Court records in Highlands County, Florida, are maintained by the Highlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller and can be accessed through online tools, official court portals, and the clerk's office. HighlandsCourt.us can help you find publicly available court record information for Highlands County. Additional access points include the Highlands County Clerk of Courts website, the Florida Courts portal, and in-person visits to the clerk's office in Sebring.
Highlands Court System Overview
Highlands County is part of Florida's Tenth Judicial Circuit, which also includes Hardee and Polk counties. The Tenth Judicial Circuit operates both a circuit court (Florida's general jurisdiction trial court) and a county court (limited jurisdiction). Circuit court judges hear felony cases, civil matters above the county court threshold, family law, probate, and juvenile cases. County court judges handle misdemeanors, small claims, traffic infractions, and civil disputes within their jurisdictional limit. The Highlands County Courthouse is located in Sebring and serves as the primary venue for both court divisions.
Courts Serving Highlands
Highlands County Circuit Court (Tenth Judicial Circuit)
Highlands County Court
United States District Court — Middle District of Florida (Tampa Division)
Highlands County falls within the federal Middle District of Florida. Federal civil and criminal cases are handled in Tampa.
United States Bankruptcy Court — Middle District of Florida (Tampa Division)
There are no separate municipal courts operating in Highlands County. All local cases are processed through the county and circuit courts.
What Types of Cases Highlands Courts Hear
Highlands County's circuit and county courts handle a broad range of matters:
- Criminal: Felonies, misdemeanors, criminal traffic offenses, DUI
- Civil: Lawsuits of all dollar amounts, small claims, landlord-tenant disputes
- Family law: Divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, domestic violence injunctions
- Probate: Decedent estates, guardianships, trusts
- Juvenile: Delinquency proceedings, dependency (child protective) cases, adoptions
- Traffic: Civil traffic infractions, red-light violations
The sections below explain which court division handles each type.
District Court Cases in Highlands
In Florida's court structure, the circuit court functions as the trial court of general jurisdiction — comparable to what other states call a "district court." In Highlands County, circuit court judges preside over:
- All felony criminal cases
- Civil cases where the amount in controversy exceeds $50,000
- Appeals from county court decisions
- Family law matters including divorce, custody, and domestic violence injunctions
- Probate, guardianship, and trust proceedings
- Juvenile delinquency and dependency cases
Criminal felony cases typically begin with an arrest or information filed by the State Attorney. Cases are assigned to a circuit judge, who handles the matter from arraignment through trial and sentencing. Civil cases arrive by complaint and follow Florida Rules of Civil Procedure.
Magistrate Court Cases in Highlands
Florida's county court serves the role that other states assign to a magistrate or limited-jurisdiction court. In Highlands County, county court judges hear:
- Misdemeanor criminal cases (up to one year in county jail)
- Criminal traffic offenses and DUI arraignments
- Civil disputes where the amount in controversy is $50,000 or less
- Small claims cases (up to $8,000 under Florida law)
- Civil traffic infractions
- County ordinance violations
Small claims cases follow a simplified procedure under Florida Small Claims Rules, and parties often represent themselves. County court civil and criminal cases are filed with and maintained by the Highlands County Clerk of Courts.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Highlands
Family Law
Divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, and domestic violence injunction cases are heard in circuit court. The clerk's office processes filings and maintains case records. Divorce certificates for statistical purposes can also be obtained through the Florida Department of Health in Highlands County, while court files remain with the clerk.
Probate
Decedent estates, guardianships, and trust matters are circuit court cases in Highlands County. Petitions are filed with the clerk, and a circuit judge oversees administration. Guardianship cases may involve court-appointed examining committees and annual reporting requirements.
Juvenile
Juvenile delinquency and dependency (child protective) cases are handled in circuit court. These records are confidential under Florida law (Chapter 985 and Chapter 39, Florida Statutes). Adoption proceedings are also heard in circuit court, and adoption records are sealed. Contact the clerk's office at (863) 402-6565 for questions about accessing juvenile or adoption records.
How Cases Move Through the Highlands Court System
- Filing / Initiation: A case begins when a complaint, petition, information, or indictment is filed with the Highlands County Clerk of Courts. Criminal cases are initiated by the State Attorney or by arrest.
- Case Assignment: The clerk assigns the case to a judge based on case type and the court's internal rotation.
- Initial Hearing: Criminal defendants appear for arraignment; civil parties attend a case management or scheduling conference.
- Pre-Trial Phase: Parties exchange discovery, file motions, and may engage in mediation. In criminal cases, plea negotiations occur during this stage.
- Trial or Resolution: Cases resolve by plea agreement, jury or bench trial verdict, settlement, or default judgment.
- Post-Judgment: Criminal cases proceed to sentencing. Civil judgments may be enforced or appealed. Appeals from county court go to circuit court; appeals from circuit court go to the Sixth District Court of Appeal.
You can check upcoming hearings through the criminal court calendar on the clerk's website.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Highlands
The Tenth Judicial Circuit is administered by a chief judge and a trial court administrator based in Bartow (Polk County). Local administrative orders and rules governing practice in Highlands County courts are published through the Tenth Judicial Circuit's administrative office and the Florida Courts website.
Public Access to Court Records
Under Florida's broad public records law (Chapter 119, Florida Statutes) and the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration, most court records are open to the public. Exceptions include:
- Juvenile delinquency and dependency records
- Sealed or expunged criminal records
- Adoption records
- Certain mental health and substance abuse records
- Confidential information such as Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and dates of birth of minors
You can search court records online through the clerk's Court Records Search portal. For official records such as deeds, liens, and recorded documents, use the Official Records Search.
Attending Hearings
Most hearings in Highlands County are open to the public. The clerk's office offers a virtual courtroom option for certain proceedings. Contact the clerk at (863) 402-6565 to confirm whether a specific hearing will be held in person or remotely.
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Highlands
- Court Case Search: Search civil, criminal, family, and traffic case records through the Highlands County Court Records Search system (Clericus).
- Criminal Court Calendar: View upcoming criminal hearing schedules on the criminal court calendar.
- Official Records: Search recorded documents including deeds, mortgages, and liens through the Official Records Search.
- Warrants: The Highlands County Sheriff's Office Warrants Unit processes active warrants and capiases.
- Inmate Search: Look up current inmates at the Highlands County Jail through the Sheriff's Office Inmate Search.
- Sheriff's Office Public Records: Request background checks, accident reports, and offense reports through the Sheriff's Office Public Records Unit.
- Vital Records: Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates are available through the Florida Department of Health in Highlands County.
- Appellate Case Information: Search dockets and documents from Florida's appellate courts using the Florida Appellate Case Information System (ACIS).
- County Public Records Requests: For non-court county government records, submit requests through the Highlands County public records request page.
- Clerk of Courts Main Site: The Highlands County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller website provides access to marriage license applications, e-filing, property fraud alerts, and public records requests.
For additional help locating Highlands County court records and related public information, visit HighlandsCourt.us.