Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site on September 23, 2026.
Highlands County, Florida, has about 110,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its court cases are filed in the Highlands County Circuit Court and the County Court, and the file of each case, kept by the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, is the public record of it. This guide says which court hears what, where to look a case up and who keeps the files.
This guide covers the courts, the records page, criminal cases, kinds of files, directory links, cities and common questions.
Related guides: Highlands County public records, Highlands County arrest records, Highlands County warrants, Highlands County inmate search, Highlands County criminal records, Florida arrest records and Florida inmate search.
The Courts That Hear Cases from Highlands County
In Highlands County, the Highlands County Circuit Court hears felonies, civil cases over $50,000, divorces, probate and juvenile matters.
The County Court takes misdemeanors, traffic cases, small claims and civil cases up to $50,000.
Divorces go to the Circuit Court's family division, and the file stays with the court clerk.
The Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller keep the files, and a copy of anything in a file comes from that office, under the court's own rules rather than the Florida Public Records Act (Chapter 119).
Looking Up a Case from Highlands County
For Highlands County, SearchSystems opened and checked the court records page for the county at highlandsclerkfl.gov/popular_services/court_records_search/index.php (page title: Court Records Search), phone 863-402-6785, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
Florida has no single public index of every trial court case; each court's records are looked up through that court.
The Florida court page SearchSystems verified is at flcourts.gov.
What Reaches the Court from Highlands County
The State Attorney decides which arrests in Highlands County become cases in the Highlands County Circuit Court or the County Court.
The State Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at highlandsfl.gov/departments/county_attorney/index.php (page title: Highlands County, FL), phone (863) 402-6501, 600 S. Commerce Ave., Sebring, FL 33870, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
The Kinds of Court Files
Criminal cases, divorces, traffic tickets and evictions all end up as files of these courts, and the file is what the public sees of each.
The other Highlands County guides take the kinds of file one at a time: Highlands County criminal records, Highlands County divorce records, Highlands County traffic tickets, Highlands County DUI and Highlands County property records.
More Official Court Pages for Highlands County
The SearchSystems directory, online since 1997, lists the official pages for Highlands County and Florida. These court pages from its Highlands County listing were opened again on October 2, 2026 and each one still answers:
- Criminal Court (highlandsclerkfl.gov)
- Florida Courts (flcourts.gov)
- ONLINE COURT RECORDS SEARCH (civitekflorida.com)
Cities in Highlands County
Wherever in the county a case arises, it is filed in the Highlands County Circuit Court or the County Court.
The cities and towns in the county are Sebring, Avon Park and Lake Placid.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up a court case in Highlands County?
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at highlandsclerkfl.gov, phone 863-402-6785.
Which court hears felonies in Highlands County?
The Highlands County Circuit Court, which hears felonies, civil cases over $50,000, divorces, probate and juvenile matters. The County Court takes misdemeanors, traffic cases, small claims and civil cases up to $50,000.
Who keeps the court records in Highlands County?
The Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller. Copies come from that office under the court's own rules.
Is there a statewide court case search in Florida?
No. Each court's records are looked up through that court.
Is this the official Highlands County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.