by the Florida Department of Health. Court records, by contrast, are generated exclusively through judicial proceedings and are maintained by the clerk of the court in which the matter was filed.

The following courts generate and maintain court records in Hillsborough County:

Circuit Court — handles felony criminal cases, civil matters exceeding $50,000, family law, probate, and juvenile matters
County Court — handles misdemeanor criminal cases, civil matters up to $50,000, small claims, and traffic infractions
Probate Court — a division of the Circuit Court handling estates, guardianships, and mental health proceedings
Family Court — a unified division of the Circuit Court addressing dissolution of marriage, child custody, and domestic violence
Small Claims Court — a division of County Court for civil disputes up to $8,000
Municipal/City Courts — certain municipalities within Hillsborough County maintain local ordinance violation proceedings

Pursuant to Florida Statutes § 28.222, the Clerk of the Circuit Court is designated as the official custodian of all court records within the county, responsible for their maintenance, indexing, and public access.

Are Court Records Public In Hillsborough County

Court records in Hillsborough County are presumptively public under Florida law. The Florida Constitution, Article I, Section 24, establishes a broad right of access to public records, and Florida Statutes § 119.01 codifies the public records law applicable to government agencies, including court clerks. The Florida Supreme Court has further established access standards through the Rules of Judicial Administration, specifically Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.420, which governs the confidentiality and public availability of court records.

The following categories of records are currently available for public inspection:

Most civil case files, including complaints, answers, and supporting documents
Criminal case files following the filing of formal charges
Final judgments and court orders
Docket sheets reflecting all filings and scheduled hearings
Hearing and trial schedules
Sentencing records in criminal matters

A meaningful distinction exists between state and federal court records. Records from the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida—which serves Hillsborough County—are governed by federal law and accessed through the federal PACER system rather than through the Clerk of the Circuit Court. State court records remain under the jurisdiction of the Florida court system and the Hillsborough County Clerk of Circuit Court.

Certain records are exempt from public disclosure under Florida law, including records involving minors in dependency proceedings, mental health adjudications, sealed or expunged criminal histories, and active criminal intelligence information.

How To Find Court Records in Hillsborough County in 2026

Members of the public may obtain Hillsborough County court records through several official channels. The process varies depending on the type of record sought and the court in which the matter was filed.

To locate court records, the following steps apply:

Identify the court — Determine whether the matter was heard in Circuit Court, County Court, a municipal court, or federal court, as each maintains separate records systems.
Gather case information — Collect the full legal name of a party, approximate filing date, case number (if known), and the nature of the case (civil, criminal, family, probate).
Search online portals — Use the Hillsborough County Clerk of Circuit Court's online case search system for state court matters, or PACER for federal court records.
Submit an in-person request — Visit the Clerk's public counter during business hours to inspect physical case files or request certified copies.
Submit a written request — Mail or deliver a written public records request to the Clerk's office specifying the records sought, the case number or party names, and the preferred format for production.
Pay applicable fees — Certified copies are subject to statutory fees under Florida Statutes § 28.24, which prescribes per-page charges for copies and certification.

Hillsborough County Clerk of Circuit Court 800 E. Twiggs St., Tampa, FL 33602 (813) 276-8100 Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM Hillsborough County Clerk of Circuit Court

How To Look Up Court Records in Hillsborough County Online?

Several official online portals currently provide access to Hillsborough County court records, each serving a distinct court type or record category.

Hillsborough County Clerk's Online Case Search The Clerk of Circuit Court maintains a public case search portal covering Circuit Court and County Court records. Members of the public may search by party name, case number, or attorney name. The portal includes docket entries, filed documents (where not sealed), hearing schedules, and judgment information.

Navigate to the Hillsborough County Clerk of Circuit Court official website
Select the "Court Records" or "Case Search" option from the main navigation
Enter the party's name, case number, or other identifying information
Review the docket and available documents; select individual filings to view or download

Florida Courts E-Filing Portal The Florida Courts E-Filing Portal allows registered users to access electronically filed documents in civil, family, and probate matters statewide, including Hillsborough County cases.

Federal Court Records via PACER For cases filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, members of the public may access case files through the federal PACER electronic case filing system. Civil cases filed after June 1, 2004, and criminal cases filed after January 1, 2005, are permanently maintained in electronic format and accessible through this platform. Users must register for a PACER account to retrieve documents; per-page fees apply for document retrieval above the quarterly threshold.

How To Search Hillsborough County Court Records for Free?

Florida law guarantees the right of public inspection of court records at no charge. Under Florida Statutes § 119.07, every person has the right to inspect public records during regular business hours without payment of a fee for inspection alone. Fees apply only when copies are requested.

The following resources are currently available at no cost:

Hillsborough County Clerk's Case Search Portal — Free to search by party name or case number; viewing docket entries and case summaries is available without charge at hillsclerk.com
In-person inspection at the Clerk's office — Members of the public may inspect physical or electronic case files at the public counter without charge during business hours
Florida's myFlorida Court Records — The statewide Florida Courts website provides free access to general case information and court schedules

Fees are assessed for printed or certified copies, electronic document downloads through certain portals, and for extensive research requests requiring staff time beyond a de minimis threshold.

What's Included in a Hillsborough County Court Record?

The contents of a court record vary by case type, but generally encompass the following categories of documents:

Civil Case Records

Initial complaint or petition and summons
Defendant's answer and affirmative defenses
Motions, responses, and supporting memoranda
Discovery-related filings (where not sealed)
Court orders and rulings
Final judgment and any post-judgment motions
Notices of appeal

Criminal Case Records

Arrest affidavit and charging document (information or indictment)
Arraignment records and plea entries
Pretrial motions and orders
Trial transcripts (upon request and payment of transcript fees)
Verdict and sentencing records
Probation orders and conditions

Family Court Records

Petition for dissolution of marriage or paternity
Financial affidavits and asset disclosures
Parenting plans and custody orders
Final judgment of dissolution
Domestic violence injunction records (where not restricted)

Probate Records

Petition for administration of estate
Inventory and accounting of assets
Orders of distribution
Letters of administration or testamentary

Traffic Records

Citation information and hearing notices
Adjudication orders and fine assessments
Driver's license suspension records

How Long Does Hillsborough County Keep Court Records?

Hillsborough County courts retain records in accordance with retention schedules established by the Florida Department of State and the Florida Supreme Court. The General Records Schedule GS1-SL for State and Local Government Agencies, along with court-specific schedules, governs minimum retention periods.

Current retention periods for principal record types include:

Felony criminal case files — Retained permanently
Misdemeanor criminal case files — Retained for 10 years following case closure
Civil case files (Circuit Court) — Retained for 10 years following case closure; certain matters retained permanently
Probate case files — Retained permanently
Family court case files — Retained for 10 years following the youngest child reaching majority, or permanently for certain orders
Small claims case files — Retained for 5 years following case closure
Traffic infraction records — Retained for 5 years following case closure
Court judgments and final orders — Retained permanently

Records subject to a legal hold, active appeal, or ongoing enforcement action are retained beyond the standard schedule until the matter is fully resolved.

Types of Courts In Hillsborough County

Hillsborough County operates within Florida's unified court system, which follows a hierarchical structure: County Court → Circuit Court → District Court of Appeal → Florida Supreme Court. Federal matters are heard by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Hillsborough County Circuit Court (13th Judicial Circuit) 800 E. Twiggs St., Tampa, FL 33602 (813) 272-5400 Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM 13th Judicial Circuit Court

Hillsborough County Court (County Civil and Criminal) 800 E. Twiggs St., Tampa, FL 33602 (813) 276-8100 Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM Hillsborough County Clerk of Circuit Court

Hillsborough County Probate and Guardianship Division 800 E. Twiggs St., Room 530, Tampa, FL 33602 (813) 272-5400 Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM 13th Judicial Circuit – Probate Division

Hillsborough County Family Law Division 800 E. Twiggs St., Tampa, FL 33602 (813) 272-5400 Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM 13th Judicial Circuit – Family Law

U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida (Tampa Division) 801 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, FL 33602 (813) 301-5400 Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM U.S. District Court – Middle District of Florida

Second District Court of Appeal 1005 E. Memorial Blvd., Lakeland, FL 33801 (863) 499-2290 Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM Second District Court of Appeal

What Types of Cases Do Hillsborough County Courts Hear?

Each court within Hillsborough County exercises subject matter jurisdiction over specific categories of legal matters.

Circuit Court (13th Judicial Circuit)

Felony criminal prosecutions
Civil disputes exceeding $50,000
Family law matters: dissolution of marriage, paternity, child custody and support
Juvenile dependency and delinquency
Probate and guardianship proceedings
Mental health and Baker Act proceedings
Domestic violence injunctions

County Court

Misdemeanor criminal offenses
Civil disputes up to $50,000
Small claims matters up to $8,000
Traffic infractions and violations
Local ordinance violations

Probate Division

Decedent estates (testate and intestate)
Guardianship of minors and incapacitated adults
Trust administration disputes

Family Law Division

Dissolution of marriage
Parental responsibility and time-sharing
Child support modification
Adoption proceedings
Domestic violence injunctions

U.S. District Court – Middle District of Florida

Federal civil litigation
Federal criminal prosecutions
Bankruptcy matters (through the U.S. Bankruptcy Court)
Civil rights and constitutional claims

How To Find a Court Docket In Hillsborough County

A court docket is the official chronological record of all filings, hearings, and orders in a given case. Members of the public may access Hillsborough County court dockets through the following methods:

Online Search

Visit the Hillsborough County Clerk of Circuit Court case search portal
Enter the case number, party name, or attorney name in the designated search fields
Select the relevant case from the results list to view the full docket, including filing dates, document descriptions, and scheduled hearing dates

Federal Court Dockets

Federal case dockets are accessible through the New Hampshire District Court PACER portal and the broader PACER system; users must register and may incur per-page fees for document retrieval
The CM/ECF system allows registered attorneys and authorized parties to file and retrieve documents electronically

In-Person Access

Members of the public may request docket sheets at the Clerk's public counter at 800 E. Twiggs St., Tampa, FL 33602, during regular business hours (Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM)
Terminal access to the case management system is available at public kiosks within the courthouse

Which Courts in Hillsborough County Are Not Courts of Record?

A court of record is a tribunal whose proceedings are officially documented, preserved, and subject to appellate review. Under Florida Statutes § 26.012 and related provisions of the Florida Constitution, Article V, courts of record in Florida include the Circuit Courts and County Courts, both of which maintain permanent records of their proceedings.

Courts not of record, by contrast, do not maintain a verbatim transcript of proceedings as a matter of course, and appeals from such courts typically proceed as trials de novo (new trials) rather than appellate review of the record.

In Hillsborough County, the following tribunals are generally not considered courts of record:

Code enforcement hearing officers — Administrative bodies adjudicating municipal and county code violations; proceedings are not conducted as formal court records
Certain municipal hearing officers — Local administrative tribunals handling parking violations, zoning appeals, and similar matters within incorporated municipalities such as the City of Tampa, Temple Terrace, and Plant City
County hearing officers for civil infractions — Officers presiding over non-criminal traffic and civil infraction hearings at the administrative level

Appeals from these non-record tribunals are typically taken to the County Court or Circuit Court, where the matter is heard anew. The distinction is significant because parties appealing from a court not of record cannot rely on a transcript of prior proceedings; the appellate court conducts an independent review of the facts and law.