Broward County Court Jurisdiction
The Florida court structure page describes county courts as the limited-jurisdiction trial courts of Florida. Each of Florida's 67 counties has a county court. The Florida Courts site states that county courts handle civil disputes involving $50,000 or less, traffic offenses, less serious criminal matters, and small monetary disputes.
Broward's local judicial directory page describes County Court as a limited jurisdiction court with traffic, small claims, most landlord-tenant disputes, and misdemeanor criminal cases. The County Court sits inside the same Seventeenth Judicial Circuit as the Broward Circuit Court and uses the same Clerk for records access.
What Broward County Court Handles
The list below covers the case types found in Broward County Court. Each type runs through the Clerk's case search and shows on the same docket interface used for circuit cases.
- Misdemeanors - second-degree and first-degree misdemeanors filed by the State Attorney.
- Criminal traffic - DUI, driving while license suspended, reckless driving, and similar charges.
- Civil traffic infractions - speeding, red light, and other citations issued by BSO and local police.
- Small claims - civil disputes up to the small-claims statutory limit.
- Eviction and landlord-tenant - residential and non-residential removal of tenant cases.
- County civil - civil disputes up to $50,000.
- Distress for rent - landlord-tenant collection process under Florida law.
County Court vs Circuit Court in Broward
Florida runs a two-tier trial court system. The County Court sits below the Circuit Court. The same Clerk holds the records for both. The comparison table below maps the differences.
| Feature | Broward County Court | Broward Circuit Court |
|---|---|---|
| Civil dollar limit | Up to $50,000 | Above $50,000 |
| Criminal jurisdiction | Misdemeanors and criminal traffic | Felonies |
| Family law | No | Yes - Unified Family |
| Probate and guardianship | No | Yes - Probate Division |
| Small claims | Yes | No |
| Eviction and landlord-tenant | Yes | No |
| Traffic infractions | Yes | No |
| Appeals to | Broward Circuit Court | Fourth District Court of Appeal |
For a deeper look at the higher tier, see Broward Circuit Court.
Broward County Court Locations
County Court services run at the central courthouse and at three regional courthouses. The regional courthouses handle traffic and other regional matters so residents do not have to travel downtown for every case. The address cards below list each location.
Central Courthouse
201 SE 6th Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
954-831-6565
County civil, misdemeanor, traffic, small claims, evictions.
North Regional Courthouse
1600 West Hillsboro Boulevard
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442
954-831-6565
Traffic North; Room 181 for traffic services.
South Regional Courthouse
3550 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, FL 33021
954-831-6565
Traffic South; Room 200 for traffic services.
West Regional Courthouse
100 North Pine Island Road
Plantation, FL 33324
954-831-6565
Traffic West; Room 110 for traffic services.
Search Broward County Court Records
The Clerk's case search covers Broward County Court cases. Use Party Name, Business Name, Case Number, or Citation Number. County civil case prefixes include COCE for County Civil Central, CONO for County Civil North, COSO for County Civil South, and COWE for County Civil West. Misdemeanor and criminal traffic cases use their own year-based prefixes. The portal lets the user filter by court type to target only County Court matters.
Common Broward County Court civil case types visible on the portal include Distress for Rent and Eviction, PIP Small Claims, Removal of Tenant, Removal of Tenant and Damages, Removal of Tenant Non-Residential, Removal of Tenant Residential, SC Distress and Damages, Small Claims, and County Court Appeal.
Traffic and Misdemeanor Cases
Most Broward County Court files are traffic citations and misdemeanors. The Clerk's Traffic Central counter is at the Central Courthouse West Building, 201 SE 6th Street, 1st Floor, Room 01130. Traffic services are also offered at North Regional Room 181, South Regional Room 200, and West Regional Room 110. The Traffic phone is 954-831-6565 option 1.
For citation lookups and the citation-vs-driver record distinction, see Broward traffic court records. For DUI and criminal traffic cases, see Broward criminal records.
Small Claims and Eviction in Broward
Small claims and eviction filings are among the most common Broward County Court filings. The Clerk's Self Service Center walks self-represented parties through Small Claims, Eviction (residential possession only), and Dissolution of Marriage forms. The page carries an old-browser warning and is not a substitute for legal advice.
Eviction is a quick-moving case type in Broward County Court. The docket usually runs through complaint, summons, service return, motions, hearing, and final judgment, with a writ of possession entered when the landlord prevails. Small claims runs on a similar timeline with mediation as a common middle step.
Filing in Broward County Civil Divisions
The Clerk runs County Civil counters at each of the four courthouses. County civil case prefixes break out by location: COCE for County Civil Central in Fort Lauderdale, CONO for County Civil North in Deerfield Beach, COSO for County Civil South in Hollywood, and COWE for County Civil West in Plantation. Each prefix routes the case to the regional courthouse near the parties. A plaintiff who files in the wrong division can ask for transfer, but starting at the correct division saves time.
Small claims and eviction filings move through a faster track than ordinary County Civil. Filing fees vary by claim amount and case type, and the Clerk's fees and costs page lists the current schedule. Service of process must follow Florida Rules of Civil Procedure. Default judgments are available where the defendant fails to answer within the time set by the rules.
The Clerk does not give legal advice. The Self Service Center can prepare basic forms, and the Coast to Coast Legal Aid family-law program can help eligible self-represented parties. The Broward State Attorney does not represent civil parties.
Appeals from Broward County Court
Appeals from Broward County Court run to the Broward Circuit Court rather than the Fourth District Court of Appeal. The notice of appeal is filed with the Clerk in the original case. The Clerk's Appeals counter is in the Central Courthouse West Building, 4th Floor, Room 04140, with phone 954-831-5751. Appeals from Broward Circuit Court rulings run further up to the Fourth District Court of Appeal.
Public Access for Broward County Court Records
Florida public access rules apply to County Court records the same way they apply to Circuit Court records. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes sets the agency-records framework. Florida Rule 2.420 governs judicial branch records. Section 119.07 requires custodians to allow inspection and copying at reasonable times.
Domestic Violence cases handled in the West Building have tighter access rules even though some are tied to the County Court structure for protective orders. Confidential and redacted information is controlled by Rule 2.420.