What is the official Broward County court records website?
The official site is the Broward Clerk Case Search run by the Clerk of the Circuit and County Courts. The Clerk is the custodian for Broward circuit and county case records. The portal supports party name, business name, case number, and citation searches. Third-party lookups should not be used for legal decisions. The Clerk's notice on the site states that online information does not constitute the official court record. For court-ready copies, order an electronic certified court document at $8.00 each or visit the Clerk in person. The full walkthrough is on the court records page.
Is Broward a circuit court or district court county?
Broward is Florida's Seventeenth Judicial Circuit. Florida's trial courts are Circuit Court and County Court, not district trial courts. The Circuit Court handles felonies, family, probate, and civil cases above $50,000. The County Court handles misdemeanors, traffic, small claims, evictions, and civil cases up to $50,000. The District Court of Appeal is the intermediate appellate court. Broward appeals run to the Fourth District Court of Appeal, which covers the 15th, 17th, and 19th circuits. Higher review may reach the Florida Supreme Court on discretionary review.
Who is the Broward Clerk of Court?
The elected Clerk is Brenda D. Forman, Clerk of the Circuit and County Courts. The official biography states that she was first elected in 2016, reelected in 2020, and reelected to a third term in 2024. She is the first African American and first elected female Clerk in the history of the Broward County Clerk of Court's Office. Before becoming Clerk, she worked in the Broward County Clerk of Courts Office, the State Attorney's Office, and private business. The Clerk's main phone is 954-831-6565. See the Clerk of Court page for the full office overview.
How do I search a Broward case by case number?
Open the Broward Clerk Case Search and choose Case Number Search. Type the number with no spaces, dashes, or special characters. Civil, family, and probate examples use a prefix, two-digit year, and sequence: CACE15085978 is a Civil Action Central case; PRC110069874 is a probate case. Case number search is the most precise mode and is the fastest path when the number is known. The Clerk's Helpful Information notice states that results are limited and that online information does not constitute the official court record.
Why can a Broward court case show but no document image opens?
Florida access standards split the docket layer from the document layer. The Clerk says Domestic Violence, Family, Guardianship, Mental Health, and Probate electronic court records require an Attorney of Record or Registered User account before any image will open. The case index remains public for most case types. For older records, civil cases filed before April 1, 2013 and criminal cases filed before January 6, 2014 may need a request or in-person visit. Visit Archives at the East Building, 3rd Floor, Room 03305 for older case work.
How much is a certified electronic court document?
The Clerk lists electronic certified court documents at $8.00 per document on the fees and costs page. Only viewable electronic documents qualify. Documents over 100 pages are not sold online and must come from in-person service or records by request. Plain in-person copies are $1.00 per page. Certification adds $2.00 per document. Records search runs $2.00 per year searched. An electronic certified court document does not expire, but a receiving agency may set its own age limit for an acceptable certified copy.
How do I find someone in Broward jail?
Use the BSO Arrest Search or call 954-831-5900. Search fields are Last Name and First Name. Results show arrest number, name, sex, and location. The arrest number is clickable and opens the booking detail with photo and charges. The portal updates every 15 minutes and shows a current-as-of timestamp. For court date and disposition detail, switch to the Clerk's Case Search. The full walkthrough is on the inmate records page.
Does an arrest mean someone was convicted?
No. BSO's disclaimer on the Arrest Search states that an arrest does not mean a conviction. The arrest record sits with the Sheriff. The court case record sits with the Clerk. Only the disposition field on the Clerk's case docket shows the outcome of the criminal charge. A reader who looks only at the arrest entry can draw the wrong conclusion. Charges can be dropped, reduced, or dismissed by the State Attorney or by the court. The criminal records page covers the charge-vs-conviction distinction in depth.
When does a new arrestee see a judge in Broward?
BSO's jail FAQ says arrestees not bonded out appear before a magistrate judge the day after arrest, including Saturdays and Sundays. Proceedings usually begin at 8 a.m., depending on the judge. The judge informs the arrestee of charges and, if appropriate, sets or modifies bond. Central Intake completes property intake, medical screening, fingerprinting, photographing, and a warrants check before first appearance. Processing time depends on booking volume and state and national database availability. After first appearance, the person may stay at Main Jail or be moved to Conte, North Broward, or Paul Rein based on classification.
How do I send mail to a Broward inmate?
BSO uses postcard-only routine incoming mail under a policy effective June 21, 2021. Postcards must be pre-stamped, at least 3.5 by 5 inches and no larger than 4.25 by 6 inches, and written in blue or black ink. Envelopes and personal letters are not allowed for routine mail. Include the inmate's full name, arrest number, and facility mailing address. Legal and privileged mail follows separate rules and is opened only with the inmate present. The BSO inmate mail page lists facility mailing addresses.
How do I get a Broward marriage license?
Use the Clerk's Marriage Division at 540 SE 3rd Avenue, Room 02460, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. The standard fee is $86.00. With an approved premarital course certificate, the fee drops to $61.00 and the license is effective the same day. Applicants do not need to live in Broward or Florida. The Marriage Division phone is 954-831-7283. Counter hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., excluding holidays. The full walkthrough sits on the marriage and divorce records page.
Are Broward divorce records online?
The Clerk's Family page states that images of divorce documents filed after 2002 are not available online under a Florida Supreme Court order. The case index can still be searched. Copies of a final judgment of dissolution filed in Broward are available from the Records Division. Family electronic court records require an Attorney of Record or Registered User account for document images. If the divorce was filed in another county or state, search that jurisdiction. The marriage and divorce records page covers the family filing and copy-request steps.
Where are Broward probate records?
Probate is handled in the Probate Division of the Circuit Court and supported by the Clerk's Probate and Guardianship Division at the West Building, 3rd Floor, Room 03150. Probate's phone is 954-831-7154. Probate electronic court records require an Attorney of Record or Registered User account to view document images. The case index is searchable through the Clerk's case search using the PRC prefix. For the full probate walkthrough, including fees and case types, see the probate records page.
Does BSO publish a warrant search?
The Broward Sheriff does not publish a standalone active warrant search. BSO's records page states that warrants can be searched on the Broward Clerk public website. That means warrant entries live on the case docket. Search the Clerk's case search by party name or case number, then read the docket for capias, warrant, failure-to-appear, or recall entries. A capias is the Florida court order that triggers an arrest. The warrant records page covers the workflow, terminology, and resolution steps.
How do I seal or expunge a Florida record?
FDLE administers Florida's seal and expunge process. Section 943.0585 covers court-ordered expunction. Section 943.059 covers court-ordered sealing. A person generally applies to FDLE for a Certificate of Eligibility, then petitions the court that handled the case. Not every charge qualifies, and a prior sealing or expunction blocks a new one in most cases. The FDLE FAQ covers the full process. The Broward State Attorney has posted public service announcements on the program.
Is the Broward online docket the official court record?
No. The Clerk's notice on the case search states that the information provided through the site does not constitute the official court records of the Clerk. The online docket is informational and may lag a courtroom event. For official proof, order certified copies through the Clerk or verify directly at a Clerk counter. Hearings, bond changes, and dispositions may take time to post. Treat online data as a starting point for any Broward County Court records decision and confirm with the originating Clerk division before relying on it.