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Juvenile
Overview
Pursuant to F.S. 985.045(2) and F.S. 39.0132(3) F.S. 984.06(3), all Juvenile records (delinquency and dependency) are confidential.
Due to strict confidentiality laws regarding juvenile cases, information can only be made available to the juvenile, parent or guardian, attorney for parent or child and select government officials with valid photo identification. Case information cannot be provided over the telephone.
Any person under the age of 18 who has allegedly committed a law violation. The Juvenile Division is governed by F.S. 985.045(2) for Delinquency.
Department of Juvenile Justice201 W Broward Blvd Ste 208
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
(954) 467-4381
All matters relating to any person under the age of 18 who has been abandoned, abused, neglected, surrendered for the purpose of adoption or Child/Family in Need of Services. The Juvenile Division is governed by F.S. 39.0132(3) and F.S. 984.06(3) for Dependency.
Department of Children and Families1400 W Commercial Blvd
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
(954) 375-6092
Request Juvenile Case Information
Requests for case information can be made in-person, or by mail to the address listed under the Contact Information section on this page. All requests must be accompanied by photo identification (driver license, passport, or school ID). If the request is made by mail, the copy of photo identification must be notarized and the request must include name of juvenile, case number, and date of birth. When a request is made by mail, our office will contact you within 2 business days with the cost of the copies. Your request will be mailed upon receipt of payment.
Fees and Payment Options
| Copies (per page) | $1.00 |
| Certification (per document) | $2.00 |
| Records Search (per year - if year of case is unknown) | $2.00 |
| Purge Letter (stating case record has been destroyed) | $7.00 |
Forms of Payment
- Cash, money order, or cashier's check (payable to Broward County Clerk of Courts)
- Do not send cash by mail
Reschedule Court Dates
Unfortunately, the Clerk's Office is not authorized to reschedule juvenile court dates.
If you need to reschedule a court date, please contact your attorney, or notify the judge assigned to the case. Contact information for Juvenile Judges are available via the 17th Judicial Circuit website at www.17th.flcourts.org.
Restitution Payments
Restitution payments may be made in the form of a cashier’s check, certified check or money order. They may be paid in person or by mail at the address listed in the Contact Information section.
Please make the cashier’s check, certified check or money order payable to the Clerk of Courts. We cannot accept personal checks, and please do not send cash. Also, please be sure to:
- Include the juvenile’s complete name, address, and case number
- Indicate in the note area that the payment is for restitution
The Clerk’s Office may issue restitution payments to a victim only after receiving payments for that specific victim and as ordered by the court. Of course, if a defendant or juvenile does not make payments as ordered by the court, the victim may seek relief. Please contact the State’s Attorney Office at (954) 831-6960 for more information.
Apply for Criminal Indigent Status
If you cannot afford a private attorney and need a public defender, refer to Florida Statute 27.52 for eligibility criteria.
How to Apply for Criminal Indigent Status (Public Defender)
- To apply for Criminal Indigent Status, you must submit a completed Application for Criminal Indigent Status form for processing.
- The application will be reviewed and either approved or denied based on the guidelines in Florida Statute 27.52.
- After submission, you will receive written notification regarding the status of your application
- If approved, you must pay a $50 fee to the Clerk of Court within seven (7) days, as required by Florida Statute 27.52.
Submission Methods:
Email the completed Application for Criminal Indigent Status form to FelonyeClerk@browardclerk.org.
Ensure you include your signature to verify the information is correct and truthful.
Pay the $50 Public Defender fee online (this option is only available for some court cases).
- Go to the Case Search page to locate your case by name or case number.
- Click the Pay Fine/Fee button to submit your payment using American Express, MasterCard, or Visa.
You may mail, or hand-deliver, the completed Application for Criminal Indigent Status to the appropriate Clerk of Court division where your case is filed.
Be sure to sign the application to confirm that the information provided is accurate and truthful.
In-Person Payment: The $50 Public Defender fee can be paid in person. Pay by Cash, Money Order, American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa. NOTE: Photo ID is required for in-person credit card payments.
Mail Payment: If mailing your payment, send a Money Order (drawn on a U.S. bank only) made payable to the Clerk of the Courts. Include the case number and clearly indicate the payment is for the $50 Public Defender fee. Do not send cash by mail!
Submission Locations:
- Felony Division, 201 S.E. 6th Street, North Building, 1st Floor, Room: 1882, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
- Juvenile Division, 201 S.E. 6th Street, West Building, 5th Floor, Room: 05180, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
- Traffic and Misdemeanor Division, 201 S.E. 6th Street, West Building, 1st Floor, Room: 1130, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Forms and Self Help
The Clerk’s Office is unable to provide legal advice or assistance.
To assist you, below you will find forms and legal resources. For further assistance, please visit the Self Help Equal Access Center - Law Library, where Law Librarians are available to assist you in locating forms and legal resources.
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Self Help Equal Access Center - Law Library
Central Courthouse
Judicial Complex, North Wing -
1st Floor, Room: 1800
201 S.E. 6th Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Directions to this Location
954-831-6226-
Monday - Friday
7:30 am - 3:30 pm
Excluding Courthouse Holidays
Visit our Law Library located on the first floor of the North Wing of the Courthouse to find:
- Additional forms including Family, Landlord/Tenant, Criminal, Probate and Guardianship, Traffic, and much more
- Photocopy machines, computers, and Wi-Fi
- Print materials, online databases and resources, self-help publications, Westlaw and Lexis
- Comfortable, quiet work areas
- Law Librarians available to direct you to resources related to your legal information needs
Frequently Asked Questions
On Delinquency & Dependency cases, no case style or party names will display in the Portal.
If you are filing a private petition for dependency, there is a $401.00 filing fee associated with the filing. If you are filing a petition for adoption, there is a $301.00 filing fee associated with the filing. You must mail the fee in the form of a cashier’s check or money order to the Clerk’s Office at the time of submission. Once payment is received and the filing has been accepted, the filer will be informed of the case number and Judge assignment.
Due to the confidential nature of Juvenile information; eSummons Issuance is not available for Parties in the Portal. If you need a summons issued, please bring your paperwork to the Juvenile Division in room 05180.
Proposed orders will not be accepted through efiling. Send proposed orders with a copy of the motion directly to the judge. The Clerk will not send proposed orders to the judge.
Any paper document that is a judgment or required by statute or rule to be sworn to or notarized shall be filed with the clerk immediately thereafter.
Broward County's 2-digit Court Types:
- Juvenile Delinquency cases – ‘CJ’ in the Portal, however, in the case management system CJ will be changed to ‘DL’.
- Juvenile Dependency and Adoption cases – ‘DP’.
- Adoption case will be ‘DP’ in the Portal, however, in the case management system DP will be changed to ‘AD’.
If you are seeking the appointment of a public defender based on your inability to pay for a private attorney, per Chapter 27.52, Florida Statutes, read more about how to Apply for Criminal Indigent Status .
Glossary of Terms
THE FOLLOWING IS NOT INTENDED TO OFFER A DEFINITIVE LEGAL DEFINITION OF TERMS BUT IS MERELY PROVIDED TO ASSIST WITH GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF COURT TERMINOLOGY.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Announcement of No Petition | A document filed by the State’s Attorney office after reviewing the police report and a decision is made not to file petition for delinquency. |
| Arraignment Hearing | Occurs when the State’s Attorney Office files a petition for delinquency. At this hearing, the juvenile enters his plea to the Court. If the juvenile enters a plea of Not Guilty a Calendar Call hearing will be set. If the juvenile enters a plea of No Contest or Guilty, the judge may sentence him at this hearing. |
| Broward Sheriff's Office (B.S.O.) | The Broward Sheriff’s Office is a police agency that has jurisdiction throughout the county. |
| Calendar Call Hearing | At arraignment or upon receiving a written plea of not guilty a calendar call hearing is set. At this hearing, a determination is made as to whether the juvenile changes his plea to no contest/guilty or proceeds to a Trial by Judge. |
| Commitment to DJJ | At sentencing the juvenile may receive a commitment to the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). DJJ supervises the program, non-secure or secure, and length of stay. |
| Delinquent Child | A delinquent child is one who commits any act (other than a juvenile traffic offense) that would be a crime under state, municipal, or federal law if committed by an adult, or who fails to obey an order of a juvenile court. |
| Detention Hearing | A hearing that is set before the Court within 24 hours of a juvenile’s arrest to determine probable cause and detention status. |
| Direct File Intent | Notification from the State’s Attorney Office of filing criminal charges against the juvenile in adult court. |
| DJJ | Department of Juvenile Justice. |
| Docket | A list of cases that are scheduled to be heard by the Judge for the day. It contains the child's name, case number, charges, judge, date of birth, age, race, attorney information and hearing time. |
| Notice of Intent Present to the Grand Jury | A juvenile of any age charged with a violation of Florida Law that is punishable by Death or Life Imprisonment may be presented to the Grand Jury. If a True Bill indictment is returned by the Grand Jury the juvenile’s case shall be filed and heard in the adult Felony Division. If a "No True Bill" is returned by the Grand Jury then the case remains in the Juvenile Division. |
| Order to Take Into Custody also referred to as a Pick up Order (warrant) | An order to all law enforcement agencies to take the juvenile into custody and deliver them to the Detention Center. An order may be issued by the Court if the juvenile does not appear at a court hearing, violates home detention or absconds from probation or commitment program. |
| Petition Alleging Violation of Probation (VOP) | Petitions are filed by the State’s Attorney Office based on the supervision of the DJJ. The petition contains allegations of the juvenile’s non-compliance with the special conditions of his probation. |
| Petition for Delinquency | Upon the review of the police report the State’s Attorney office may file Petition for Delinquency. The petition contains the criminal charges against the juvenile. |
| Police Report | Also referred to as a probable cause affidavit. Police reports are submitted by the police agencies in Broward County containing summary of the incident alleged to be committed by the juvenile. |
| Probation | At sentencing a juvenile may be placed on probation and is supervised by DJJ. |
| Public Defender (PD) | An attorney appointed to represent the juvenile after a determination of indigency. |
| Regional Counsel | If a conflict arises with the Public Defender’s office and they cannot represent a juvenile then an attorney from Regional Counsel is appointed to represent the juvenile. |
| Restitution | At sentencing the judge may order the juvenile to pay restitution to the victim for damages and/or injuries sustained during the incident. |
| Special Public Defender (SPD) | If a conflict arises with the office of Regional Counsel and they cannot represent a juvenile then a private Attorney, SPD, is appointed to represent the juvenile. |
| State Attorney's Office | A state agency that determines whether to file a charging document (Petition for Delinquency) containing criminal charges against the juvenile. |
| Summons or Notice of Hearing | Notification to the juvenile, parents or legal guardians of hearing dates. |
| Transfers into Broward County | If a juvenile has committed a crime in another Florida county the case may be transferred to Broward County because this is where he resides. |
| Transfers out of Broward County | If a juvenile has committed a crime in Broward County but does not live in Broward County the case may be transferred to the county where the juvenile resides. |
| Trial by Judge | A hearing where the Judge listens to witness testimony, reviews evidence and renders a verdict. |
THE FOLLOWING IS NOT INTENDED TO OFFER A DEFINITIVE LEGAL DEFINITION OF TERMS BUT IS MERELY PROVIDED TO ASSIST WITH GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF COURT TERMINOLOGY.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Petition for Adoption | Chapter 39 adoption petitions, arising out of a termination of parental rights being granted are filed in the Juvenile Division. |
| Arraignment Hearing | Occurs when the Attorney General’s office files a petition for dependency. At this hearing, the parent(s) admits or denies the allegations of the petition. |
| Attorney General’s Office | A state agency working with ChildNet on behalf of the child(ren) of abuse, abandonment or neglect allegations. |
| Broward Sheriff's Office (B.S.O.) | The Broward Sheriff’s Office is a police agency that has jurisdiction throughout the county. |
| Child in Need of Services (CINS) | A petition filed on behalf of a child for whom there is no pending investigation into an allegation or suspicion of abuse, neglect, or abandonment; no pending referral alleging the child is delinquent; or no current supervision by the Department of Juvenile Justice or the Department of Children and Families for an adjudication of dependency or delinquency. |
| ChildNet | A private agency contracted by DCF to provide supervision or foster care services for Broward County. |
| DCF | Department of Children and Families – a state agency working with ChildNet and Attorney General’s office. |
| Dependent Child | A child who has been found by the Court to have been abandoned, abused, or neglected by his/her parents or someone else. |
| Docket | A list of cases that are scheduled to be heard by the Judge for the day. It contains the child's name, case number, cause of action, attorney information and time. |
| Guardian Ad Litem Program | Guardian ad Litem (GAL) is a person appointed by the judge to represent and protect the interests of the child. |
| Order to Take Into Custody also referred to as a Pick up Order (warrant) | An order to all law enforcement agencies to take the child into custody. |
| Petition for Dependency | A dependency petition contains allegations of child abuse, neglect or abandonment on a parent or guardian. |
| Protective Supervision | In dependency cases the judge may order supervision of the parents/guardians and the child(ren). Visits are supervised by ChildNet and DCF. |
| Regional Counsel | An attorney that is appointed by the Court to represent the mother and father(s). |
| Special Public Defender (SPD) | If a conflict arises with the office of Regional Counsel and they can no longer represent a parent then a private Attorney, SPD, is appointed. |
| Summons or Notice of Hearing | Notification to the child, parents or legal guardians of hearing dates. |
| Petition to Terminate Parental Rights (TPR) | A termination of parental rights petition is brought to permanently end the legal rights of the natural parents of a child, thereby "freeing" the child for adoption. |
| Transfers into Broward County | If the child(ren) has a case in another Florida county the case may be transferred to Broward County because this is where he resides. |
| Transfers out of Broward County | If the child(ren) does not live in Broward County the case may be transferred to the county where the juvenile resides. |
Contact Information
- Central Courthouse
Judicial Complex, West Building
(Juvenile) - 201 S.E. 6th Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Directions To This Location - 5th Floor, Room: 05180
- 954-831-6492
- 954-831-5666 - (Fax)
- Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Excluding Holidays
Brenda D. Forman
Connect with Us
TranslateMain Courthouse Location
201 SE 6th Street
Fort LauderdaleFlorida, US 33301
Phone: (954) 831-6565
Public Records Custodian Pursuant to 119.12(2), F.S.
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