Collier County Courts

Collier County was established on May 8, 1923, and has an estimated population of approximately 416,000 people as of 2024. This represents about 1.8% of over 23 million Florida residents. The county serves as a popular tourist destination with a strong hospitality industry, and its county seat is located in East Naples. Yearly, Collier County disposes of 38,000 cases and accounts for 37,000 case filings. These include 2,900 family-related cases, 8,800 criminal matters, 22,000 civil cases, and 3,200 probate cases.

The trial courts in Collier County are situated in a singular location - the City of Naples. With respect to their jurisdiction, the following cases are handled in Collier County:

• Circuit Court: exercises general jurisdiction over major legal matters, which may include civil, family law, criminal, juvenile, and probate cases.
• County Court: handles misdemeanors, traffic offenses, and small claims cases as a court of limited jurisdiction.

How To Access Collier County Court Records?

Collier County court records are public; therefore, members of the public may request access to them. The Florida Sunshine Law ensures that all government records are open to the public. However, there are statutory exemptions that protect sensitive information from disclosure.

Such exempted records may include active criminal investigations, medical records, and juvenile records. In addition, certain information is redacted in open records. These may include the identities of victims of sexual violence and personal identifiers of/for law enforcement officers.

Interested persons may need to fulfill certain requirements before they may inspect court records. In Collier County, a photo ID may not be required when requesting copies of records online. However, if you are requesting copies of sealed records or requesting court records in person, you may be required to provide a photo ID and a case number to help find the record faster. The following are methods that the public may utilize in finding court records specific to Collier County:

Online

To search trial court case records in Collier County, the public may visit the website of the Circuit Court Clerk and Comptroller. You may perform an online case search, find non-certified copies of records, and track case status. Court records available on the Circuit Court Clerk's website may include traffic, probate, civil, and criminal cases.

In addition, the public may utilize a third-party case lookup tool such as CourtCaseFinder to find court records. This platform provides recent and wide-ranging information on court records not only in Collier County but in all counties in the United States.

However, for federal cases in the county, interested persons may visit the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) case locator. The PACER case locator is an electronic tool that allows the general public access to case documents. Anyone interested in viewing records via the PACER website may do so by first creating an account on the platform. On the PACER website, interested persons may enter the name of the specific court that handled the case to proceed with finding case records.

In Person

To access court records in person, the public may visit the Office of the Circuit Court Clerk. Every county has a court clerk who manages court records in the county, thereby enabling the public to find records faster. The Circuit Court Clerk is responsible for maintaining and indexing records about judgments made in Collier County. Records are available in hard copies at the courthouse, and requesters may be required to fill out a record request form.

Record request forms are usually available at the records department, and a staff member is available to assist in filling out the forms. Interested persons may, however, be required to provide a case number, the names of parties involved in the case, and the filing date to find records. Accessing records typically costs a fee as stipulated by law. Therefore, requesters may bring along the required fee for access to court records.

Alternatively, interested parties may use public computer terminals at specific courthouse locations in the county when seeking court records. This enables the public to find court records and electronic docket information easily. Also, certified and printed copies of records usually cost a fee. While it typically costs $1 for copies of records, certified copies cost $2.

Old and Archived Court Records

Certain court records may not be available online or at the courthouse; such records may include historical court records. However, they may be sourced from State Archives and Libraries. Interested persons may source older records at the State Archives in person at:

How To File a Case in Collier County?

Filing a case involves several procedures and legal requirements, which are done in accordance with state laws. If you are filing a case, you may be required to submit your request to the court division that handled the case. Thereafter, you may contact the court clerk to verify that the court has jurisdiction over that case. A case may be filed electronically, by mail, or in person with the clerk of court.

Although the method of filing a case may vary depending on the type of case. When filing a case, the plaintiff is usually required to pay certain fees. In Collier County, both the Circuit Court and County Court have different fee structures for filing cases. Filing a civil case costs between $55 and $400. However, interested persons may make inquiries from the court clerk to verify the fees associated with filing their case.

In addition, the county offers fee waivers for individuals who qualify as civil indigents. Therefore, individuals who may not afford to pay court filing fees may apply for Determination of Civil Indigent Status. Such individuals may complete the Application for Determination of Civil Indigent Status Form, which is available through the Collier County Circuit Court Clerk's office. Interested persons may follow these steps to file their case, whether they are filing a small claims, civil, or more complex cases:

• Identify the type of case
• File the case with the court that has jurisdiction over the case
• Complete the required forms correctly
• Pay the filing fees or apply for a filing fee waiver if you qualify
• Choose a filing method (by mail, in person, or through the Florida Courts E-filing portal)
• Serve the defendant with a summons and a copy of the complaint
• Be prepared with all documents and evidence
• Attend a hearing

Legal Help and Self-Help Resources

The county court systems in the United States are beneficial and significant to the general public for access to justice. However, the public needs certain resources to assist them in representing their case in court. There are legal assistance and self-help resources that may assist the general public and self-represented litigants in certain areas of law. Interested persons may utilize resources from the state, legal aid societies, and pro bono panels in navigating certain cases, such as civil, family, probate, and small claims cases. Although these resources vary by jurisdiction, there is free and low-cost legal assistance for all in navigating the justice system.

Litigants who are low-income earners may turn to legal aid organizations, local bar associations, and the county courthouse for assistance to pursue their cases in court. Those pursuing family law and civil cases may use the public access computers in Collier County courthouses to complete court-approved forms. These forms cover matters involving small claims, paternity, dissolution of marriage, civil injunctions of protection orders, and landlord-tenant cases. They may visit the Office of the Collier County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller to gain access to these forms. The office is open Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at:

Furthermore, individuals who may not afford an attorney may find certain resources from the state helpful. Such services may include:

• Florida Legal Services: Offers statewide support for civil legal matters in the areas of housing and domestic violence.
• Community Legal Services: This civil legal aid law firm offers no-cost specialized legal services to vulnerable persons in central Florida. It helps navigate family law, domestic violence, and landlord-tenant cases, as well as providing equal rights to all children in Florida.

The public may find low-cost or free legal help from the following in Collier County:

• Collier County Self-Help Centers: It assists with navigating legal forms and procedures.
• Florida Rural Legal Services (FRLS): Is a non-profit law firm that provides free civil legal assistance to low-income individuals and farmworkers statewide.
• Collier Legal Aid: They provide free civil legal services to low-income residents of Collier County in various areas. They may include family law, immigration, education, consumer tax, and representation for children in the dependency system.
• Florida Department of Revenue (Child Support Services):Help families by ensuring children receive the financial support they need. They help establish paternity and set up child support orders.
• Collier County Bar Association Referral Services: Connects individuals needing legal assistance with qualified attorneys in Collier County.
• Florida Law Help Referral Program: Helps people find lawyers, particularly when they don't know where to start. It also connects individuals with attorneys who may provide legal assistance.

Additional legal aid resources available to Collier County residents are:

• FLCourts Help Center: Allows the public to create legal documents by answering specific questions and file them electronically through the Florida Courts E-Portal.
• Collier County Law Library: The Collier County Law Library is located within the Collier County Bar Association office. It houses computer stations equipped with legal research software.
• American Bar Association Free Legal Answers: Provides virtual legal advice at no cost. Also, the public has access to pro bono attorneys who answer legal questions regarding civil matters.

Types of Courts in Collier County

Collier County is served by various courts at both the county and federal levels. These courts include the Circuit Court, County Court, and the U.S. District and Bankruptcy Courts for the Middle District of Florida. The following specifies the jurisdiction and location of each of these courts in Collier County:

Collier County Circuit Court

• Jurisdiction: This court is a higher-level court. It hears civil, traffic, probate, family law, domestic violence, and criminal cases.
• Address and Contact Information

County Court of Collier County

• Jurisdiction: Handles misdemeanor cases, small claims (disputes under $8,000), landlord-tenant disputes, violations of municipal ordinances, and civil cases (under $50,000).
• Address and Contact Information:

There are no federal courts located physically in Collier County. However, the county falls under the United States Middle District Court of Florida, Fort Myers Division. Therefore, residents of Collier County may bring their cases to the courts below for hearing at:

United States District Court Middle District of Florida

• Jurisdiction: This court hears constitutional and federal law matters, including criminal and civil cases. It also hears appeals from federal administrative agencies.
• Address and Contact Information:

Florida Middle Bankruptcy Court

• Jurisdiction: Hears bankruptcy cases
• Address and Contact Information:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Collier County Courts