The County Court division of the Clerk’s Office maintains the case files for all defendants accused of committing crimes designated in Florida Statutes as “misdemeanors” or “criminal traffic violations.
Misdemeanor
A misdemeanor is a criminal offense which may be punishable by a jail sentence in a county correctional facility. Misdemeanors are classified into the following degrees:
- A First Degree Misdemeanor is punishable by a term of imprisonment not to exceed 1 year in the county jail and by a fine not to exceed $1,000.
- A Second Degree Misdemeanor is punishable by a term of imprisonment not to exceed 60 days in the county jail and by a fine not to exceed $500.
- County and Municipal Ordinances which are defined as local regulations passed by a county or municipality which are punishable by a fine less than $500 and/or imprisonment in a county jail for less than 60 days.
Criminal Traffic
Criminal traffic violations are defined by the Florida Statutes as a violation that may subject a defendant upon conviction to incarceration. Examples of criminal traffic violations are:
- DUI’s – Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Reckless driving
- Hit and Run
- Leaving an accident scene
- Driving without a valid driver’s license
Court Appearance
Once a court date has been set on a misdemeanor/criminal traffic case the Clerk’s Office cannot change it. If there is a problem you will need to contact your attorney or, if you are not represented by an attorney, contact the Clerk’s Office.
Court Records
Copies of records may be obtained by visiting or contacting our office. Inactive cases may be filed off site and may require a day or so to obtain the files for viewing so we recommend you call our office first. According to the Rules of Judicial Administration – PUBLIC ACCESS TO JUDICIAL BRANCH RECORDS, Rule 2.420 (f)(1) – All requests for access to court records shall be in writing and shall be directed to the records custodian. The request shall provide sufficient specificity to enable the custodian to identify the requested records.
There is a $1.00 per page fee for court records. Search fees are $2.00 per name or case and certified copies may be obtained for an additional $2.00 per certification. You can also mail in a request for a copy along with $1.00 per page for each copy (you will need to call in advance to determine the exact amount of pages). You are also required to include a self-addressed stamped envelope with your request. It will take approximately seven to ten working days to process the request. You can send your request and payment to the County Criminal Division, 500 Avenue J, Suite 500, Moore Haven, Florida 33471. DO NOT MAIL CASH.
Click Here to Search Court Records
Frequently Asked Questions
If I have been charged with a misdemeanor or criminal traffic violation what should I do?
You may need to hire an attorney to defend you in court. The Clerk’s Office cannot recommend attorneys to you but you can find a list of attorneys at https://www.floridabar.org/ by clicking on “Find a Lawyer”.
What if I can’t afford to hire an attorney?
If you can’t afford to hire an attorney you may need to contact the local Public Defender’s Office at (863) 946-6010 or go to http://www.pd.cjis20.org/ to complete the application.
What if I fail to appear in court?
A warrant will be issued for your arrest and any bond that you have previously posted will be forfeited when you fail to appear for court. If you are arrested because of a “failure to appear warrant”, you may be held in jail without bond.
How do I make payments on my court case?
You can pay for your court costs, fees, fines or service charges in a number of ways:
- You can pay in person by cash, check or money order, or with a credit/debit card at the Clerk’s Office, 500 Avenue J, Suite 500, Moore Haven, Florida 33471.
- You can pay by credit/debit card by phone by calling the Clerk’s Office at (863) 946-6010. A 3.5% fee will be added to all credit/debit card transactions.
- You can pay by mail by sending a cashier’s check, personal check or money order to the Clerk’s Office, 500 Avenue J, Suite 500, Moore Haven, Florida 33471 Attn: Collections Division. Make the check payable to Glades Clerk of Court. You must also include your court case #. DO NOT MAIL CASH.
What will happen if I fail to make payments on my court case?
There are a number of things that may occur if the monetary obligations you owe are not paid. First, when someone is sentenced to jail or prison the monetary obligations that are imposed at sentencing are held in “abeyance” (postponed) until your release from incarceration. However, the court will make these monetary obligations a lien of record against any property you may own. Being sentenced to a jail or prison term does not cancel the unpaid monetary obligations. A civil judgment will be filed against you in the Official Records of the County.
Second, once a payment plan is established and you fail to make your scheduled payments and you do not contact the Clerk’s Office, your case will be sent to collections. The Clerk’s Office has contracted with a collection agency to attempt to collect all outstanding monetary obligations owed to Glades County. The Clerk’s Office notifies the collection agency that you have costs outstanding. You will owe an additional 40% of the total amount due if your case is sent to collections. The collection agency will contact you by letter and phone to collect this debt.
Third, your driver’s license will be suspended for lack of payment and additional costs will be incurred by you, from both the Clerk’s Office and the DHSMV, to have your license reinstated.
How do I seal or expunge my record?
Not every case may be sealed or expunged. Please contact our office for instructions on sealing or expunging a record or visit http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Seal-and-Expunge-Process/Seal-and-Expunge-Home.aspx for more information.
If you have a question please contact our office at (863) 946-6010.