Duval County FL Court Records Search

Independent court-record guide: Public-Court-Records.us is an independent educational website. It is not the Duval County Clerk of Courts, Florida’s Fourth Judicial Circuit, the Fifth District Court of Appeal, the Florida Supreme Court, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, PACER, a Consumer Reporting Agency, law firm, or government agency. This guide explains official public-access routes and does not certify, alter, seal, expunge, remove, or determine the legal effect of any court record.

Duval County court records search: use CORE for the court case, not the Jacksonville Official Records database

The official online starting point for most Duval County court records is the Clerk’s CORE — Clerk Online Resource ePortal. CORE displays information officially filed in Duval’s court system, including documents filed electronically and documents submitted manually and later entered into the court record.

Access is not identical for every user or case. Florida’s electronic-court security rules make the available information depend on the user’s role, case type, document type, and whether confidential or protected information appears in the document. A basic public user can see qualifying public records already cleared for internet viewing, while a registered user can request access to certain additional documents.

CORE verified: August 30, 2026 Fourth Judicial Circuit Duval County / Jacksonville Current copy fees reviewed

Duval’s court-record system has different access levels

CORE account registration takes only a few steps

The current General Public registration process is straightforward.

1. Open the CORE General Public registration page.
2. Create a new account. CORE asks for an email address and identifying account information.
3. Check your email. CORE sends an email-confirmation message.
4. Confirm the email address.
5. Select an account password.
6. Log in. A newly registered public account is automatically configured for General Public access.
7. Accept the current CORE user agreement when prompted.
8. Complete the CAPTCHA challenge when the portal displays it.

How to search Duval County court records by name

Duval Clerk department pages repeatedly confirm that CORE can locate cases using the case number or the Plaintiff/Defendant name. Use the case number whenever possible because it avoids common-name confusion.

1. Open CORE.
2. Choose the court-record search.
3. Complete the CAPTCHA if requested.
4. Search the party’s name. Use the person’s accurate legal name rather than a nickname when possible.
5. For a civil or foreclosure matter, remember the record may identify a Plaintiff and Defendant rather than simply displaying a generic “person” result.
6. Compare case type. A name may appear in criminal, civil, family, probate, traffic, foreclosure, or other cases.
7. Check filing date and status. Do not assume the first matching name is the correct person.
8. Open the case docket. Every filed document should generate a docket entry as it becomes part of the official court file.
9. Review the document-access icon or link. Some public documents open immediately; others require a registered-user request or are unavailable remotely.
10. Save the exact case number. Use it for future searches, document requests, certified copies, or appeals.
11. Read the final judgment or disposition. Do not base conclusions on the initial complaint or criminal charge.

Case number beats a common-name search

A case number becomes especially useful when:

• requesting a certified copy;
• requesting an older file not online;
• contacting the Felony or Misdemeanor Department;
• searching a foreclosure case;
• researching an appeal;
• discussing a case with the Clerk;
• trying to distinguish two people with the same name.

Duval Court Record Route Finder

Felony criminal case

Use CORE. Felony matters are Circuit Criminal cases. The Duval Clerk’s Felony Department also accepts written record-search requests when more information is needed.

Duval Felony Department

Misdemeanor case

Use CORE for the docket. Duval’s Misdemeanor Department manages misdemeanor-level Florida-law violations, municipal-ordinance violations, and specified related matters.

Duval Misdemeanor Department

Circuit Civil lawsuit

Duval currently identifies Circuit Civil as civil disputes involving more than $50,000, along with other matters within Circuit Court jurisdiction. Search in CORE by case number, Plaintiff, or Defendant.

County Civil lawsuit

Duval County Court handles qualifying civil cases up to $50,000. County Civil actions generally involve claims above $8,000 and up to $50,000, while Small Claims covers $8,000 or less excluding costs, interest, and attorney fees.

Small Claims case

Duval Small Claims cases are County Court matters involving $8,000 or less, excluding costs, interest, and attorney fees. The case docket can be researched through CORE.

Foreclosure case

Use CORE for the foreclosure lawsuit. The Clerk specifically recommends searching by case number or Plaintiff/Defendant name.

Do not confuse the foreclosure court case with the separate online foreclosure-auction system.

Divorce / Family Law case

CORE is the court-record portal, but Florida’s family-law privacy rules limit remote document access. Plain copies of qualifying documents available in CORE can be viewed/downloaded for free; certified Family Law copies can be ordered through the Clerk.

Probate, estate, guardianship or trust

The Duval Probate Department handles estates, guardianships, and trusts. Public-access permissions depend on the record and Florida electronic-court security rules.

Juvenile case

Do not use ordinary public searching to try to identify a minor. Duval states that juvenile proceedings are generally confidential and that authorized case information is handled through the Juvenile Department’s in-person procedure.

Florida appeal from Duval

The Fourth Judicial Circuit, including Duval County, is currently within Florida’s Fifth District Court of Appeal. Use Florida ACIS for public appellate dockets and available appellate documents.

Florida ACIS

Federal case in Jacksonville

Use PACER. Duval County is served by the Jacksonville Division of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Federal bankruptcy cases use the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Duval court structure: know whether it is Circuit or County Court

CORE is for viewing, not filing

This is an important Duval-specific distinction.

CORE document access: immediately viewable vs request required

Some public documents have already been reviewed and can be opened immediately. Other documents are not immediately available and trigger a CORE document-request workflow.

CORE’s live request interface also warns that very large documents can require additional review or services:

CORE PDF security: be cautious with hyperlinks inside court filings

CORE currently warns users that documents accepted into court files are maintained in PDF/A format and may contain embedded hyperlinks.

The Clerk specifically states that it does not vet embedded hyperlinks in filed court documents for accuracy, legality, or safety.

If the court document is not available online

The Duval Clerk instructs researchers to contact the applicable Clerk department if a record predates online availability or otherwise cannot be obtained through CORE.

What information to include

• case number;
• party names;
• document name;
• approximate filing date;
• date of birth where lawfully necessary for a criminal-record search;
• case type;
• other identifying information that helps staff locate the correct file.

Mail request

Plain copies can be free when the document is already available in CORE

The Duval Family Law Department gives a clear example of the difference between an online plain copy and a Clerk-produced certified copy.

Duval electronic certified court records are now available through CORE

The Clerk now offers eCertified court records through CORE.

An eCertified document includes:

• a unique certification code;
• electronic Clerk stamp and seal;
• authentication information;
• a clickable verification link;
• a QR code for authentication;
• an emailed download link.

Online eCertified court-record cost

The Clerk states that an eCertified document purchased online becomes available for immediate download after purchase.

30-day download window

The email download link remains available for 30 days. Once you download the certified PDF, the Clerk states that you may print as many copies as needed without repurchasing additional certified copies of the same document.

Outside Florida?

The Duval Clerk says eCertified documents are accepted by federal and Florida state agencies and should be accepted by other entities requiring certified copies. However, if the document will be submitted to an agency in another state, the Clerk recommends confirming that the receiving agency accepts electronic certification.

eCertified copy ordered in person or by mail works differently

Before paying for certification, check whether you qualify for a free copy

The Duval Clerk warns that some people or agencies are legally entitled to free certified copies.

Examples identified by the Clerk include qualifying:

• petitioners in domestic-violence cases;
• parties who have been found indigent;
• government agencies entitled to copies under Florida law.

Current Duval copy and record-search fees

Fee schedule reviewed August 30, 2026. Department-specific forms and older forms can display different historical fee information. Use the Clerk’s current Fee Schedule page as the controlling practical reference before sending payment.

Duval Family Law records: divorce search and Final Judgment copies

The Family Law Department handles cases including:

• adoption;
• child support;
• custody;
• dissolution of marriage;
• emergency pick-up;
• name change;
• paternity.

For a normal public divorce case, CORE is the starting point. Florida’s privacy rules still determine which documents can be displayed online.

If you need a Final Judgment of Dissolution

1. Find the divorce case in CORE.
2. Verify both spouses’ names.
3. Save the case number.
4. Locate the Final Judgment event/document.
5. If a plain copy is sufficient and the image is available to you, download/print it through CORE.
6. If certified proof is required, contact the Family Law Department or use the applicable Clerk certification route.

Juvenile cases have a completely different access rule

The Duval Clerk states that juvenile proceedings are generally confidential.

Case information is limited to authorized people such as the:

• juvenile;
• legal parent;
• guardian;
• custodian;
• attorney of record.

The Clerk currently requires an authorized requester to appear in person with proper identification.

If you are trying to determine whether your child was arrested

The Juvenile Department directs parents/guardians to the Juvenile Assessment Center rather than providing detention information by phone.

Juvenile Assessment Center: 904-798-4706

Duval Misdemeanor court dates have a useful local verification rule

The Duval Clerk gives unusually specific guidance for misdemeanor arraignment dates.

For a pending arraignment date, the Clerk currently points users to:

State Attorney’s Office: 904-255-2500

For later misdemeanor court appearances:

Duval Clerk Misdemeanor Department: 904-255-2000

Have these identifiers ready

• misdemeanor case number;
• jail offender number;
• State Attorney number;
• offense date;
• complete defendant name as provided at arrest.

How to read a Duval criminal docket without confusing charge and conviction

Probate and guardianship records can contain sensitive information

The Duval Probate Department manages:

• decedent estates;
• guardianships;
• trust matters;
• other qualifying probate proceedings.

A public probate case may have some information visible through CORE while individual documents remain subject to Florida’s electronic-access restrictions.

Duval Court Records and Official Records are not the same database

Duval has a very specific January 2004 Official Records search quirk

This does not affect normal CORE court cases, but it matters when a user is actually looking for a recorded deed, mortgage, lien or other Official Record.

The Clerk’s own example:

A court judgment and a recorded judgment are different layers

A civil judgment can first appear as part of a court case in CORE. A certified judgment can later be recorded in Duval Official Records for lien/recording purposes when the legal requirements are satisfied.

Foreclosure research often requires more than one Duval system

For a Duval foreclosure investigation, separate these tasks:

Duval Tax Deed records also use a separate search system

The Clerk changed Tax Deed management systems in May 2021.

The current Tax Deed page separates:

• sales after May 2021;
• sales before May 2021 in the prior system.

The current Tax Deed viewer supports searches using information such as:

• application number;
• owner/party name;
• case number;
• parcel/RE number;
• status;
• sale date.

Why a Duval court-record search may return nothing

1. Check the spelling.
2. Remove an unnecessary middle name.
3. Try the case number.
4. Confirm that the case belongs in Duval County.
5. Check the case type. Circuit Civil, County Civil, criminal, family, probate and traffic are separate case classifications.
6. Create a registered CORE account. Some request functionality requires registered access.
7. Check whether the document needs Clerk review.
8. Consider confidentiality or sealing.
9. Juvenile case? Follow the in-person confidential-access procedure.
10. Old file? Contact the responsible Clerk department because it may predate online images.
11. Property record? Move from CORE to Official Records.
12. Tax deed? Use the Tax Deed system.
13. Appeal? Use Fifth DCA / Florida ACIS.
14. Federal? Use PACER.

Before relying on a common-name match

• compare complete first and last name;
• compare middle name or initial where available;
• confirm the case number;
• confirm case type;
• check filing date;
• check party role;
• compare attorney information;
• use date of birth only where lawfully available and necessary;
• read the final judgment or disposition;
• do not identify the person if material uncertainty remains.

Duval County Courthouse: main location for court-record follow-up

Duval Beaches Branch can handle some court services—but not everything

The Clerk currently lists services at the Beaches Branch including:

• Circuit Civil, excluding new cases;
• County Civil;
• selected Family Law matters;
• Felony;
• Misdemeanor;
• Small Claims;
• Traffic;
• Recording;
• other listed Clerk services.

CORE Help Desk

Do not confuse Duval Clerk case records with Fourth Judicial Circuit administrative records

Most users looking for a lawsuit, criminal case, divorce, probate matter, order, or judgment should use the Duval Clerk / CORE.

A different process applies when requesting administrative judicial-branch records held by Fourth Judicial Circuit Court Administration.

The Fourth Judicial Circuit explains that Rule 2.420 requests for judicial-branch administrative records in its possession should be made in writing with enough specificity to identify the record.

Duval appeals now go to the Fifth District Court of Appeal

Florida’s appellate boundaries changed in 2023. Current Duval Clerk guidance confirms that Duval appeals involve the Fifth District Court of Appeal, not the older First DCA structure that may still appear in outdated third-party articles.

The Duval Appeals Department handles communications among:

• Duval County Court;
• Duval Circuit Court;
• Fifth District Court of Appeal;
• Florida Supreme Court where applicable.

Florida ACIS

Florida’s Appellate Case Information System (ACIS) provides public access to dockets and available case documents for Florida’s Supreme Court and District Courts of Appeal.

Public searching does not require registration.

ACIS supports:

• Case Search;
• Party Search;
• Oral Argument Search;
• Advanced Search.

1. Save the Duval trial-court case number.
2. Open ACIS.
3. Select the Fifth District Court of Appeal when appropriate.
4. Use appellate case number if known.
5. Otherwise use Party Search.
6. Compare the originating Duval case information.
7. Open the appellate docket.
8. Review available appellate orders, briefs and opinions.
9. Return to CORE for the underlying Duval trial-court case.

Federal Duval County cases belong to the Jacksonville Division

Duval County is served by the Jacksonville Division of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

The Jacksonville Division serves:

• Baker;
• Bradford;
• Clay;
• Columbia;
• Duval;
• Flagler;
• Hamilton;
• Nassau;
• Putnam;
• St. Johns;
• Suwannee;
• Union.

Federal courthouse records can also be viewed at a public terminal

The Middle District of Florida states that basic docket information is maintained for each federal lawsuit and can be viewed at public-access terminals in Clerk offices.

Current federal Clerk copy charges listed by the Middle District include:

Federal bankruptcy in Duval County

Duval bankruptcy cases are handled by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida — Jacksonville Division.

Federal district and bankruptcy records use PACER, not CORE.

PACER pricing for a Duval-related federal case

What to do after finding the correct Duval case

Responsible use and FCRA boundary

Public-Court-Records.us is not a Consumer Reporting Agency and should not be used as an FCRA consumer-reporting service for:

• employment screening;
• tenant or housing screening;
• credit decisions;
• insurance eligibility;
• other eligibility decisions regulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

A public CORE result also does not establish identity, guilt, liability, or current status without reviewing the complete record.

Official sources reviewed for this Duval County guide

• Duval County Clerk — CORE — official court-case portal, access notices, CAPTCHA, document requests and case-document access.
• Duval Clerk — Online Viewing of Court Records — public/registered access, unavailable-record procedure and current eCertified court-record service.
• CORE General Public Registration — current account-creation process.
• Duval Electronic Court Access — CORE vs Florida E-Filing Portal and self-represented-party access.
• Duval Clerk Fee Schedules — copy, certification, exemplification, search and department-specific fees.
• Duval Circuit Civil — current $50,000 jurisdictional distinction and CORE name/case-number searching.
• Duval County Civil — current $8,000.01–$50,000 County Civil range and online case access.
• Duval Small Claims — $8,000-or-less jurisdiction and local procedures.
• Duval Family Law — family case types, Final Judgment copies, CORE access and department contact details.
• Duval Probate — estates, guardianship, trust records and copy/certification fees.
• Duval Juvenile Department — juvenile confidentiality, authorized in-person access and Juvenile Assessment Center information.
• Duval Misdemeanor Department — CORE access, records requests and local court-date verification guidance.
• Duval Felony Department — felony record search and CORE access.
• Duval Appeals Department — current Fifth District Court of Appeal routing.
• Duval Official Records Search — deeds, mortgages, liens, recorded instruments and January 2004 document-number notice.
• Duval Tax Deed Files — current/post-May-2021 and older Tax Deed search systems.
• Duval Clerk Office Locations — Downtown Courthouse and Beaches Branch current hours.
• Duval Beaches Branch — branch services and Family Law limitations.
• Florida Fourth Judicial Circuit — Duval courthouse address, court hours and Court Administration contacts.
• Florida Appellate Case Information System — public appellate dockets and documents.
• Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal — current appellate court serving the Fourth Judicial Circuit.
• U.S. District Court — Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville Division — federal courthouse, Duval coverage, contact details and hours.
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court — Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville Division — Jacksonville bankruptcy courthouse.
• PACER — federal case-record access.

Research review date: August 30, 2026. CORE permissions, court schedules, copy fees, eCertify vendor charges, court locations and appellate/federal access details can change. Recheck transaction-sensitive and hearing-sensitive information at the official source.

Frequently asked questions about Duval County court records

1. What is the official Duval County court-record search website?

The Duval County Clerk’s official court-record system is CORE, the Clerk Online Resource ePortal. CORE is used to view information officially filed in Duval’s court system, including qualifying docket information and court documents.

2. Can I search Duval County court records by a person’s name?

Yes. Duval Clerk department guidance states that cases can be located in CORE using a case number or Plaintiff/Defendant name. After identifying a matching case, save the case number and verify the case type, filing date, party role and disposition before connecting the record to a specific person.

3. Do I need a CORE account to search Duval court records?

Basic public access is available for qualifying non-confidential records. A free registered General Public CORE account provides additional functionality, including the ability to request access to certain documents that are not already reviewed and published for immediate public viewing.

4. What should I do when a document is listed in CORE but will not open?

The document may require Clerk review, may not yet be available electronically to your user role, or may be restricted. Registered users can request access to certain qualifying documents through CORE. For records that predate online access or remain unavailable, contact the responsible Clerk department with the case number and document details.

5. How much does a certified Duval County court record cost?

The current Clerk fee schedule lists ordinary paper court-record copies at $1 per page plus $2 certification per document. Online eCertified court records currently carry the $2 certification fee plus a $6 eCertify vendor processing fee and a 3.5% credit-card service fee.

6. Can I download a plain Duval court document for free?

When a qualifying public court-document image is available to your CORE access level, the Clerk allows it to be viewed, downloaded or printed online without a plain-copy charge. Certification and Clerk-produced copies are separate paid services unless a legal fee exemption applies.

7. Are Duval juvenile court records available through a normal public CORE search?

Juvenile proceedings are generally confidential. The Duval Clerk states that authorized juvenile case information is provided in person to the juvenile, legal parent, guardian, custodian or attorney of record after proper identification. Juvenile case information is not provided by phone.

8. Are Duval deeds, mortgages and property liens searched in CORE?

No. CORE is the court-case portal. Deeds, mortgages, recorded liens and similar recorded instruments belong in Duval Official Records. For Official Records recorded January 1 through January 20, 2004, the Clerk specifically recommends Grantor/Grantee or Book/Page searching when an old document-number format causes problems.

9. Where do I search an appeal from a Duval County court case?

Duval County is in Florida’s Fourth Judicial Circuit, which currently routes to the Fifth District Court of Appeal. Use Florida ACIS for public appellate dockets and available appellate documents, while using CORE for the underlying Duval trial-court record.

10. Can Public-Court-Records.us be used for employment or tenant screening?

No. Public-Court-Records.us is not a Consumer Reporting Agency and should not be used as an FCRA consumer-reporting service for employment, tenant, housing, credit, insurance or similar eligibility decisions. A CORE name match also does not independently establish a person’s identity or legal outcome.