Putnam County court records are public files held by the Putnam County Clerk of Court in Palatka, Florida. The clerk’s office stores filings for civil, criminal, family, probate, traffic, and small claims cases.
Anyone can look up case details, view documents, and request certified copies. Florida law makes most of these files open to the public, with a few narrow exceptions sealed by judges or removed by statute. Putnam County sits along the St. Johns River in northeast Florida, and the clerk’s office serves every community within its borders through one central records system.
About the Putnam County Clerk of Court
The Putnam County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller serves as the official record keeper for the county. Clerk Timothy W. Smith leads the office, which files new cases, indexes pleadings, stores dockets, and issues copies of filed documents. The office operates from the Putnam County Courthouse in Palatka, where the clerk accepts in-person requests and processes mail-in applications. The clerk also acts as comptroller for the county, which means the same office handles court fees, fines, and trust account disbursements tied to case activity.
Court records kept by the clerk fall into two main groups. The first group covers court case files, which include dockets, motions, orders, judgments, and final dispositions. The second group covers official records, which include deeds, liens, mortgages, marriage licenses, and other property-related filings recorded under Florida recording statutes. Both groups are public, but they live in separate online systems, and a user must choose the right portal based on the type of file needed.
| Office | Putnam County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller |
|---|---|
| Clerk | Timothy W. Smith |
| Phone | (386) 329-0361 |
| Website | putnamclerk.com |
| Location | Putnam County Courthouse, Palatka, Florida |
| Judicial Circuit | 7th Judicial Circuit (Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, Volusia) |
Putnam County Court Records Online Search
The clerk maintains a public search tool on the official Putnam County Clerk website. Users can search by party name, case number, or case type. The system covers circuit civil, county civil, criminal, family, probate, traffic, and small claims filings. Each search result shows the case number, filing date, party names, case status, hearing dates, and a list of filed documents. Many of those documents are available as viewable PDFs through the same portal.
For statewide coverage, Florida courts offer the E-Filing Portal through myflcourtaccess.com. This portal lets attorneys and self-represented filers submit new cases, but it also allows the public to track case progress across all 67 Florida counties. The Appellate Court Information System, known as ACIS, provides free access to appellate case data when a Putnam County case moves up to a higher court. The Florida Courts Help center at help.flcourts.gov offers free forms and self-help guides for people handling cases without an attorney.
Old filings created before the digital conversion of paper records may not appear in the online system. The clerk’s office has scanned a large portion of historical files, but some older cases still exist only as paper files stored at the Palatka courthouse. A user who cannot locate a record online should call the clerk’s office to confirm whether the file has been digitized.
Civil Court Records in Putnam County
Civil cases in Putnam County split between circuit civil and county civil. Circuit civil cases cover disputes where the amount in controversy exceeds $50,000, along with matters involving injunctive relief, declaratory judgments, and complex litigation. County civil cases handle smaller disputes, landlord-tenant matters, and small claims filed under Florida small claims rules. Both groups produce dockets, complaints, answers, motions, orders, and final judgments that the clerk files and indexes.
Civil court records remain open to the public during and after the case. A user searching the clerk’s online system can view the docket, see the case schedule, and download most filed documents. Sensitive personal data such as Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and minor children’s identifying details are redacted by the clerk under Florida Statute 119.0714 before public release. Filers are also responsible for keeping that data out of their own filings before submission.
Criminal Court Records in Putnam County
Criminal court records cover felony cases filed in circuit court and misdemeanor cases filed in county court. Felony cases include charges such as burglary, drug trafficking, aggravated assault, and other serious offenses. Misdemeanor cases include lesser charges like simple battery, petit theft, and first-time DUI. Each criminal case generates an arrest affidavit, charging document, plea filings, motions, sentencing orders, and a final disposition.
Warrant records form a separate category within criminal filings. A warrant document is generally sealed until it is served or returned, and unauthorized release of warrant data violates Florida law. In June 2026, a Putnam County court clerk was arrested and charged with multiple felonies after investigators said she illegally accessed and shared confidential warrant data. The sheriff’s office reported about 50 cases were affected by that breach, which led to a statewide review of warrant handling procedures at the clerk’s office.
Users searching criminal court records online can view most dockets and orders. Sealed warrants, juvenile records, and mental health court records are not shown to the public. A written request under Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420 can be filed if a user believes a record has been wrongly withheld.
Family Court Records in Putnam County
Family court records cover divorce, paternity, child custody, child support, adoption, and domestic violence injunction cases. Putnam County hears family cases in the circuit court, and the clerk files every petition, motion, order, and final judgment in these matters. Adoption records stay sealed by default under Florida law, and only a court order can unseal them. Domestic violence injunction files may be partially sealed to protect the petitioner.
Divorce records are open after the case is closed, and the clerk’s online system shows the final judgment of dissolution. Financial affidavits, parenting plans, and other sensitive documents may be partly redacted. The clerk’s office also provides free family law forms through the Florida Courts Self-Help program, and the 7th Circuit Self-Help Center offers assistance to people handling family cases without an attorney.
Probate and Traffic Court Records
Probate court records in Putnam County cover wills, estates, guardianships, and trusts. The clerk files petitions to admit wills to probate, inventories of estate assets, accountings, and final orders of distribution. Guardianship records include the initial petition, the plan of guardianship, and annual reports. Some probate documents, such as those that list specific asset values, may be partly redacted before public release.
Traffic court records cover moving violations, DUI cases filed as traffic misdemeanors, and infractions. Most traffic filings appear in the clerk’s online system within a few days of the court date. Users can pay traffic fines, view the citation, and check the case outcome through the online portal. Some traffic records link to driver improvement schools and can affect driving record points tracked by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
Small Claims and County Court Records
Small claims cases in Putnam County handle civil disputes where the amount in controversy is $8,000 or less. These cases move quickly through the system, and the clerk’s office provides simple forms for filing a small claims action. The clerk’s website posts the small claims filing fee and lists the documents required to start a case. Most small claims hearings are held at the Putnam County Courthouse in Palatka.
County court records also include misdemeanors, county civil actions, and traffic infractions. The clerk’s online system treats these cases as separate search categories, and a user can filter results by case type to narrow down the list. Older county court cases are sometimes filed by year, so a wider date range produces more complete results.
Public Access Laws That Apply to Putnam County
Florida Statute Chapter 119 establishes the broad right of public access to government records. Court records fall under that law, and the clerk’s office must provide them to any person who requests them. The law lists narrow exceptions, including active criminal intelligence data, child abuse records, and certain personnel files. Those exceptions apply statewide, including in Putnam County.
Florida Statute 119.0714 controls redaction of personal data. The clerk removes Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, and similar sensitive data from court records before releasing them to the public. The statute also tells filers to redact that data on their own when submitting documents to the court. Failure to redact confidential data on a filing can result in a motion to seal or a referral to the judge for review.
Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420 governs which court records are open, which are sealed, and which are confidential. The rule creates a public records presumption, meaning every court record is open unless a specific law says otherwise. A judge can seal a record only after holding a hearing and making written findings that sealing is required to protect a privacy interest, ensure a fair trial, or shield a juvenile.
Supreme Court Administrative Order AOSC 16-14 authorizes Florida courts to post public court documents online. Putnam County follows that order, and the clerk’s online system posts dockets, motions, and orders for public view. The same order tells the clerk to keep certain sensitive data off the public site, including Social Security numbers and the names of minor children in dependency cases.
Sealed and Confidential Court Records
Some Putnam County court records are sealed by court order or by statute. Examples include adoption files, juvenile delinquency cases, mental health commitment records, and trade secret filings in civil cases. Sealed records do not appear in the online search, and the clerk’s office will not release them without a court order. A person who needs access to a sealed file must file a written motion asking the judge to unseal the record.
Confidential records are different from sealed records. Confidential records are open only to the parties, attorneys, and authorized agencies listed in the controlling statute. For example, child abuse records and certain domestic violence files fall into this category. The clerk’s office checks identification and case status before releasing confidential records.
How to Request Certified Copies of Putnam County Court Records
A certified copy of a court record is a stamped clerk’s copy that proves the document is a true copy of the original filing. Certified copies are required for many legal actions, including name changes, estate settlements, and out-of-state filings. The clerk charges a certification fee for each certified copy.
Three methods are available for requesting certified copies:
- In person: Visit the Putnam County Courthouse in Palatka and bring the case number and party names. Staff can pull the file and produce certified copies while you wait.
- By mail: Send a written request to the Putnam County Clerk of Court that lists the case number, the documents needed, and a check or money order for the fees. Mail requests can take a week or longer, depending on workload.
- Online: For some case types, the clerk’s website lets users order and pay for certified copies through the public search tool. Online orders are processed by the clerk and mailed back to the requester.
Filing Fees, Copy Fees, and Search Fees
The clerk sets fees under Florida statutes. Standard fees in Putnam County include a plain copy charge per page, a certification charge per document, and a search fee per year per name searched. Exact fees change over time as the Florida Legislature updates the statutory schedule, and users should confirm the current fee on the clerk’s website or by phone before sending payment.
| Service | Standard Fee |
|---|---|
| Plain copy (per page) | $1.00 |
| Certified copy (per document) | $2.00 |
| Name search (per year, per name) | $2.00 |
Filing fees for new cases are set by statute as well. A small claims filing has a separate fee from a circuit civil filing, and family cases have their own fee schedule. New case filings must go through the Florida E-Filing Portal unless the filer has a hardship exemption approved by the court.
2026 System Update at the Putnam County Clerk’s Office
The clerk’s office completed a major system update in 2026. The update improved the speed of the public search tool, expanded the number of historical cases scanned and indexed, and added new filters for case type and filing date. The clerk announced the change as part of a statewide push to modernize court records systems and reduce the time it takes to retrieve older cases.
As part of the same project, the clerk added a new document viewer that lets users read PDFs without downloading them. The system also added automated redaction checks for filings that include Social Security numbers, which helps the clerk comply with Florida Statute 119.0714. Users who accessed the system before the update may notice faster page loads and a cleaner search interface.
Statewide Resources for Putnam County Court Records
Several statewide tools help users who need to track cases across multiple counties. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers website at flclerks.com links to every county clerk in the state. The Florida Courts website at flcourts.gov offers a directory of all 20 judicial circuits, including the 7th Circuit that covers Putnam County. The MyFloridaCounty portal at myfloridacounty.com lets users pay court fees and fines online.
For appeals, ACIS at acis.flcourts.gov gives free access to appellate case data. If a Putnam County case moves to a District Court of Appeal, users can follow the appeal on ACIS. The Florida Courts Help center at help.flcourts.gov offers free forms, self-help guides, and live chat support for people handling cases without an attorney.
Cities and Communities Served by the Putnam County Clerk
Palatka is the county seat and the largest city in Putnam County. Other communities include Crescent City, Interlachen, Welaka, Pomona Park, East Palatka, and Georgetown. All court records for every community in the county go through the clerk’s office in Palatka. There are no separate city-level court systems, so users from any community follow the same search steps on the clerk’s website.
Neighboring County Resources
Putnam County borders several counties, each with its own clerk and records system. St. Johns County, Flagler County, Volusia County, Marion County, Alachua County, Clay County, and Bradford County are all nearby. Cases filed in those counties will not show up in the Putnam search, and users should confirm where the case was filed before starting a search.
- St. Johns County Court Records
- Flagler County Court Records
- Volusia County Court Records
- Marion County Court Records
- Alachua County Court Records
- Clay County Court Records
- Bradford County Court Records
Contact Details for the Putnam County Clerk of Court
Users can reach the clerk by phone, in person, or through the official website. The clerk’s office is open during regular business hours at the Putnam County Courthouse in Palatka, Florida. Phone lines are answered during business hours, and voice messages are returned the next business day. Mail requests are processed in the order they are received.
Phone: (386) 329-0361
Website: putnamclerk.com
Location: Putnam County Courthouse, Palatka, Florida
Before visiting in person, users should call the clerk’s office to confirm hours, fee totals, and which documents are available without a written request. Records older than a certain date may require a manual pull, which can take additional time at the public counter.
FAQ
How do I look up a Putnam County court record by name?
Go to the public search tool on the Putnam County Clerk website. Type the full last name of the party you are searching. If the results include more than one match, narrow the search by adding the first name, the case type, or the year the case was filed. The system shows the case number, the parties, the filing date, and a list of filed documents. Click on the case number to view the docket, the documents, and the case schedule. If the record is sealed, the system will not return a result, and you will need to file a written motion to unseal the record.
Are Putnam County court records free to view?
Viewing case data and documents through the online search is free. The clerk charges fees for plain copies, certified copies, and name searches. A plain copy is billed per page, and a certified copy carries an extra charge per document. The clerk’s office will tell you the total fee before processing a request. Self-represented users can also use the free forms and self-help guides posted by the Florida Courts Help center.
What is the difference between court records and official records in Putnam County?
Court records cover lawsuits, criminal cases, family cases, probate cases, traffic cases, and small claims. Official records cover property filings recorded with the clerk, such as deeds, liens, mortgages, marriage licenses, and powers of attorney. The two groups live in separate online systems on the clerk’s website. Use the court records portal for case files, and use the official records portal for property filings.
Can I get a court record from Putnam County if I live out of state?
Yes. The clerk accepts mail requests from out-of-state requesters, and the online search tool works anywhere with an internet connection. Mail requests must include the case number, the documents needed, and a check or money order for the fees. Online users can view most dockets and documents for free, and certified copies can be ordered through the clerk’s certified copy service for an extra fee.
How long does the clerk keep Putnam County court records?
Permanent records such as final judgments, adoption decrees, and criminal dispositions are kept forever. Other records are kept based on the Florida retention schedule. Many civil and criminal files are kept for at least 20 years after the case closes. Older files may have been transferred to the State Archives of Florida. The clerk’s office can tell you whether a specific file is still at the courthouse or has been moved.
What happens if a record is sealed in Putnam County?
Sealed records do not appear in the online search, and the clerk’s office will not release them without a court order. A person who needs access to a sealed record must file a written motion that explains why the record should be opened. The judge holds a hearing and decides whether to unseal the file. Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420 controls the process and lists the limited grounds for unsealing.
What should I do if I find a mistake in a Putnam County court record?
Contact the clerk’s office by phone or in person and explain the error. Clerical mistakes can often be corrected with a simple request. Substantive mistakes in the court’s order require a motion to the judge who signed the order. The clerk cannot change a judge’s order without a signed correction or a new order from the bench.