Lee County Courts

Lee County, located in Southwest Florida, is home to more than 800,000 people and accounts for about 3.7% of the state's total population of 21.5 million. Lee County's trial courts record an average of 94,076 case filings annually. These filings typically include about 24,368 criminal cases and 49,772 civil lawsuits. Similarly, approximately 91,194 case dispositions are recorded each year, including about 24,154 criminal and 37,215 civil cases.

Lee County operates a two-tiered trial court system, each with distinct jurisdiction over various case types in the county.

• Lee County Circuit Court has jurisdiction over felony criminal cases, lesser-included offenses, civil actions involving disputes exceeding $50,000, family law matters, juvenile dependency and delinquency cases, as well as probate proceedings. It also hears appeals from the decisions of the County Court.
• Lee County Court is responsible for misdemeanor offenses, civil claims not exceeding $50,000, landlord-tenant disputes, traffic infractions, and violations of municipal or county ordinances.

Lee County's trial courts are located at the County Courthouse in Fort Myers, which serves as both the county seat and the central judicial hub for the region.

How To Access Lee County Court Records

Following Florida's Sunshine Law and the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration, anyone may inspect or request copies of Lee County court records. However, records considered confidential are exempt from public disclosure. They include juvenile court records, adoption proceedings, and sealed case files. While Florida law does not require individuals to present identification to access court records, requesters are encouraged to provide a valid photo ID and the case number or party names to facilitate a court record search. Requests may be made in person, by mail, or in certain cases, through the court's online platform.

Online

To perform a Lee County court record search online, requesters may use the Court Records Inquiry resource. However, the availability of court records may depend on the case type and filing dates. For example, certain closed civil, criminal, and traffic case records opened before 1999, 1990, and 2006, respectively, are not accessible through the online portal. Nevertheless, such records may be requested in person by visiting the Records Department at the County Justice Center.

Interested individuals may also access Lee County case records through the Florida Appellate Case Information System portal (ACIS). This centralized service provides statewide access to court dockets and other publicly available case documents from Florida's District Courts of Appeal, including the Second District Court of Appeal, which covers Lee County.

In addition, record seekers may use the CourtCaseFinderto conduct nationwide court records searches, including those created by Lee County courts. Furthermore, federal case files from proceedings held in the Federal District Court located in Lee may be accessed through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) portal. However, users must create an account before they can access the case lookup service.

In-Person

Record seekers in Lee County may obtain case information in person by visiting the Lee County Clerk of Courts' Office. This office offers in-person access to court records during official business hours. Interested persons may view certain court records, particularly those from pre-1990 cases, in the Records Department located at the Lee County Justice Center.

Certain courthouses also provide dedicated public access computer terminals to facilitate in-person searches of court records and related case information. While there is no charge to view these records, individuals requesting copies of court records are generally required to pay applicable fees. Ordinary copies of court records cost $1 per page, whereas certified copies are available for $2 per copy.

Old and Archived Court Records

Older court records from Lee County, including those dating back more than 50 years, are generally not available online or at the County Courthouse. Interested individuals seeking such records may perform court records lookups or direct their inquiries to the State Archives of Florida at:

However, access to these records is limited to specific categories, such as territorial court documents, probate and estate case microfilms, and historical circuit or county civil case files.

How To File a Case in Lee County

Interested individuals may file a case in Lee County through any of the following options:

• Electronically through the Florida Courts E-Filing portal
• By mail to the Clerk's Office
• In person at the Lee County Clerk of Courts' office

Filing fees typically apply and vary depending on the type of case. Generally, circuit civil cases attract a $400 fee for the first five defendants, and an additional charge of $2.50 for each extra defendant. County civil cases, similarly, vary based on the different claim amounts. Filing fees typically range from $55 for claims under $100 to $400 for claims between $15,001 and $50,000. Other case filing fees and costs are available on the Clerk of Courts' Filing Fees page.

Following Florida Law, an individual who is unable to afford the filing fee may apply for a waiver by submitting a completed Application for Determination of Civil Indigent Status to the Clerk. The Lee County Clerk of Courts evaluates their eligibility based on the following:

• A household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level
• Assets, exclusive of their home property, valued below $2,500
• A vehicle with a net equity value below $5,000

Only the filing and summons issuance fees may be waived. Other associated court costs and fees are not covered by this waiver.

Also, an individual seeking to file a case should first determine the court that has jurisdiction over their case. This may be done by contacting the County Clerk of Courts for assistance.

Typical steps involved in filing a case in Lee County include:

• Determine which court has jurisdiction based on the case type
• Prepare the required documents, such as petitions, supporting exhibits, and affidavits
• File your case with the Clerk of Courts using Florida's E-Filing portal, by mail, or in person
• Pay the required filing fees based on case type
• Serve the opposing party with a copy of the filed documents in accordance with service rules

Legal Help and Self-Help Resources

Across the United States, county court systems play a crucial role in delivering access to justice. Legal help and self-help resources are foundational to this access, particularly for those representing themselves in civil, family, probate, or small claims cases. These resources vary by jurisdiction but commonly include self-help centers, online portals, legal aid organizations, and court-affiliated assistance programs.

In Lee County, several local and state-based legal help and self-help systems are available to income-eligible residents. They include the following:

• The Lee County Clerk of Courts' Self-Help Center: Located within the Lee Justice Center, this facility offers assistance to persons who are representing themselves in family law and civil cases by guiding users through court procedures
• The Lee County Legal Aid Society - Free Legal Clinics: This society hosts free legal clinics, such as the 20-minute Zoom Self-Help sessions with volunteer attorneys assisting with the preparation of court-approved forms and basic legal education

Other county-based legal help resources include:

• Three Rivers Legal Services: This is a non-profit legal aid provider offering free civil legal education for the poor, disabled, abused, and the elderly, along with legal support for landlord-tenant issues, family law, and elder law

The following are state-wide legal aid organizations that offer legal services to eligible individuals for free or at low cost:

• Florida Legal Services: A non-profit legal institution that provides a wide selection of free or subsidized legal resources to indigent persons, spanning impact litigation, housing matters, and direct legal representation
• Florida Law Help: A web-based legal information resource that provides a broad range of information on diverse legal matters
• Florida Free Legal Answers: A free virtual advisory clinic where qualifying individuals post questions, which are answered by pro bono attorneys
• Florida Rural Legal Services: A platform that offers top-notch legal services to migrants and seasonal farm workers in Florida, including Lee County

Types of Courts in Lee County, Florida

Various trial courts serve Lee County, including a circuit court, a county court, and a federal court. The jurisdiction and contact details of all Lee County's courts are listed below:

Lee County Circuit Court

• Jurisdiction/Cases Heard - Felony criminal cases, major civil cases for monetary claims exceeding $50,000, family law cases, probate, mental health matters, and juvenile proceedings. It also hears appeals from the County Court.
• Address and Contact Information -

Lee County Court

• Jurisdiction/Cases Heard - Misdemeanors, civil cases involving $50,000 or less, small claims, landlord-tenant disputes, traffic offenses, and county or municipal ordinance violations.
• Address and Contact Information -

Federal Courts in Lee County, Florida

Residents of Lee County are served by the following federal courts:

United States District Court - Middle District of Florida (Fort Myers Division)

• Jurisdiction/Cases Heard - Criminal and civil cases under federal law, disputes between interstate citizens, and the constitution and government of the United States.
• Address and Contact Information -

The United States Bankruptcy Court - Middle District of Florida

• Jurisdiction/Cases Heard - Bankruptcy cases
• Address and Contact Information -

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Lee County Courts