St. Johns County FL Court Records Search: Clerk Portal, Case Lookup, E-Certify, Court Dates & PACER
Search St. Johns County court records through the official Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller routes. Use Court Records Search for local state court cases, E-Certify for available certified electronic records, the Clerk’s divisions for copy requests, and PACER only for federal cases.
Public-Court-Records.us is independent. This page is not the St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller, Florida Courts, the Seventh Judicial Circuit, PACER, a law firm, a government agency, or a Consumer Reporting Agency. It is a practical guide to official St. Johns County court-record routes.
Responsible-use warning: a matching name does not prove identity. A complaint, petition, arrest, citation, charge, indictment, lawsuit, warrant, or docket entry does not prove guilt, liability, or final outcome. Do not use this guide for employment, housing, tenant, credit, insurance, or other FCRA-regulated screening decisions.
St. Johns County court records: what the Clerk search can and cannot show
The St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller maintains local court records for St. Johns County, Florida. The Clerk’s Online Research page links users to Court Records, Official Records, E-Recording, Tax Deeds, Board Records, App Agreement, forms, payments, E-Certify, and E-Notify routes.
For ordinary court-case lookup, start with Court Records Search. For recorded instruments such as deeds, mortgages, and marriage licenses, use Official Records Search. For federal court records, use PACER. These systems answer different questions and should not be mixed.
The main Clerk office lists Monday–Friday hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Public records guidance lists $1.00 per page for court records maintained by the Clerk.
The Clerk fee page lists certification of documents at $2.00 per document.
St. Johns County is part of Florida’s Seventh Judicial Circuit with Flagler, Putnam, and Volusia.
St. Johns County court-record route finder
Select the record type you need. This tool runs in your browser and does not collect names, dates of birth, case numbers, addresses, or payment information.
Use the St. Johns County Clerk Online Research page and open Court Records Search for local state court cases. Search by case number when possible, then verify case type, party role, filing date, court division, docket activity, and disposition.
Which St. Johns County court-record route should you use?
Use the right official route before searching. Court records, official records, tax deeds, board records, sheriff records, FDLE criminal history, and federal court records are separate systems.
| Need | Correct official route | What to check | Common mistake to avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic St. Johns court case lookup | Clerk Online Research → Court Records Search | Case number, party name, case type, filing date, division, docket events, hearing information, and disposition. | Using a commercial people-search result instead of the official Clerk search. |
| Felony, misdemeanor, criminal traffic, ordinance, or criminal fine | Clerk Criminal Division and Court Records Search | Charge, plea, disposition, sentence, dismissal, warrant, criminal court costs, fines, and court date. | Treating an arrest, citation, or charge as a conviction. |
| Civil lawsuit, small claims, eviction, foreclosure, or judgment | Clerk Civil Division and Court Records Search | Plaintiff, defendant, claim, judgment, dismissal, satisfaction, foreclosure sale connection, and document access. | Assuming a judgment entry proves current payment status. |
| Divorce, family, child support, alimony, or injunction-related matter | Clerk Family and Child Support/Alimony routes | Case type, decree, order, party role, hearing date, support entry, injunction status, and protected information. | Publishing children’s names, protected addresses, or sensitive family details. |
| Probate, estate, guardianship, or mental health record | Clerk Probate, Guardianships, and Mental Health routes | Decedent, personal representative, guardian, ward, order, inventory, letters, and access restrictions. | Assuming every fiduciary, guardianship, or mental-health document is public online. |
| Juvenile case | Clerk Juvenile route and court authorization where required | Authorized access, confidentiality status, case category, and official court permission. | Trying to bypass juvenile confidentiality through online searches. |
| Traffic ticket, citation, proof of compliance, or payment plan | Clerk Traffic Division and payment routes | Citation number, issue date, 30-day deadline, online availability, insurance/registration proof rules, court appearance requirement, and payment plan need. | Paying a suspicious text link or assuming every citation can be paid online. |
| Certified electronic copy | St. Johns E-Certify / Clerk E-Certify | Case number for court records, instrument or book/page for official records, certification fee, service fee, card fee, and receiving-agency acceptance. | Assuming an uncertified screenshot is the same as a certified court record. |
| Deed, mortgage, marriage license, lien, recorded document, or property-fraud alert | Official Records Search / Recording Division | Name, instrument number, book and page, record date, legal description, and recorded document type. | Confusing official records with court case records. |
| Federal civil, criminal, bankruptcy, or federal appellate case | PACER and the specific federal court | Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville Division, case number, docket report, document number, and federal clerk requirements. | Searching the St. Johns Clerk state court portal for federal court files. |
How to search St. Johns County court records by name without misidentifying someone
Name searching is helpful when you do not know the case number, but it can also return unrelated people, businesses, and similarly named parties. Use the case number whenever available, and treat name-only matches as leads that must be verified.
Choose Court Records Search for civil, criminal, family, probate, guardianship, juvenile, traffic, and appeal court cases. Choose Official Records Search only for recorded instruments.
A case number usually gives a more reliable result than a first-and-last-name search. If the case number is unknown, search multiple spelling variations and compare all available fields.
Plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent, appellant, appellee, decedent, guardian, ward, creditor, and debtor mean different things. A party name does not always mean wrongdoing.
A filing, citation, warrant, complaint, petition, motion, or charge is not a final court decision. Look for disposition, judgment, sentence, dismissal, final order, or mandate entries.
If a result is unclear, missing, confidential, or possibly wrong, contact the correct Clerk division with the case number, party names, year, and document needed.
Official St. Johns County court-record links and what to do after opening each one
Use these official Clerk, Florida Courts, Seventh Judicial Circuit, or PACER links for sensitive searches. Do not enter personal information into this article.
Use this as the official starting point for Court Records, Official Records, E-Recording, Tax Deeds, Board Records, and related search routes.
- Confirm you are on the official stjohnsclerk.com website.
- Choose Court Records for case dockets and court documents.
- Choose Official Records for recorded instruments such as deeds and mortgages.
- Use Forms or Contact if you need a records request or division help.
- Save the case number or instrument number for future requests.
Use for local St. Johns County state court case lookup.
- Open the official Clerk court search from Online Research.
- Search by case number when available.
- If searching by name, use spelling variations and verify the case type.
- Review party role, docket activity, disposition, and document availability.
- Contact the Clerk for certified copies or unavailable documents.
Use to choose the correct court division before contacting the Clerk.
- Select Appeals, Civil, Criminal, Family, Guardianships, Juvenile, Probate, Traffic, or another court division.
- Read division-specific instructions.
- Use the Forms Library for official forms.
- Use the Court Records Registration Agreement if your access need requires it.
- Call 904-819-3600 if the division route is unclear.
Use for Clerk-maintained public records, public terminals, and request-cost guidance.
- Search Court Records, Official Records, or Board Records online first.
- Use onsite public viewing terminals if needed.
- Review photocopy and certified-copy cost notes.
- Contact the Clerk from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday–Friday for questions.
- Use a narrow request with case number or record details to reduce delays.
Use for available electronic certified copies of court and official records.
- For a court record, obtain or locate the case number first.
- For an official record, have the name, instrument number, or book and page number.
- Enter required identification information on Clerk E-Certify.
- Select Court Records, Official Records, or Verification Center as appropriate.
- Verify that the receiving agency accepts electronic certified copies before purchasing.
Use when your role or task requires registered court-document access, judicial calendars, or scheduling access.
- Read whether you are a general user, party, attorney of record, or agency user.
- Complete and sign the correct agreement.
- Notarize the agreement when required for party/attorney access or judicial calendar/scheduling access.
- Email helpdesk@stjohnsclerk.com for agency registration forms when applicable.
- Do not use registered access to bypass confidentiality restrictions.
Use to verify current copy, certification, search, filing, recording, traffic, and miscellaneous charges.
- Find the correct division and fee category.
- Check whether the fee is per page, per name, per year, per document, or per filing.
- Do not assume a court copy fee is the same as a recording fee.
- Ask the Clerk for a quote when ordering multiple documents.
- Save the receipt or confirmation after payment.
Use for court forms, research/copy request forms, traffic forms, family forms, probate forms, and records management forms.
- Choose the correct category before downloading a form.
- Check whether the form is for civil, criminal, family, traffic, probate, guardianship, or records management.
- Complete required fields accurately.
- Do not include unnecessary protected personal information.
- Submit to the correct Clerk division by the listed method.
Use for felony, misdemeanor, criminal traffic, county ordinance, and municipal ordinance case information.
- Use Court Records Search to view criminal cases online.
- Review charge, plea, disposition, sentence, dismissal, and fine entries carefully.
- Use E-Certify for certified documents when available.
- Submit a criminal research request by form, mail, or email when direct Clerk copies are needed.
- Do not treat a charge or docket entry as proof of conviction.
Use for traffic citations, court date scheduling, proof of compliance, payment plans, and traffic court guidance.
- Check your citation within the 30-day response period.
- Wait for online payment availability if the citation was recently issued.
- Do not pay insurance-related citations online; submit proof of compliance and contact the Clerk.
- Check whether your case requires a mandatory court appearance.
- Report suspicious payment calls or texts and verify with 904-819-3600.
Use for courtesy reminders about eligible Florida criminal court events.
- Create an account only if you want reminder notifications.
- Search by case number or party details to subscribe.
- Remember eNotify is not official notice of a court event.
- Verify every court date with the Clerk, docket, or official notice.
- Understand that submitted contact information can be subject to Florida public records law.
Use for electronic filing, not for anonymous court-record browsing.
- Create a free account if filing is required or allowed for your role.
- Select the correct county and case type.
- Upload the correct PDF filings and protect confidential information.
- Review acceptance or rejection notices after submission.
- Contact the Clerk or portal support for filing problems, not legal advice.
Use for recorded instruments, not ordinary court-case docket lookup.
- Accept the official records disclaimer if you agree.
- Search by name, document type, case number, book and page, record date, instrument number, parcel ID, or legal description.
- Use all possible spelling variations to maximize results.
- Remember this is the Recording Division route for recorded instruments.
- Use Court Records Search for civil, criminal, probate, family, juvenile, guardianship, or traffic cases.
Use for court administration context, judicial circuit information, and State Attorney/Public Defender contact routing.
- Confirm St. Johns County is the county involved.
- Use the Clerk for court case records.
- Use State Attorney contacts for prosecution-office questions.
- Use Public Defender contacts for public-defense office questions.
- Do not send court-record copy requests to court administration unless instructed.
Use to confirm federal district division routing for St. Johns County.
- Review the Middle District of Florida divisions table.
- Confirm St. Johns County is listed under the Jacksonville Division.
- Use PACER for federal case records.
- Use the federal clerk for certified federal records.
- Do not search the St. Johns Clerk state court portal for federal court files.
Use for federal district, bankruptcy, and federal appellate records.
- Use PACER Case Locator if you do not know the federal court.
- Open the specific federal court docket after locating the case.
- Review PACER pricing before opening reports or documents.
- Limit date ranges to control costs.
- Contact the federal clerk for certified federal records.
St. Johns County court-record fees, E-Certify costs, and access limits
Some records may be viewed online, and the Clerk states criminal case documents may be viewed and printed free of charge online. Copies, certification, research, E-Certify service fees, credit-card fees, postage, and federal PACER use can still cost money. Verify current fees with the official page before paying.
| Item | Published detail | Practical meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Court record photocopies | Public Records guidance lists $1.00 per page for photocopies of public records maintained by the Clerk that are not Board of County Commissioner records, including court records. | Ask for a page count before ordering a large court file. |
| Criminal research | The Clerk fee page lists criminal research at $2.00 per year per name. | Narrow the year range and name spelling before requesting broad research. |
| Criminal court file copies | The Clerk fee page lists copies of documents from court files at $1.00 per page. | Use online viewing first when available, then request copies only when needed. |
| Certification | The Clerk fee page lists certification of documents at $2.00 per document. | Request certification only when the receiving agency requires it. |
| E-Certify | The E-Certify FAQ lists a $2 certification fee per document and a $6 service fee. A Clerk notice also states that statutory copy fees and credit-card fees may apply. | Check the E-Certify checkout screen before purchasing, especially for multi-page documents. |
| Traffic citations | Traffic citations are due within 30 days. Online payment availability may appear approximately 48 hours after issuance. | Do not wait until the last day; check whether appearance, proof of compliance, or a payment plan is required. |
| Card transactions | The Clerk payment page states that a convenience fee of up to 7% applies to credit and debit card transactions. | Review the final payment screen before submitting card payments. |
| PACER federal records | PACER pricing verified September 1, 2026: $0.10 per page, many documents capped at $3, and charges of $30 or less waived per quarter. A temporary increase to $0.12 per page and a $40 quarterly threshold is scheduled for January 1, 2027. | Use case number and narrow date ranges before opening federal reports or documents. |
Copy, certification, E-Certify, and PACER cost estimator
Planning tool only. The official Clerk quote, E-Certify checkout screen, payment receipt, or PACER cost screen controls the final amount.
How to get certified St. Johns County court records
A portal printout or screenshot is not the same as a certified court record. Certified records must come from the Clerk’s official process, E-Certify when available, or the correct court division.
Use Court Records Search to identify the case number, case type, party names, filing year, court division, and document title.
Examples include final judgment, sentence, disposition, divorce decree, probate order, guardianship order, docket sheet, traffic disposition, dismissal, or mandate.
For court records, E-Certify requires a case number. For official records, it uses name, instrument number, or book and page information.
If the document is not available through E-Certify, use the Clerk’s Forms Library, public records guidance, or division email route for direct copy requests.
Ask whether the agency accepts electronic certified copies or requires paper certification before ordering.
Do not remove covers, seals, clerk certification pages, electronic validation information, or tracking details if the record must be used officially.
St. Johns County Clerk office details for court records
Brandon J. Patty, Clerk
Richard O. Watson Judicial Center
4010 Lewis Speedway
St. Augustine, FL 32084
Phone: 904-819-3600
Hours listed: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Civil: civil@stjohnsclerk.com
Criminal: felony@stjohnsclerk.com
Family: familydl@stjohnsclerk.com
Juvenile: juveniledl@stjohnsclerk.com
Probate: probate@stjohnsclerk.com
Traffic: traffic@stjohnsclerk.com
Records Management: records@stjohnsclerk.com
St. Johns County traffic tickets, payment cautions, and court-date reminders
The Clerk’s Traffic Division provides guidance for resolving traffic violations, payment options, proof of compliance, court dates, mandatory appearances, and payment plans. Read the citation and official Clerk guidance before paying or missing a court date.
- Traffic payments are generally due within 30 days of receiving a citation.
- Traffic citations may be available online approximately 48 hours after issuance.
- Online payments after normal business hours are not processed until the next business day.
- Driver’s license suspension clearances are not processed until the next business day after payment processing.
- Speed more than 30 miles per hour over the limit.
- Citation involving serious bodily injury.
- Citation involving fatality.
- Other cases where the citation or court notice requires appearance.
Insurance tickets cannot be paid online or over the phone. Vehicle registration or failure-to-carry-driver-license citations may be payable, but users seeking a $10 dismissal must submit proof of compliance and contact the Clerk to complete payment.
eNotify can help with eligible adult criminal traffic, adult misdemeanor, and adult felony reminders, but it is not official notice and does not replace Clerk scheduling processes.
Court records vs official records vs sheriff, FDLE, and federal records
Do not confuse St. Johns County court records with recorded land instruments, sheriff custody information, state criminal-history records, board records, tax deed records, or federal court records.
| Question | Use this source | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Is there a local civil, criminal, family, probate, guardianship, juvenile, traffic, or appeal case? | St. Johns Clerk Court Records Search | This is the local state court case-record route. |
| Do I need a certified electronic copy of a final judgment or recorded instrument? | St. Johns E-Certify | E-Certify provides electronic certified copies and verification where available. |
| Is there a deed, mortgage, marriage license, recorded judgment, or lien? | Official Records Search / Recording Division | Recorded instruments are official records, not ordinary court case dockets. |
| Is someone currently in jail? | St. Johns County Sheriff or jail custody source | Current custody and booking information is separate from court case disposition. |
| Do I need a Florida criminal-history check? | Florida Department of Law Enforcement route | State criminal-history checks are separate from Clerk court dockets. |
| Do I need a federal lawsuit, federal criminal case, bankruptcy, or federal appeal? | PACER and the specific federal court | Federal court records are not held in the St. Johns Clerk state court portal. |
St. Johns County federal and bankruptcy court records use PACER
St. Johns County state court records are separate from federal court records. The Middle District of Florida lists St. Johns County under its Jacksonville Division for federal district court purposes. Use PACER for federal district, bankruptcy, and federal appellate records.
- Federal civil lawsuits.
- Federal criminal cases.
- Bankruptcy cases.
- Federal appellate records.
- Federal docket reports and document images.
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
- Jacksonville Division for many St. Johns County federal district matters.
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida for bankruptcy matters.
- PACER Case Locator when the federal court is unknown.
St. Johns County court-record privacy, sealed cases, and restricted documents
Florida court records can be public, confidential, restricted, sealed, redacted, or unavailable anonymously online depending on case type, document content, state law, administrative orders, user role, and court orders.
- Juvenile matters.
- Adoption and dependency cases.
- Mental health cases.
- Guardianship and vulnerable adult matters.
- Sealed, expunged, or confidential criminal cases.
- Protection, injunction, victim, and protected-address information.
- Documents containing protected personal identifiers.
- Children’s names or school information.
- Victim details or protected addresses.
- Medical, mental-health, dependency, or guardianship details.
- Full dates of birth or personal identifiers.
- Financial account information.
- Information that could encourage harassment or retaliation.
What to do if your St. Johns County court-record search returns no result
- Try the exact case number if available.
- Try spelling variations, initials, suffixes, former names, and business names.
- Confirm the case is in St. Johns County, Florida, not another county.
- Make sure you are searching Court Records, not Official Records or Tax Deeds.
- Check whether the case is federal and belongs in PACER.
- The record may be confidential, sealed, restricted, or redacted.
- The record may require registered access or an authorized user role.
- The document may require a public terminal or direct Clerk request.
- The case may be too new to appear online.
- The file may be archived, paper, off-site, or subject to retention rules.
Frequently asked questions about St. Johns County court records
How do I search St. Johns County court records by name?
Start with the St. Johns County Clerk Online Research page and open the Court Records Search. Search by case number when available. If you search by name, compare the case type, party role, filing date, docket activity, disposition, and court division before relying on a match.
Who maintains St. Johns County court records?
The St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller maintains local court records for the county. The Clerk’s court divisions include appeals, child support and alimony, civil, criminal, family, guardianships, juvenile, probate, and traffic.
Can I view St. Johns County court documents online?
Some cases and documents may be viewed through the Clerk’s Court Records Search, and the Clerk states that criminal case documents may be viewed and printed free of charge online. Access may still depend on case type, confidentiality rules, user role, registration status, and court access orders.
How do I get certified St. Johns County court records?
For court records, first obtain or locate the case number. Then use the Clerk’s E-Certify route when the document is available electronically, or request copies directly from the Clerk using the appropriate records request form or division email.
How much do St. Johns County court record copies cost?
The Clerk’s public records page lists $1.00 per page for photocopies of public records maintained by the Clerk that are not Board of County Commissioner records, including court records. The Clerk’s fee page also lists criminal research at $2.00 per year per name, copies of documents from court files at $1.00 per page, and certification of documents at $2.00 per document.
How much does St. Johns E-Certify cost?
The St. Johns Clerk E-Certify FAQ lists a $2 certification fee per document and a $6 service fee. A separate Clerk notice also states that statutory copy fees and credit-card fees may apply. Verify the final amount in the official E-Certify checkout before purchasing.
How do I find a St. Johns County traffic court date or pay a citation?
Use the St. Johns Clerk Traffic Division and payment routes. Traffic citations are generally due within 30 days, and online payments may appear approximately 48 hours after issuance. Some cases require a mandatory court appearance, including speed more than 30 over and citations involving serious bodily injury or fatality.
Is eNotify an official St. Johns County court notice?
No. Florida eNotify and the St. Johns Clerk eNotify page describe it as a courtesy reminder system for eligible criminal cases. It is not the official record or official notice of a court event, so users should verify dates, times, and locations with the Clerk or official court notice.
Are St. Johns County official records the same as court records?
No. Court records are case files and dockets for civil, criminal, family, probate, guardianship, juvenile, traffic, and appeal matters. Official records include recorded instruments such as deeds, mortgages, marriage licenses, liens, and other recorded documents. Use the correct Clerk search route for each record type.
Where do I search federal court records for St. Johns County?
Use PACER for federal district, bankruptcy, and federal appellate records. St. Johns County is in the Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville Division, for many federal district court purposes. State court portals do not contain federal court files.
Editorial and official-source review notes
Official sources reviewed for this St. Johns County guide include the St. Johns County Clerk Online Research page, Court Records Search link, Courts page, Public Records guidance, Court Records Registration Agreement, E-Certify pages, Clerk Fees page, Forms Library, Criminal Division, Traffic Division, E-Notify page, Contact page, Official Records Search, Recording Division, Seventh Judicial Circuit contact page, Middle District of Florida divisions page, PACER Find a Case, and PACER pricing. Review date: September 1, 2026.