Sumter County, Florida State Court Records
Sumter County Court Records are the contents of a court file; they allow public access to judicial proceedings and case information. These court records may be civil court records, criminal, probate, or family court records. In Sumter County, court records maintain an accurate and permanent record of all filings and proceedings in a matter brought before the court. These records include pre-action notices, records of pre-trials and arraignment (in criminal matters), hearings, exhibits tendered as evidence, trials, orders, judgments, and other relevant documents.
The Sumter County clerk of court is responsible for filing, maintaining, and transferring court records, and also furnishing record requests to members of the public. In compliance with the Florida Public Records Statute, all County court records are open for inspection and copying by any person. Except where exceptions exist in statute or other federal or state law, providing public access to Sumter County court records is a duty of the county court clerk. Likewise, it is the responsibility of the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to grant public access to arrest information and other criminal records information.
Are Sumter County Court Records Public?
Yex. Sumter County court records are public records. In line with Florida Public Records Law (Chapter 119, Florida Statutes), policy dictates that county and municipal records are open for inspection and copying by any member of the public. This means that any person can apply to the Sumter County court clerk’s office to receive copies of court records of cases within the jurisdiction of the county. Public agencies, like the Sumter County clerk’s office, must create platforms for court records to be easily accessible to the public and available within a reasonable time upon request.
However, these laws do not operate in isolation. Certain exemptions may exclude a court record from being accessed by the public. An exemption may affect a part of the whole of a record. Where an exemption relates to only a part/portion of a record, that confidential part will be redacted, and the rest of the document shall be accessible. When a document or record is fully exempted, such a record cannot be accessed by persons outside the parties to the records, their personal representatives, attorneys, or law enforcement agencies.
What Information is Available in Sumter County Court Records?
Information the public may find in Sumter County Court records or request from the court clerk includes:
- Name and designation of parties (defendant, plaintiff)
- Gender and race
- The number of cases in which the defendant or plaintiff is named and involved.
- Case number
- Court dockets
- Transcripts
- Name of the judge(s)
- Documentary exhibits
- Electronic recordings of court proceedings (video recordings, stenographic tapes)
- Case type (county
- Filing date
- Case status
Sumter County Court Records Search
Sumter County court records can be searched either online, in person at the courthouse, or via mail or phone requests.
- Online Access - The Sumter County clerk of the circuit court maintains an online case management search website. This website allows all members of the public access to basic case information online. The Sumter County online court records search site has multiple search pathways: for the public, attorneys, registered users, and party access (defendants, plaintiffs, respondents, or claimants). The public option is straightforward to navigate. Users may choose to search by last or first name, business name, date of birth, and court type, or by the year the case was decided, and a percentage bar to narrow the search results by party and court location.
- In-Person Access -Interested persons may visit the office of the Sumter County Clerk of the Circuit Court to view or request copies of court records in custody of the agency. At the clerk’s office, there are public access terminals where the public can search and look through comprehensive court documents. As mentioned earlier, online records are simply a brief/basic description of the court records themselves. In-person lookups or record requests allow researchers to find complete court documents and files. Please be aware that record requests typically attract administrative fees for certifying and producing copies of court records.
- Mail and Phone Requests - All written correspondence regarding court record requests should be addressed to the address below. Interested persons may also contact the county clerk’s records office at 352-569-6600 or fax to the criminal record search line at 352-569-6692
ATTN: Court/Official Records
PO Box 2587
Bushnell, FL 33513
Fees for Court Records in Sumter County
The costs of obtaining physical copies of court records from Sumter County are prescribed by the Official Record Fees for the Clerk of Courts- copies of official records cost $1 per page, certification of official records costs $2 per page, and $5.32 for certified mail fees.
Sumter County Courthouse Locations
The Sumter County Courthouse has a civil and criminal division, handles family law, and probate court matters. The court also offers other programs like adult felony drug court, veterans court, and teen court. Below is the main office address and mailing address of the Sumter County court.
Sumter County Courthouse
Main Office
215 East McCollum Avenue
Bushnell, FL 33513
Phone: 352-569-6600
Mailing Address
Courts / Official Records
PO Box 2587
Bushnell, FL 33513
Criminal Records Access in Sumter County
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Division of Criminal Justice Information Service (CJIS), is the central resource for criminal history information for all counties in the state of Florida. The FDLE is responsible for providing criminal record information, and not the county court.
Clarify that official state-level criminal history checks (where applicable) are handled by the state’s Department of Justice or equivalent agency, not the county court. Explain how local case records are available through the county’s court portals or in-person searches. Criminal record searches through the FDLE cost $24. However, criminal records may be accessible through Sumter County criminal court records. Requests for Sumter County criminal court case records can provide sufficient information on a person’s arrest and incarceration history. Judgments and products contained in court records will state whether or not a person is guilty and liable for a criminal offense, the penalty for the offence, or a fine. In cases of appeal, clerks of higher courts also file and document appellate court proceedings, which are available to the public.
Sumter County Probate Records
Sumter County probate records refer to documents filed with respect to probate matters and records of probate proceedings. Probate is the process by which a decedent’s estate, wills, and assets are administered. Documents required in probate processes regarding the administration of an estate include the last will of the decedent, the death certificate, a signed and notarized consent of the heirs, an inventory of assets, a copy of any documents, and a copy of a statement from the funeral home showing who paid the bill.
Probate filings at the Sumter County courthouse also include guardianship, conservatorships, settlement of creditors, appointment of executors or administrators, and others. Unlike typical court records, probate documents are sensitive and may not be disclosed to the public. Such filings and proceedings are often private and involve only family, and records may not be accessible online.
County | Court Name | Address | Phone Number | Office Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sumter County | Sumter County Court | 215 East McCollum Avenue Bushnell, FL 33513 | Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm |
Sumter County Family Court Records
In Sumter County, family law cases are handled by the Circuit Court family civil division. The court has jurisdiction over cases such as child or spousal support, adoption, paternity, domestic violence, annulment, repeat violence, custody, change of name, recognition, and enforcement of foreign judgments.
Family law cases may not always be available online; where the matter includes the welfare of a child below 18 years, that case would be exempt from public disclosure. Request or Sumter County family court records may be accessed through the terminals at the court clerk’s office or by mail requests.
Federal Court Records in Sumter County
Federal Court Records for matters arising from Suter County can only be accessed through the U.S District Court for the Middle District of Florida and not county clerk offices. Interested persons can register for a PACER accountin order to access an electronic database of federal case records, dockets, and other federal court documents.