Miami FL Court Records Search: Use the Right Miami-Dade Clerk System
If you are searching for Miami FL court records, the first local fact to understand is that most City of Miami trial-court cases are maintained through the Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller, not a separate City of Miami court-record database.
Civil, family, probate, criminal and traffic records use different Miami-Dade online systems. State appeals and federal cases use separate court systems again.
Miami court records and Miami-Dade court records usually mean the same trial-court system
Florida trial courts operate as Circuit Courts and County Courts. Miami-Dade County alone makes up Florida’s Eleventh Judicial Circuit. The elected Miami-Dade Clerk is the official custodian for the county’s court records.
That means a lawsuit, divorce, probate case, felony, misdemeanor or traffic matter arising in Miami is normally searched through the appropriate Miami-Dade Clerk system rather than through a separate City of Miami judiciary.
Which Miami court-record system should you use?
Miami-Dade does not use one universal public search for every record type. Starting in the wrong database is one of the main reasons a known case appears to be missing.
| What you need | Official system | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Civil lawsuit | Civil, Family & Probate Courts Online System | Circuit Civil, County Civil, small claims, evictions and related civil matters. |
| Divorce / family case | Civil, Family & Probate Courts Online System | Divorce, paternity, family-law cases and many related docket records, subject to privacy restrictions. |
| Probate / guardianship | Civil, Family & Probate Courts Online System | Estate, probate and guardianship case information with document access subject to Florida access rules. |
| Felony | Criminal Justice Online Case Search | Circuit Criminal felony cases, charges, docket activity, hearings and dispositions where public. |
| Misdemeanor | Criminal Justice Online Case Search | County Criminal misdemeanor and qualifying ordinance matters. |
| Traffic citation | Traffic Online System | Miami-Dade traffic citation information, status, payment options and related case data. |
| Deed / mortgage / lien | Official Records | Recorded property and legal instruments. This is not the court-case docket database. |
| Juvenile case | Juvenile Court Division | Confidential juvenile files with access limited to authorized parties. |
| State appeal | Florida ACIS / Third District Court of Appeal | Appeals from Miami-Dade trial courts and appellate docket information. |
| Federal case | PACER / Southern District of Florida | Federal civil and criminal cases. These records are not kept in Miami-Dade Clerk trial-court databases. |
| Bankruptcy | U.S. Bankruptcy Court / PACER | Federal bankruptcy cases filed in the Southern District of Florida. |
How to search Miami court records by name or case number
Separate civil/family/probate, criminal, traffic, appellate and federal matters. They do not share one ordinary public database.
Choose the system that matches your record type instead of starting with a general internet people search.
A case number is usually more precise than a party-name search and helps reduce incorrect identity matches.
Review the filing date, court division, case type, party role, attorneys, docket entries and status before deciding that a result is the correct case.
The result list only locates the file. The docket shows the sequence of filings, hearings, orders, judgments, dismissals and other activity.
A filed charge, lawsuit or petition is not the final outcome. Later entries may show dismissal, plea, acquittal, judgment, satisfaction, appeal or other disposition.
For government, immigration, licensing, court or other formal uses, ask the Clerk whether a certified copy or certified disposition is required.
Miami civil, family and probate records use the Odyssey-based online system
The Miami-Dade Clerk identifies civil cases as part of its Odyssey system. The current Civil, Family and Probate Courts Online System provides standard and advanced search options, public access and registered-user access.
Miami-Dade County Court handles civil claims above $8,000 and not more than $50,000, plus tenant eviction matters.
Small Claims cases involve claims that do not exceed $8,000, excluding interest, court costs and attorney fees.
Circuit Court handles higher-value and other qualifying civil matters. Check the actual case type rather than assuming every civil lawsuit belongs in County Court.
Miami criminal court records use a different system from civil cases
Felony and misdemeanor records use the Miami-Dade Criminal Justice Online Case Search. The Clerk’s criminal system can show case details such as the local and state case numbers, filing date, court information, docket activity, charges and disposition information when public.
Circuit Criminal processes felony cases. Court operations are centered at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building.
County Criminal handles misdemeanor matters and certain ordinance or non-criminal infraction case types.
Miami traffic citations use the Clerk’s Traffic Online System
Traffic citations are separate from ordinary civil and criminal name searches. The Miami-Dade Traffic Online System can be used for traffic case searching and qualifying payment or court-election functions.
For a traffic search, use the official portal rather than entering a driver’s-license number, date of birth or other sensitive identifier on an independent website.
Why a Miami court document may appear in the docket but not open online
Florida’s electronic-court-record rules distinguish between ordinary public access and additional registered-user access. Miami-Dade offers free registration for qualifying court-record access under the Florida Supreme Court Standards for Access to Electronic Court Records and the Access Security Matrix.
- The document requires registered-user access.
- The document has not yet been released electronically.
- The case is older or stored outside the modern online system.
- The wrong Miami-Dade system is being searched.
- Sealed court file.
- Confidential information.
- Juvenile record.
- Protected family or guardianship information.
- Access limited by statute, court rule or court order.
How to get a certified Miami-Dade court record
A screenshot or ordinary printed docket is not a certified court record. The Clerk offers certified-copy options for civil, family, probate, criminal, marriage, Official Records and qualifying traffic documents.
| Request | Current Clerk information | Useful detail |
|---|---|---|
| Civil copy | $1 per page | Certified civil copies can be requested online, by mail or in person. |
| Civil certification | $2 per document | Add the certification charge to the page-copy cost. |
| Family copy | $1 per page | Online ordering may require registered-user access when the image is not visible publicly. |
| Probate copy | $1 per page | Certification is currently listed at $2 per document. |
| Unknown year / case number | $2 per year, per name searched | Narrow the year range before requesting a Clerk-performed search. |
| Certified criminal-history product | $7 listed for the certified product | Additional search charges can apply when the case year or number is unknown. |
Certified-copy checklist
- Find the case in the correct Miami-Dade system.
- Write down the local case number and case year.
- Identify the exact judgment, order, disposition or other document needed.
- Open the Clerk’s certified-copy page.
- Choose online, mail or in-person service if available for that record type.
- Confirm the number of pages and certification requirement.
- Pay using an accepted method.
- Keep the Clerk’s certification attached to the document.
Court case records are not the same as Miami-Dade Official Records
The same Clerk maintains both systems, which causes frequent confusion. A lawsuit docket belongs in the court-case system. A deed, mortgage, recorded lien or other recorded instrument belongs in Official Records.
| Need | Use |
|---|---|
| Civil lawsuit docket | Civil Courts Online System |
| Divorce case | Family Court Online System |
| Probate case | Probate Online System |
| Felony / misdemeanor | Criminal Justice Online Case Search |
| Deed / mortgage / lien | Official Records |
| Recorded judgment instrument | Official Records for the recorded instrument; court case system for the litigation history |
Official Miami court-record links with next-step instructions
After opening this link:
- Choose Civil/Family/Probate, Criminal or Traffic.
- Do not select Official Records unless you need a recorded instrument.
- Search the correct system.
- Save the case number before leaving.
After opening this link:
- Select the preferred search method.
- Complete required fields only.
- Open the matching case card.
- Review case and document details.
After opening this link:
- Choose the criminal search option.
- Confirm felony vs misdemeanor.
- Review charges and later docket entries.
- Use the certified-copy instructions for official dispositions.
After opening this link:
- Choose the relevant traffic search.
- Use citation or case information when available.
- Verify status and current balance.
- Use official options if payment or a hearing request is required.
After opening this link:
- Select the record category.
- Locate the case first when possible.
- Identify the exact document.
- Check current fees and ordering method.
After opening this link:
- Use this only for recorded instruments.
- Search by the available official fields.
- Check the document image and recording data.
- Order a certified recorded copy if needed.
After opening this link:
- Select Case Search or Party Search.
- Choose the correct appellate court.
- Compare the lower-tribunal Miami-Dade case number.
- Review appellate docket entries and documents.
After opening this link:
- Use Case Locator if the federal court is unknown.
- Confirm Southern District of Florida when applicable.
- Use a precise search to limit billable pages.
- Open the individual court docket for current filings.
Two Miami courthouse locations that matter for common record requests
20 NW 1st Avenue
Miami, FL 33128
Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Civil office: 786-292-4845
Current Clerk listings include Circuit Civil, County Court, Civil Appeals, Probate, Official Records and related services at this facility.
1351 NW 12th Street
Miami, FL 33125
Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Current Clerk listings include Felony, Misdemeanor, Traffic and other criminal-court services at this facility.
Map: Osvaldo N. Soto Miami-Dade Justice Center, central Miami civil/probate/Official Records location.
Miami appeals and federal cases are outside the normal Clerk trial-court search
The Third District Court of Appeal’s territorial jurisdiction includes Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. Use Florida ACIS to search the appellate docket.
Federal civil and criminal cases from Miami use the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and PACER, not the Miami-Dade Clerk’s state trial-court search.
Bankruptcy is federal. Use the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida and PACER rather than Miami-Dade County Civil Court.
PACER pricing verified September 27, 2026
| Item | Current / announced rule |
|---|---|
| Current electronic access | $0.10 per billable page. |
| Search with no matches | Can still generate a one-page $0.10 charge. |
| Current quarterly automatic exemption | Qualifying charges of $30 or less in a quarter are currently waived. |
| January 1, 2027 | PACER has announced a temporary increase to $0.12 per page and an increase in the quarterly automatic exemption threshold from $30 to $40. |
What to check when a Miami court-record search finds nothing
- Civil/family/probate searched in the criminal portal?
- Criminal case searched in Odyssey?
- Traffic citation searched as a normal civil case?
- Deed or lien searched as a court case?
- Federal case searched in a state system?
- Name variation or different legal business name.
- Wrong filing year.
- Older criminal case not available online.
- Restricted or sealed record.
- Document requires registered-user access.
How to read a Miami court docket without treating a filing as the outcome
Starts or seeks relief in a case. It states allegations or requests; it does not prove that those allegations are true.
A party asks the court to take an action. Look for a later order to determine whether the request was granted or denied.
A court directive or ruling. Read its actual text and later docket entries rather than assuming every order ends the case.
A civil judgment may establish an obligation, but the docket may need later review for satisfaction, appeal, vacation or other post-judgment activity.
The case or claim was dismissed. The legal consequences can depend on whether the dismissal was with or without prejudice and on later proceedings.
The recorded outcome of a matter or charge. For formal use, obtain the appropriate certified disposition or judgment from the Clerk.
Use Miami court-record information carefully
- A matching name does not prove identity.
- An arrest is not the same as a filed criminal case.
- A criminal charge or indictment is not a conviction.
- A civil complaint does not establish that an allegation is true.
- A judgment does not automatically show whether it has been paid, satisfied, appealed or vacated.
- Do not attempt to bypass sealing, expungement, juvenile confidentiality or electronic-access restrictions.
- Do not republish unnecessary addresses, children’s information, medical details or other sensitive data.
- Contact the official Clerk or court for certified records, corrections, sealing, expungement and formal interpretation.
Frequently asked questions about Miami FL court records
Where do I search Miami FL court records online?
For most Miami trial-court cases, use the Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller. Civil, family and probate cases use the Clerk’s Civil, Family and Probate Courts Online System; felony and misdemeanor cases use the Criminal Justice system; and traffic matters use the Traffic Online System.
Can I search Miami court records by name?
Yes, Miami-Dade court systems provide party-based search options for applicable case types. A name match alone does not prove identity, so compare the case number, court division, filing date, party role and docket details.
Are Miami court records the same as Miami-Dade court records?
For most trial-court research involving the City of Miami, the relevant court records are maintained through Miami-Dade County’s Circuit and County Courts and the Miami-Dade Clerk. Miami does not have a separate modern municipal court-record system that replaces these county systems.
Where do I search Miami criminal court records?
Use the Miami-Dade Clerk’s Criminal Justice Online Case Search for felony and misdemeanor cases. Criminal court operations are centered at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building at 1351 NW 12th Street in Miami.
Where do I search Miami civil, divorce or probate cases?
Use the Miami-Dade Civil, Family and Probate Courts Online System. Civil, family and probate cases are maintained separately from the Clerk’s criminal and traffic systems.
How much do certified Miami-Dade court copies cost?
For civil, family and probate certified-copy requests, the Clerk currently lists $1 per page and $2 per document for certification. If the year or case number is unknown, an additional $2 per year, per name search fee may apply. Criminal certified-copy procedures can use different flat charges depending on the requested product.
Are all Miami court documents viewable online?
No. Florida electronic-access standards restrict some records and documents. A free registered-user account can provide additional access to qualifying records, but sealed, confidential, juvenile and otherwise restricted records are not available through ordinary public access.
Where do I search an appeal from a Miami-Dade case?
Use Florida’s Appellate Case Information System for appellate docket searches. Miami-Dade County is within the territorial jurisdiction of Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal, although some matters can reach the Florida Supreme Court.
Where do I search Miami federal court records?
Use PACER and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Federal district and bankruptcy records are separate from Miami-Dade Clerk trial-court systems.
Can I use this page for an employment or tenant background check?
No. Public-Court-Records.us is not a Consumer Reporting Agency and this guide is not an FCRA-regulated background-screening product. Court docket information should not be used through this page for employment, housing, credit, insurance or tenant-screening decisions.
Sources and freshness check
This guide was independently checked against current Miami-Dade Clerk resources, Civil/Family/Probate OCS, Criminal Court resources, Traffic Online System, certified-copy instructions, Official Records information, Eleventh Judicial Circuit resources, Florida ACIS, Third District Court of Appeal, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida and PACER.
Last verified: September 27, 2026.