Orange County Circuit Court

Orange County Circuit Court Overview

Florida's trial system has two levels. The Circuit Court is the higher trial court, and the County Court is the lower one. The Orange County Circuit Court hears felony criminal cases, civil matters above the county-court limit, family law, probate, guardianship, juvenile delinquency and dependency, and injunctions. It also hears some appeals from the County Court. The court is part of the statewide Article V judiciary set out in the Florida Constitution.

Orange County belongs to the Ninth Judicial Circuit, which also serves Osceola County. The main trial building is the Orange County Courthouse in downtown Orlando. The clerk maintains the records and runs the online case search.

The Ninth Judicial Circuit site is the official source for court and judge information.

The circuit site lists divisions, courthouses, and judge assignments for Orange and Osceola counties.

Orange County Circuit Court Divisions

Florida does not number its circuit courts the way some states do. Instead, the Circuit Court runs by division, with judges assigned to civil, criminal, family, probate, and juvenile work. The clerk's case-type codes mirror these divisions, which helps a searcher pick the right category. The table below maps the main divisions to the kinds of cases they hear.

Circuit Court vs. County Court

The two trial levels split the work by case type and seriousness. The Circuit Court takes the higher-stakes matters, while the County Court handles misdemeanors, traffic, small claims, and lower-dollar civil disputes. A searcher rarely needs to know which level holds a file before searching, since the clerk's system reaches both. The comparison below shows the split.

How a Case Moves Through the Orange County System

Cases follow a set path from filing to appeal. A criminal case starts with an arrest and a first appearance, then moves through charging, arraignment, pretrial, and trial. A civil case starts with a petition and moves through answer, discovery, and trial. Appeals from the Circuit Court go to the District Court of Appeal.

Criminal flow: Arrest › First Appearance › Information or Indictment › Arraignment › Pretrial › Trial › Sentencing › Appeal

Civil flow: Petition Filed › Answer › Discovery › Mediation › Trial › Judgment › Appeal

Civil, Family, and Criminal Work

Each division has its own judges and calendar. Circuit Criminal handles felony prosecutions. Circuit Civil handles larger money and property disputes, plus complex cases. The Family division handles divorce, paternity, time-sharing, child support, and injunctions. The Probate division handles estates, guardianships, and trusts.

All of these run out of the Orange County Courthouse in downtown Orlando. The clerk's court records search reaches every division, and the court dockets tool shows scheduled hearings.

The Ninth Judicial Circuit

The Ninth Judicial Circuit serves Orange and Osceola counties. It is one of Florida's busiest circuits because of the Orlando metropolitan area. The circuit publishes a judge directory and division information, and assignments change over time. The official circuit site is the source of truth for current judges and courthouses.

Appeals from the circuit go to Florida's District Court of Appeal, with statewide review by the Florida Supreme Court in the categories the law allows. The circuit also handles some appeals from the County Court, which keeps lower-level matters within the same regional system before they reach the appellate courts.

Because the Orlando area is large and busy, the circuit runs many divisions and courtrooms. Checking the judge directory and the division before a hearing saves time, since a case can be reassigned as the docket shifts.

Specialty and Problem-Solving Courts

The circuit runs problem-solving courts that mix court oversight with treatment. Adult Drug Court, Veterans Court, and Mental Health Court each serve eligible defendants whose cases tie to substance use, service-related needs, or mental health. The official circuit problem-solving court page lists current programs, since eligibility and judges change.

These dockets add review hearings, treatment plans, and case management to a regular case. The State Attorney, the Public Defender, and the assigned judge each play a role at intake. Eligibility turns on the charge, the criminal history, a clinical assessment, and program capacity, so not every defendant qualifies. A participant who completes the program may see a better case outcome, while a participant who is removed returns to the regular docket.

Orange County Courthouse and Contact

The Circuit Court sits at the Orange County Courthouse in downtown Orlando, near the county administration center, the State Attorney, and the Public Defender. Most divisions hold court in this building, though the room and floor depend on the division and the calendar. Visitors should plan for courthouse-style security at entry and confirm the hearing room on the judge's notice.

How to Search Orange County Circuit Court Records

Circuit Court records search through the clerk's my eClerk system. Pick the case type that matches the division, such as Criminal Felony for a felony case or family case records for a divorce. A name search needs both first and last name. Anonymous users clear a CAPTCHA before each search.

1. Open the clerk's my eClerk case search.
2. Choose the case type for the division you need.
3. Enter a full name or a case number, then search.

Orange County Circuit Court Questions

What cases does the Circuit Court hear?

The Circuit Court hears felony criminal cases, larger civil disputes, family law, probate, guardianship, and juvenile matters. It also hears some appeals from the County Court. Misdemeanors, traffic, and small claims go to the County Court instead.

Which circuit is Orange County in?

Orange County is in the Ninth Judicial Circuit, which also serves Osceola County. The main trial building is the Orange County Courthouse in downtown Orlando. The circuit publishes a judge directory, and assignments change over time.

Related Orange County Resources

For dockets and case lookup, see court records and court dockets. For Clerk contact info, see Clerk of Court. For the lower trial court, see the County Court page.