Levy County Court Records Search
FloridaStateCourts.us is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the FCRA and does not provide consumer reports. All searches conducted on FloridaStateCourts.us are subject to the Terms of Service and Privacy Notice.
Levy County is a largely rural county in north-central Florida, anchored by the county seat of Bronson. Court proceedings in the county are managed within Florida’s Eighth Judicial Circuit, which also covers Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, and Union counties. The records generated by these proceedings—spanning criminal cases, civil disputes, domestic matters, and estate administration—are managed by the Levy County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, currently Matt Brooks. These records serve as the permanent legal archive of judicial activity in the county and are governed by Florida’s robust public records framework.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Levy County?
Residents and researchers trying to locate Levy County court case information have several practical options. Florida maintains a statewide court presence at FloridaStateCourts.us, which offers general guidance on navigating the state’s court structure, finding local clerks, and accessing self-help resources. At the county level, the Levy County Clerk of the Circuit Court website provides direct access to online search portals, forms, and department-specific information. Court records from 1983 to the present can be browsed through the clerk’s Landmark Web Official Records Search using a name, book and page number, or clerk file/instrument number. For case-specific court records, the Levy County Online Court Records Search (OCRS) provides name-based searches with public access available anonymously. In-person requests can also be made directly at the courthouse in Bronson during regular business hours.
Are Court Records Public in Levy County?
Florida’s Government-in-the-Sunshine Law, Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, establishes a strong presumption that court and government records are open to public inspection. Any person may request to inspect or obtain copies of public records without providing a reason for the request. Levy County court records fall squarely within this framework, and the Clerk’s office makes a wide range of case documents available both online and in person.
However, Florida law identifies specific categories of information that are exempt from public disclosure or that require redaction before release. In Levy County, restricted records commonly include:
- Active law enforcement investigative records and materials relating to confidential informants
- Social security numbers, financial account numbers, and other personal identifiers
- Privileged communications protected by attorney-client or other professional privilege
- Medical, mental health, and educational records
- Juvenile court records, including arrest records involving minors
- Trade secrets and proprietary business information
- Records sealed or expunged by court order
When a requested record contains both public and exempt information, the Clerk may release a redacted version with only the exempt portions removed, rather than withholding the entire document. Requesters who believe a denial is improper have recourse through the procedures outlined in Chapter 119 and may seek assistance from the Florida Attorney General’s office.
Levy County Criminal Court Records
Criminal cases in Levy County are divided between the Circuit Court, which handles felonies and serious misdemeanors, and the County Court, which handles misdemeanors, criminal traffic violations, and ordinance violations. Both courts operate from the Levy County Courthouse in Bronson.
Levy County Circuit Court & County Court
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 355 South Court Street, Bronson, FL 32621 |
| Phone | (352) 486-5266 |
| Fax | (352) 486-5166 |
| Hours | Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Judicial Circuit | Eighth Judicial Circuit of Florida |
The Eighth Judicial Circuit lists the circuit and county court judges assigned to Levy County, along with divisional assignments. Criminal case filings, docket entries, charge sheets, warrants, and sentencing information are all part of the court record for a given case and are generally available to the public unless sealed by court order.
To search criminal court records online, the public may use the OCRS portal, which allows searches by first name, last name, or business name. The portal provides anonymized public access and does not require an account. For official certified copies of court records, the fee is $1.00 per page, as established by Florida law. Requests can be submitted in person at the courthouse or by mail to 355 South Court Street, Bronson, FL 32621.
Arrest records and jail-related information are maintained separately by the Levy County Sheriff’s Office, which handles law enforcement operations throughout the county. The Sheriff’s Office publishes arrest information and press releases on its public website and maintains a detention bureau that can be contacted at (352) 486-5121. Public records requests directed to the Sheriff’s Office—such as incident reports, arrest reports, or call logs—must be submitted using the Sheriff’s online public records request portal. The request form asks for a description of the records sought without requiring the requester to disclose personal information unnecessarily.
For statewide criminal history background checks, requests must go to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Florida Statute 943.056 provides individuals the right to review their own Florida criminal history record. The FDLE handles both personal review requests and third-party background checks, with fees applicable per the FDLE’s published fee schedule.
Levy County Civil Court Records
Civil matters in Levy County are distributed between the Circuit Court and County Court depending on the dollar amount at issue. The Circuit Court handles civil claims exceeding $30,000, along with injunctions, title disputes, and other matters requiring circuit-level jurisdiction. The County Court handles civil actions from $8,001 up to $30,000, while the Small Claims division handles disputes up to and including $8,000.
Small Claims Court is designed for straightforward monetary disputes and is intentionally informal, allowing parties to represent themselves without an attorney. The Small Claims Office is located in Room 220 (second floor) of the Levy County Courthouse at 355 South Court Street, Bronson, Florida. To initiate a small claims case, a plaintiff completes a worksheet form available from the Clerk’s office, documenting the nature of the claim, the amount sought, and defendant information. Supporting documentation—such as contracts, invoices, photographs, or receipts—should be brought in duplicate at filing: one set for the court file and one set for each defendant.
Key procedural details for small claims filings:
- Claim limit: Up to $8,000 in monetary damages
- Summons service: Either by Sheriff (requires a money order or cashier’s check payable to the county Sheriff) or certified mail (effective within Florida only)
- Out-of-state defendants must be served by Sheriff
- A pretrial hearing is scheduled before any trial date is set
- If a defendant demands a jury trial, the case transitions to a regular County Civil proceeding with applicable fees
Civil case records—including filings, motions, judgments, and orders—can be searched online through the OCRS portal or the Landmark Web Official Records Search. The Landmark Web system is particularly useful for locating recorded civil judgments, liens, and related instruments by name or instrument number. Copies of civil records cost $1.00 per page, with an additional certification fee applied for official certified copies.
Levy County Family Court Records
Family law matters in Levy County are handled by the Circuit Court and encompass a broad range of proceedings: dissolution of marriage, legal separation, child custody and parenting time, child support, paternity, adoption, domestic violence injunctions, and name changes. These cases generate records maintained by the Clerk of Court and are generally searchable through the OCRS system.
Marriage Licenses and Records
Marriage licenses in Levy County are issued by the Clerk of the Circuit Court. Both parties must appear together in person at the clerk’s office with the following:
- Valid government-issued photo identification (driver’s license, state ID, or passport)
- Social Security Number (U.S. citizens) or Alien Registration Number (non-citizens)
- If previously married: information on how and when the prior marriage ended
Marriage License Fee Schedule:
| Situation | Fee |
|---|---|
| Standard license (without premarital course) | $86.00 |
| Florida residents with premarital course certificate | $61.00 |
The premarital course discount is provided under Florida Statute 741.0305(5). Completing an approved course also waives the standard three-day waiting period for Florida residents. Marriage licenses are valid for 60 days from issuance and are valid for use anywhere in Florida, regardless of the county where the license was obtained. Under Florida Statute 741.08, the officiant must transmit the completed license back to the issuing Clerk within 10 days of the ceremony. Existing marriage records can be searched through the Landmark Web system.
Divorce and Dissolution Records
Divorce records documenting dissolved marriages are maintained by the Clerk of Courts and are classified as public records under Florida law. They can be accessed through the Levy County OCRS or by submitting an in-person or mail request to the Clerk’s office. Copies cost $1.00 per page.
Birth and Death Records
Birth and death certificates are administered through the Florida Department of Health in Levy County. Birth certificates for events within the past six months can be requested locally; older records must be obtained through the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics. Birth records are restricted for 100 years, meaning only the registrant (if 18 or older), parents or legal guardians, or authorized legal representatives may obtain them before that restriction period expires. Death certificates covering deaths from 2009 to present are available locally at the Levy County Health Department; deaths prior to 2009 must be requested from the Florida Department of Health’s Bureau of Vital Statistics, P.O. Box 210, Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042. Certified copies of death records are available to immediate family members, the legal representative of the estate, and persons with a tangible legal interest.
Domestic Violence and Protective Injunctions
Injunctions for protection against domestic violence, repeat violence, sexual violence, dating violence, and stalking are filed through the Circuit Court clerk’s office. These filings carry no filing fee for the petitioner. The Clerk’s office provides forms and can direct petitioners to the appropriate division.
Levy County Probate Court Records
Probate proceedings in Levy County are conducted by the Circuit Court. The Probate Department of the Clerk’s office maintains all estate files, wills, guardianship cases, and related documents. Probate cases are necessary whenever a deceased person leaves titled assets solely in their name that must be transferred or administered. Key probate proceeding types handled in Levy County include:
- Formal Administration — Used when assets exceed the limits for other procedures or special circumstances require full court oversight. Governed by Florida Statutes Chapters 731, 732, and 733.
- Summary Administration — Available when the total estate value does not exceed $75,000, or when the decedent has been deceased for more than two years. Governed by Florida Statute 735.
- Family Administration — For estates consisting only of personal property not exceeding $60,000, with beneficiaries limited to surviving spouse, lineal descendants, or lineal ascendants. Governed by Florida Statute 735.
- Ancillary Administration — Used for nonresident decedents who held titled assets in Florida. Governed by Florida Statute 734.
- Disposition of Personal Property Without Administration — A simplified process that does not require an attorney, available when assets do not exceed the sum of preferred funeral expenses and 60 days of prior medical expenses.
- Conservatorship — Applies when a Florida resident is an absentee (e.g., military missing in action, unexplained disappearance). Governed by Florida Statute 747.
Wills and Safekeeping
Florida law requires the custodian of a decedent’s will to deposit it with the Clerk’s office in the county of the decedent’s residence within 10 days of learning of the death. The custodian must provide the decedent’s date of death or Social Security Number at the time of deposit. There is no fee to deposit a will for safekeeping. Notably, the Clerk will not accept a will for safekeeping while the maker is still living.
Guardianships
Guardianship cases are filed for both minors and incapacitated adults. When a minor child inherits property or receives settlement proceeds exceeding $5,000, a guardianship of the property is required. When both parents are deceased or unable to serve, a guardianship of both person and property may be required. Adult guardianship proceedings require attorney representation at initiation under Florida Probate Rule 5.030. Veterans receiving VA benefits may have guardianship proceedings governed by the Veterans Administration Guardianship Statutes under Florida Statute 744.602.
Probate case records can be searched online through the Levy County OCRS. Copies of probate documents are available at $1.00 per page through the Clerk’s office, either in person at the Levy County Courthouse or by mail request to 355 South Court Street, Bronson, FL 32621. Phone inquiries can be directed to (352) 486-5266, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. For property records connected to probate matters, the Levy County Property Appraiser’s Office maintains an online property record search useful for identifying and valuing real estate held within an estate.