What are the filing fees for the Circuit Civil Division?

What if I have a Case Number?

Circuit Civil case file numbers are identified by a CACE designation. Circuit Civil Family case file numbers are identified by a FMCE designation. Effective January 1, 2005, Domestic Violence cases are identified by a DV designation. Circuit Civil files for years 1982 through 2004, active or inactive, and Circuit Civil Family Case Files 1994 and 2004, active or inactive, are stored at an off-site location. To review these files, they may be ordered by calling 954-831-6253. The message will assist you in ordering your file. These files take from three (3) to (5) working days to transfer to the Central Courthouse.

What if I don't know my Case Number?

Perform a case party search. If you still cannot find the case, contact eclerk@browardclerk.org.

How do I file a Civil Action (over $15,000)?

The types of cases filed in the Circuit Civil Division are:

1. Professional Malpractice, Products Liability, Auto Negligence, Negligence Action, Condominium Action, Contract Indebtedness, Real Property Mortgage Foreclosure, Eminent Domain, Appeal (County Court)

How do I withdraw from the Court Registry?

To get your car out of a repair shop, you must post a bond in cash in the amount of the final bill plus $13.00 fee to transfer lien plus fees for the Clerk based on the amount of the final bill (3% of the first $500.00 and 1.5% of each remaining $100.00). This procedure is under Section 559.917 Florida Statutes. The same procedure can be applied to all other personal property under Section 713.76 Florida Statutes.

To deposit or to withdraw funds from the Court Registry, you must provide the Court Registry Clerk with a certified copy of an Order directing the clerk to deposit the funds into the Registry of the Court or to release the funds in Court Registry.

To transfer a Claim or Lien or a Mechanic's Lien to cash or surety bond, you must contact the Recording Office at the Governmental Center, Suite 11, Phone number (954) 357-7270.

To transfer a Judgment Lien to a cash bond or to satisfy a Judgment, you must provide us with a legible recorded copy of the Judgment so that we can determine the amount of the bond or the amount of the Satisfaction. If the case is in one of the Satellite Courts, you must contact the Satellite Court; if the case is in the County Court, Central Courthouse, you contact the County Court; if the case is in the Circuit Court, then you contact the Court Registry Clerk at (954) 831-5659.

To Interplead funds, you need an Order of the Court.

When are foreclosures held and what are the terms of foreclosure?

Circuit Civil and County Civil foreclosure sales are held via public auction Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, starting at 10:00 am on the Internet in accordance with Florida Statutes at www.broward.realforeclose.com

All bidders must register with the clerk on this web site prior to the sale.

Prior to the time of the sale, the bidder must post with the Clerk’s Office a deposit equal to 5% of the estimated high bid for each property they anticipate winning at the sale. Deposit funds must be received no later than 3:00pm EST the previous business day of the auction. Deposits can be made electronically on the web site via ACH (Electronic Check) or wire transfer. ACH deposits require 4 full business days to be processed and wire transfers require 24 hours. Deposits may also be made in person in the form of cash or cashier’s check at the main courthouse located at 201 SE 6th St. Room 230, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301. Personal or business checks will NOT be accepted. These deposits will not be available for bidding until such funds have cleared.

The site provides information for each sale item, including the name of the owner and legal description. At the date and time specified for the sale, each item is auctioned in order of case number and sold to the highest bidder.

If you are the successful bidder for property at a foreclosure sale, the balance of the final bid amount plus the court registry fees (3% of the first $500 and each subsequent $100 at 1.5%) and the auction fee ($60.00) must be received by the Clerk’s Office no later than 12:00 pm EST the next business day following the sale or by the deadline stated in the judgment. Accepted forms of payment are wire transfer, cash or cashier’s checks. You will also owe Documentary “doc” stamps on the amount of your final bid. This fee is pursuant to Florida Statutes and is owed to Broward County. Doc Stamps on Titles and other instruments related to real property (rounded to the nearest $100) are calculated at .70 per $100. You will receive an email regarding the requirements for payment of Documentary Stamps.

Please refer to www.broward.realforeclose.com for further information regarding the foreclosure process.

What is the proper case number format for Internet searches?

Civil Case Numbers

Case numbers must be entered in a specific format for Internet searches. In order for a case number to be valid and return the proper case, the case number must be at least thirteen letters or numbers. Special characters (such as "-", "$", "#", "%") will not be accepted.

If your case number does not equal at least 12 characters, a dash "-" may exist in the middle of the case number. Replace the dash with zeros until your case number equals 12 characters. For example: