Resources for Attorneys and Other Legal Professionals
New Redaction Requirements Take Effect Jan. 1
A change in the state's public records laws will impact the way you access paper and electronic public records from Florida's Clerks & Comptrollers.
Effective January 1, 2012, Clerks are prohibited from releasing any court records, official records and other documents unless they have been reviewed and redacted for confidential information such as Social Security or bank account numbers. See Florida Statutes, Section 119.0714(2)(e)(1).
To comply with the new law, the review and redaction must be done before the record is viewed. This means that we will no longer be able to immediately provide copies of newly filed documents at our front counters. Depending upon workload, the amount of time it takes to prepare redacted copies could vary from a few hours to a few days.
You can use our new public access computers at all courthouse locations to view documents that have been scanned and redacted since 2008. You can review records from any location – for instance, a file in the Main Courthouse can be viewed in the South County Courthouse in Delray Beach. You may request copies for a fee at the front counter. This is the easiest access we can provide until the Florida Supreme Court lifts its prohibition against making these records available online.
Electronic images of court records prior to 2008 are not yet available, so all documents must be reviewed and redacted prior to viewing by the public. To avoid delays, you must request to view these documents in advance. If you’d like to review one of these files, please call 561-355-6191 or e-mail clerkweb@mypalmbeachclerk.com.
Official Records that appear online already have been redacted and therefore we do not anticipate any change in accessibility.
We remain committed to delivering outstanding service and will make every effort to reduce any adverse impact resulting from this statutory change.
Thank you for your patience.
New Rules Effective Oct. 1, 2011, Will Help Protect Public’s Privacy In Court Records
Attorneys and people who represent themselves in court proceedings have until October 1 to comply with new rules and forms mandated by the Florida Supreme Court to minimize the amount of private information in court records.
Notice of Confidential Information
Any court filings made in a Florida court that contain confidential information must be accompanied by a Notice of Confidential Information – a form that lists 19 exemptions to public records laws, including adoption records, Social Security or bank account numbers, HIV test results or information identifying victims of sexual offenses.
The Notice of Confidential Information is required by Rule 2.420 of the Rules of Judicial Administration. Read the Florida Supreme Court’s ruling pertaining to the amendments to the Rules of Judicial Administration.
The Florida Bar News also has more information about the changes.
Notice of Confidential Information Within Court Filing
PDF
Download |
Cover Sheets for Circuit Civil and Family Filings
Download cover sheets for circuit civil and family filings, including instructions.
Clerk & Comptroller Resources
Other Resources
Note: Clicking on any of the following links will take you away from the Clerk & Comptroller’s Web site. We make no guarantee regarding the accuracy or reliability of the content on these sites.
