Miami-Dade criminal court records search serves as the primary method to look at legal history in the county. The Clerk of the Courts keeps these files for the public to see. You can look for felony cases and misdemeanor cases. These files show what happened in court from the start of a case to the end. People use these records to check backgrounds for jobs or housing. You can see the name of the person charged with a crime. You can see the date of the arrest. You can see what the judge decided in the case. This search helps people stay aware of what happens in the local legal system. Most of these files stay open for anyone to read. The county provides several ways to get these papers. You can use a computer at home or go to the courthouse in person. This makes sure the court system stays open and clear for every citizen.
How to Use the Online CJIS Portal
The CJIS portal is a web tool for a Miami-Dade criminal court records search. This system shows real-time data about cases. To start, you need to go to the Clerk of the Courts website. You should create an account to get the best results. Creating an account lets you skip some of the security checks like captchas. Use a real email address to sign up. The system uses two-factor security to keep your data safe. This means they send a code to your email or phone. You enter that code to log in. Once you are inside the portal, you can search by case number. You can search by the name of the person too. The portal lets you filter results. You can pick the year the case started. You can pick the type of crime. This helps you narrow down a long list of names. The screen will show a list of events called dockets. You can read these to see every step the court took. You can save these lists as PDF files on your computer. You can save them as CSV files if you need a spreadsheet. The portal stays open day and night for public use.
Requesting Certified Copies of Court Files
Sometimes a simple printout from a computer is not enough. You might need a certified copy for a job or a legal matter. A certified copy has an official stamp from the Clerk. You cannot get these just by looking at the website. You must ask the Records Division for them. You can do this by mail or by email. To start, you must fill out the Criminal Records Request Form. This form asks for the name on the case and the case number. You must send a copy of your photo ID with the form. This shows the Clerk who you are. If you use email, send the form and ID to records@miami-dadeclerk.com. The staff will look at your request. They will give you a control number. This number helps you track the work. If you send a letter by mail, use the address at 73 W Flagler St. Include a paid label if you want the papers sent back to you. The staff takes about 7 to 10 days to finish the work. If you need it faster, you can pay a $25 fee for speed. They will check your ID and then mail the official papers to your house.
Costs and Fees for Record Searches
A basic Miami-Dade criminal court records search online is free. You can look at many cases without paying a cent. But some tasks do cost money. If you want the Clerk to do the search for you, there is a fee. This often costs around $2.00 per year for each name searched. If you want copies of pages, the cost is usually $1.00 per page. Certified copies cost more because they need the official seal. The cost for a certified copy is $2.00 for the seal plus the cost per page. If you want a full extract of a docket, the price is $2.50 per page. These fees help pay for the staff and the computer systems. You can pay these fees online with a credit card. If you go in person, you can use cash or a check. The Clerk keeps a list of all fees on their website. It is smart to check the price before you ask for many pages. If you have a low income, you might be able to ask for a fee waiver. This requires filling out a different form to show you cannot pay. The court will look at your money situation and decide if you still have to pay.
Differences Between Felony and Misdemeanor Records
When you do a Miami-Dade criminal court records search, you will see two main types of cases. Felonies are serious crimes. These include things like robbery or very bad harm to someone. These cases are handled in the Circuit Court. Felony records stay in the system for a very long time. They can affect a person’s life in big ways. You can see the specific degree of the felony. A first-degree felony is more serious than a third-degree felony. Misdemeanors are smaller crimes. These include things like petit theft or some traffic crimes. These cases go to the County Court. While they are smaller, they still show up in a background check. The records show the same kind of data for both types. You will see the arrest date. You will see the charges. You will see the name of the lawyer. You will see the final sentence. Knowing which court has the record helps you search faster. Felonies use different case number styles than misdemeanors. The CJIS portal lets you pick which court to search so you can save time.
Searching for Arrests and Mugshots
A Miami-Dade criminal court records search is not the same as an arrest search. Court records show what happens after the police hand a case to the state. If you want to see if someone is in jail right now, you look at the jail website. The Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department keeps the jail list. This list shows people who were just arrested. It shows their mugshots and their booking numbers. Once the person goes before a judge, a court case begins. That is when the data moves into the Clerk’s system. If you see an arrest but no court case, the state may have decided not to file charges. This happens sometimes. The court record will show if the case was “No Actioned.” This means the case is over before it really started. If the case goes forward, you will see a “Filing Date.” This is the day the court record officially began. You can follow the case from the arrest all the way to the final day in court. This gives a full picture of the legal process.
Sealing and Expunging Criminal Records
Some people want to hide their past through a Miami-Dade criminal court records search. This is called sealing or expunging. Sealing a record means most people cannot see it. The record still exists, but it is not public. Expunging means the record is destroyed or removed. To do this, you must meet strict rules. Not all crimes can be sealed. Serious crimes usually stay on the record forever. If you want to clear your record, you must start with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. They check if you are allowed to clear the case. If they say yes, they give you a certificate. Then you take that certificate to the Miami-Dade Clerk. You must file a motion with the judge. The judge makes the final choice. If the judge agrees, the Clerk will hide the record. Then, when someone does a search for your name, nothing will show up. This can help people get better jobs. It is a long process that takes many months. You must follow every step perfectly to get the record cleared.
Viewing the Court Calendar and Judge Schedules
You can use the Miami-Dade criminal court records search to see when a case goes to court. This is called a calendar search. The Clerk’s website has a special section for this. You can search by the judge’s name. This shows every case that judge will hear today or this week. You can search by the case number too. This shows the next date the person must be in court. This is helpful for victims who want to watch the case. It is helpful for family members too. The calendar shows the room number and the time. Some hearings happen over the internet. The calendar will show a link for the video call if that is the case. You can see what type of hearing it is. It might be an arraignment where the person hears their charges. It might be a trial. The calendar changes often. It is smart to check it the night before a hearing. Sometimes a case gets moved to a different day at the last minute. The online system updates these changes as they happen.
Support for People with Disabilities
The Miami-Dade Clerk of Courts wants everyone to be able to do a Miami-Dade criminal court records search. If you have a disability, you can get help. The ADA Coordinator is the person to talk to. Her name is Bibiana Candame. Her office is at 22 NW 1st St on the 3rd floor. You can call her at 305-679-1000. If you need a sign language person or a special way to read papers, tell her. You should call at least seven days before you go to court. This gives the staff time to get things ready for you. They can help you use the computer tools if you have trouble seeing or moving. They can also help you get into the building. The courthouse is an old building, but they have ramps and lifts. The goal is to make sure everyone has the same chance to see their court records. If your court date is very soon, call them right away. They will try to help you as fast as they can.
Public Records Law in Florida
Florida has very strong laws about public data. These are called the Sunshine Laws. These laws say that most papers made by the government must be open to everyone. This includes a Miami-Dade criminal court records search. Because of these laws, the Clerk cannot keep most cases secret. Even if a case is old, it stays in the system. The laws make sure that the government stays honest. Anyone can ask to see how the court spends money or how a judge rules. This is why you do not need a special reason to look for records. You do not have to tell the Clerk why you want to see a file. You just have to ask. There are only a few things the Clerk must keep secret. These include things like the names of children or certain victims. They will block out those parts of the paper. This is called redacting. Everything else stays open for you to read. This makes Florida one of the most open states for court data.
Using Records for Background Checks
Many bosses do a Miami-Dade criminal court records search before they hire someone. They want to make sure the person is safe to work. They look for recent crimes. They look for patterns of bad behavior. If you are looking for a job, you should check your own record first. This way you know what the boss will see. If there is a mistake on your record, you can ask the Clerk to fix it. You might need to show them papers from the police or the judge. Fixing a mistake can take time. It is better to do it before you start a job search. Some crimes may not stop you from getting a job. Many bosses only care about crimes that relate to the work. For example, a driving crime might matter for a truck driver but not for an office worker. Being honest about your record is usually the best path. Most bosses appreciate when you tell them the truth before they find it themselves.
Historical Records and Archives
A Miami-Dade criminal court records search can go back many years. The online system usually has cases since the mid-1990s. If you need a case from before 1995, you might not find it on the computer. These older files are kept in archives. Some are on microfilm. This is a special type of film that stores small pictures of pages. To see these, you must visit the Clerk’s office. You might have to wait a few days for them to pull the file from storage. The archives are kept in a safe place to protect the old paper. These records are part of the history of Miami. They show how the city and its laws have changed. Even though they are old, they are still public records. You can still get copies of them if you need them. The fees for searching old records are usually the same as new ones. The staff will help you use the microfilm machines if you have never used one before.
Legal Advice and Records
When you do a Miami-Dade criminal court records search, you might see things you do not know. The Clerk’s staff can help you get the papers, but they cannot give legal advice. They cannot tell you what a ruling means for your future. They cannot tell you how to win a case. If you have questions about the law, you should talk to a lawyer. The Clerk has a list of lawyers you can call. This is called the Attorney Wheel. It helps people get a lawyer for criminal cases. You can also visit the law library in the courthouse. The library has books that explain the rules of the court. You can read these books for free. Knowing the rules helps you get through the legal system. But remember, only a lawyer can give you advice on your specific case. The Clerk is there to manage the files, not to act as your lawyer.
Clerk of the Courts Contact Details
You can visit the main office for a Miami-Dade criminal court records search in person. The staff can help you search the computers there. They can also take your forms for certified copies. The office is open from Monday to Friday. They open at 8:00 a.m. and close at 5:00 p.m.
Address: 73 W Flagler St, Suite 133, Miami, FL 33130
Phone: 305-275-1155
Records Phone: 305-275-1122
Email: records@miami-dadeclerk.com
Frequently Asked Questions
The following questions come from people who often use the Miami-Dade criminal court records search. These answers provide extra details to help you get the most out of the system. Reading these can save you time and help you avoid common mistakes when looking for legal files. Each answer covers a specific topic that many users find confusing at first.
How can I look up someone’s arrest history in Miami?
To look up an arrest history, you should use two different systems. First, use the Miami-Dade Corrections website to see recent jail stays. This shows if someone was booked into jail. It often shows the mugshot and the charges from the police. Next, use the Miami-Dade criminal court records search on the Clerk’s CJIS portal. This portal shows what happened after the arrest. It shows if the state filed charges and what the judge did. An arrest record shows what the police did, but a court record shows what the justice system did. You need both to see the whole story. The court record is more important for seeing if a person was found guilty. You can search by name in both places. If the name is common, use the birth date to make sure you have the right person. Searching both sites ensures you do not miss any data about the person’s past or current legal status.
What is the cost for a certified copy of a court paper?
Getting a certified copy through a Miami-Dade criminal court records search involves a few different costs. There is a fee for the Clerk to check the file and put their official seal on it. This seal fee is $2.00 per document. Then, you must pay for each page that is copied. This is usually $1.00 per page. If you want the Clerk to search for the record for you, they charge $2.00 for every year they have to look through. For example, if you want a 5-page paper from a case three years ago, you might pay $2.00 for the seal, $5.00 for the pages, and $6.00 for the search. If you are in a big hurry, you can pay a $25 speed fee to get it faster. You can pay these costs online with a card or send a check in the mail. Always call the Clerk first to get the exact total so you do not send the wrong amount of money.
Can I see juvenile records through this site?
Juvenile records are usually not part of a public Miami-Dade criminal court records search. Florida law keeps the crimes of children private to protect their future. You will not see these cases on the public CJIS portal. Only the child, their parents, and their lawyers can see these files. If you are the person in the record, you must go to the courthouse in person to see the file. You will have to show your ID and prove who you are. There are some rare cases where a very serious crime by a child becomes public, but this does not happen often. If a child is charged as an adult, the case will move to the adult court system. Then it will show up in the regular search. For most people, juvenile history stays hidden from the public and from regular background checks done by bosses or landlords.
How long does it take to get papers in the mail?
When you ask for records by mail during a Miami-Dade criminal court records search, it takes time for the staff to work. Standard requests usually take 7 to 10 business days. This does not count the time the mail takes to get to your house. The Clerk’s office gets many requests every day. They work on them in the order they arrive. If you send your request by email, it might be a little faster because the staff gets it right away. But they still have to find the file and print the pages. If you need the papers for a court date that is happening very soon, you should use the expedited service. Paying the $25 extra fee moves your request to the front of the line. This can cut the time down to just a few days. Always include a phone number or email so the staff can call you if they have a question about your request.
What should I do if my case does not show up?
If you do a Miami-Dade criminal court records search and see nothing, there are a few reasons why. You might have spelled the name wrong. Try searching with just the first few letters of the last name. The case might be too old for the computer system. Cases from before 1995 often need a manual search in the archives. Another reason is that the case might be sealed or expunged. If a judge cleared the case, it will not show up for the public. Also, if the police just arrested someone, the court case might not be created yet. It can take a few days for the paperwork to move from the police to the Clerk. If you still cannot find it, call the Clerk’s office. They can check their internal systems to see if the case exists but is hidden or listed under a different name. They can help you figure out if you are looking in the right place.
How do I clear my record in Miami-Dade?
Clearing your record after a Miami-Dade criminal court records search is a process called expunging or sealing. You must first check if your crime is allowed to be cleared. You can get a packet of forms from the Clerk’s website or office. The first step is to apply for a certificate from the state police in Tallahassee. This costs about $75. Once you get that certificate, you must file a petition with the court in Miami. You will have to pay a filing fee to the Clerk. A judge will look at your request and decide if they will clear the case. If the judge signs the order, the Clerk will remove the case from the public search. This whole process can take six months or longer. It is a good idea to have a lawyer help you so you do not make a mistake. Once it is done, the record will no longer show up when someone searches your name online.
Related Search Terms
Look at these other places to get public records and background data from other areas.
Kings County Clerk Office Phone Number Online Wwwcircuitcourtaccess Columbia County Florida Court Records Logan County Arkansas Public Records