Glades County Court Records Lookup

Glades County Courts, FL *

Glades County sounds like it should be part of the Everglades National Park area, and it is named for the famous wetlands. However, it lies 120 miles north of the Everglades. Glades County lies just west of Lake Okeechobee, the largest freshwater lake in the state and the eighth-largest in the country. While Lake Okeechobee is large, Glades County is one of the smallest counties in both area and population.

Residents of Glade County need to understand the county's court system in order to access it. Knowing how to locate court records helps citizens complete their daily transactions. Citizens of the county need court records to petition for divorce or child custody, a traffic ticket history for an insurance company, to file a small claims case, or to settle a property line dispute. The residents of Glade County, Florida, need to understand how the court system works.

Overview of the Glades County Court System

The court system in Glades County, Florida, is multilevel. While Florida used to have both municipal courts and justices of the peace, these were phased out with the passage of a judicial review bill in 1972. Glades County has a county court, located in the county seat of Moore Haven. The county also has a circuit court, which is a district court made up of five counties in the state: Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee Counties. Glades County is one of only a handful of counties in the state with tribal reservations, which means it has a separate court system. One of six Seminole Indian Reservations (Brighton Reservation) is located in Glades County.

Types of Courts in Glades County, Florida

Each court type has its own rules and jurisdictions. It is crucial for residents of Glades County to understand which court system will house their records. In Florida, the entire state court system is overseen by the Office of the State Courts Administrator in Tallahassee.

Circuit Court

Florida's highest trial courts are divided into 20 circuits over the entire state. Glades County is one of five counties in the 20th Judicial Circuit. While the headquarters of the Circuit Court is in Fort Myers, Glades County also holds procedural hearings and trials for the circuit. Circuit Courts are the major trial courts in Florida and represent the highest level of trial court in the state.

Jurisdictions:

• Major civil lawsuits with damages above $50,000
• Felony cases and related misdemeanors
• Divorce cases, custody, child support
• Adoption
• Wills, trusts, estates
• Guardianship
• Juvenile delinquency and dependency
• Title disputes, boundary disputes, and evictions

Some counties within the circuit court system have both judges and magistrates. Magistrates are lawyers hired by circuit judges to assist with heavy caseloads in some Florida circuits. They cannot issue final rulings, but they can hold preliminary hearings and submit recommendations to a circuit judge.

County Court

Florida has 67 county courts, one for each county. The County Court meets at the Glades County Courthouse located in Moore Haven. County courts in Florida are often called "the people's court" because many Floridians become involved in the county court system through traffic tickets or small claims.

Jurisdiction:

• Civil cases under $50,000
• Small claims
• Evictions and small property disputes
• Equity cases
• Misdemeanors with jail time of less than 6 months
• Municipal and county ordinance violations
• Traffic offenses or citations
• Uncontested divorces

Equity cases are a type of civil lawsuit in which the plaintiff seeks a procedural change rather than monetary damages. These cases generally do not involve a jury and are heard only by a judge.

Reservation Courts

Glades County is the home of the Brighton Indian Reservation. The reservation belongs to the Seminole Tribe, and it is one of six Seminole Indian Reservations in Florida. Brighton Reservation sits on the northwest shores of Lake Okeechobee and covers 36,000 acres. Most of the 600 members of the Seminole Tribe are cattle ranchers.

The Brighton Reservation, like all Indian reservations in the United States, has its own court system but also collaborates with the county and circuit courts in Glade County. There is a tribal trial court and an appellate court at the tribe's administration building in Okeechobee, Okeechobee County, but the tribe's headquarters is in Hollywood, Florida.

Jurisdictions:

• Family law (divorce, child support, child custody)
• Guardianships
• Business contracts and disputes
• Name changes

The Brighton Reservation Seminole tribal trial court does not handle any criminal cases. Instead, misdemeanors are heard in Glade County Court, and felonies are heard in the 20th Judicial Circuit Court.

How to Access Glades County Court Records

Florida has one of the most open sunshine laws in the country. The Sunshine Law in Florida governs both government meetings and court records. The law guarantees that all court records must be available for viewing and that copies are free. Floridians do not have to provide an ID or a reason for accessing court records. Nearly all court records in Florida are open to the public. There are a few exceptions. Judges can order that court records be sealed, as with juvenile cases. Florida prohibits violent crimes from being sealed.

Online Access

Florida law mandates that court records be accessible online whenever possible. Nearly all county and circuit court records in Florida are available through the Clerk of Courts website. Glades County offers both county and circuit court records online. In Glades County, there are several types of access. Public access allows anyone to look up records online without providing an ID. Attorneys can access records on the attorney platform by registering with a user ID and password. Citizens can also register to access court records with a user ID and password. People can also access court records with a user ID and password if they are a litigant in a court case in Glades County. Tribal court records from Brighton Reservation are not available online.

Alternative Online Options

Although Florida has a very open records policy with their Sunshine Law, accessing records can be confusing, especially if residents are unsure which county the court record is in. Availability of court records may be fragmented at best. People who don't want to spend time searching for records could use a third-party database, such as CourtCaseFinder, to find court records. Third-party databases can also search across multiple jurisdictions.

In-Person Requests

While Florida has digitized or scanned versions of its court records, the state also allows residents to request court records in person. Florida's Sunshine Law does not specify how long the clerk of courts has to make copies of the records, so it may be done on the same day or may take a few days. To request circuit and county court records, people can go to one office: the clerk of courts' office. Citizens who want access to the Brighton Reservation court records will need to visit either the administration office in Okeechobee or the tribal headquarters in Hollywood.

Archived Records

The first stop for an archived records request is the clerk of the courts in Glades County. Citizens can look up archived records online, but depending on the year the case occurred, those records may not be available. If the archived court case isn't available on the Glades County website, the next step is to make a records request in person at the clerk of courts' office. You can also make a records request via email. If the clerk of the courts' office for Glades County does not have the court records available, many people's next stop would be the State Archives of Florida. The State Archives of Florida has court records dating from the 1820s. Some of the archived cases are available online via the Archives website, but for others, people must submit a request; records can be mailed to them, or they can visit the State Archives of Florida in Tallahassee.

For Attorneys and Legal Professionals

Florida has a very straightforward court system, with a handful of court jurisdictions in each county. However, attorneys and legal professionals from outside Glades County or outside Florida may find the court layout confusing. Understanding each court location and how to access court records is essential for saving time. Legal professionals who require assistance with filing in the Circuit Court or the County Court are in luck, because there is only one County Clerk of Courts to contact. The County Clerk of Courts has immense knowledge of filing, records, and court procedures.

All attorneys and legal professionals in Florida are bound by the Florida Rules of Court Procedure. Each type of law (civil, probate, family, criminal) has specific procedures outlined by the state. There are also chapters on general rules governing the behavior of the legal profession in the court system. For example, while business casual attire is acceptable in Florida court offices, attorneys and other legal professionals must wear conservative, professional attire for courtroom proceedings.

How to File a Case in Glades County

Filing a case in Glades County does not have to be complicated. Residents who need to file a case can follow the procedures outlined below.

Step 1: Choose the Correct Court

Choosing the correct court to file in saves Glades County residents time and money. Luckily, there are only two courts to choose from. Because citizens do not file criminal cases, the most important step for residents is determining which court will hear the civil case. For uncontested divorces, civil cases with damages under $50,000, small claims cases, evictions, and small property issues, the case must be filed in the Glades County Court. For contested divorces, large property disputes, and civil cases with damages over $50,000, the case must be filed with the 20th Judicial Circuit Court.

Step 2: Complete Required Forms

In Glades County, there are options for filling out the forms needed for court. Citizens of the county can download the forms to fill out or complete them online. Fillable packets are available on the Florida Courts website or on the Glades County Clerk of Courts website. The state of Florida has a DIY interactive program to help people fill out court forms correctly. One can also call the clerk of courts, ask questions via email, or visit in person to get questions answered about forms and general court procedure.

Step 3: File the Case

Florida residents can file their court paperwork online or in person. Glades County residents can file the case online through the e-file platform. The platform is used throughout Florida and is governed by the Florida Courts E-Filing Authority. People who want to file in person can take the paperwork directly to the Clerk of the Courts' office in the Glades County Courthouse.

Step 4: Pay Filing Fees

People who are filing their case online can pay through the Florida e-file platform. They can also pay in person when they file with cash, a cashier's check, or a money order at the Clerk of Courts' office. Residents who intend to pay in cash should bring exact change. If a filer doesn't think they can afford the filing fees, they must submit an Application for Determination of Civil Indigent Status with the clerk of courts.

Step 5: Serve the Other Party

Unlike other states, Florida requires that either a process server or a member of law enforcement serve the other litigant (the person who is suing or being sued) in the case. The process server in Glades County is usually a member of the Glades County Sheriff's Office, a certified process server appointed by the 20th Judicial Circuit, or a special process server appointed by the Glades County Sheriff. Whoever serves the papers will file a Certificate of Service Form with the Glades County Clerk of Courts.

Step 6: Monitor the Case

Once the paperwork is complete, it is important to monitor the case for updates. People can monitor their case for updates on the Glades County Clerk of Courts website. They can also call the clerk of courts' office or email for updates.

Glades County Courthouse Directory

Legal Help and Self-Help Resources

Whether this is the first time someone has filed or the tenth time, when court paperwork is filed, there may be questions. It can be difficult to know where to turn when a citizen in Glades County needs help with a case. One of the first places residents should contact is the clerk of the courts' office in Glades County. Clerks of courts are great sources of information when people have questions about forms or the filing process. There are also resources available in Glades County and the 20th Judicial District that provide legal assistance.

Free Legal Assistance

There are legal organizations throughout Florida that offer Glades County residents assistance with legal issues or questions. The American Bar Association operates a Free Legal Answers website with information for Florida citizens. They can answer questions via email. There's also a nonprofit group in Florida, Florida Law Help. Their website answers legal questions, allows citizens to search for answers on topics, and accepts applications for additional legal assistance.

Local Legal Support

Glades County has nonprofit groups that provide residents with legal support at free or reduced rates. Rural Floridians in Glades County can contact Florida Rural Legal Services, which provides legal support to rural Floridians who have civil cases and limited legal resources. The Glades County Clerk of Courts offers free family law clinics each month and provides clerical help for protective orders for survivors of domestic violence. Legal Access for All is a community organization providing legal help, resources, information, and online legal clinics throughout Central Florida.

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