Access Lauderhill Public Records

Lauderhill public records are available through the City of Lauderhill for municipal documents and through the Broward County Clerk of Courts for court case files and officially recorded instruments. Florida's Chapter 119 grants everyone the right to request public records from any government agency without stating a reason. Records held by the city and those held by the county serve different purposes, and this page explains how to reach both.

City of Lauderhill Records

The City of Lauderhill maintains its own public records for municipal functions. These include city commission agendas and meeting minutes, city ordinances and resolutions, city contracts, building permits, code enforcement records, and records from city departments such as police and public works. The city's offices are at 5581 W Oakland Park Blvd, Lauderhill, FL 33313. The general phone number is (954) 730-3000. The city's website is at lauderhill-fl.gov.

For records that fall under city government, you contact the City of Lauderhill directly. Many commission meeting minutes and similar documents may already be posted on the city's website and accessible without a formal request.

Florida Attorney General Open Records Guidance

The image below shows the Florida Attorney General's frequently asked questions page on open government. This is a useful resource for understanding your rights when requesting public records from any Lauderhill agency.

The Attorney General's office at myfloridalegal.com/open-government provides guidance on how to write a records request, what agencies must do in response, and how the free mediation process works when disputes arise.

Broward County Clerk of Courts

The Broward County Clerk of Courts handles court records and official recorded instruments for Lauderhill. The Clerk's website is at browardclerk.org. Civil case filings, criminal court records, family law documents, and probate files are all searchable through the Clerk's online portal. Official recorded documents, including deeds, mortgages, and liens recorded in Broward County, are also maintained by the Clerk and available through the official records index.

Lauderhill is in the 17th Judicial Circuit, which covers Broward County. The circuit court handles significant civil matters, felony criminal cases, family law, and probate. County court handles misdemeanor criminal charges and smaller civil disputes. Both court levels are served by the Broward Clerk. You can search case records through the Clerk's online system for free. Copies and certified documents carry standard fees set by state law.

How to Request Lauderhill Public Records

For city records, contact the City of Lauderhill's public records office. For court records and official recorded documents, contact the Broward County Clerk. No specific form is required under Florida law. You describe what you need clearly enough for the agency to find it. Requests can be made in person, by mail, by phone, or through any online system the agency provides.

Fees are set by state law at $0.15 per page for standard copies. Certified copies cost more because of the additional certification. For requests taking more than 30 minutes of staff time, the agency may charge an hourly rate at the pay level of the lowest employee who can do the work. The first 30 minutes are free. Giving specific details, such as a case number or document type and date range, helps the agency process your request quickly and at lower cost.

If a record is withheld, the agency must give you a written statement citing the exemption that applies. Florida's exemptions are listed in Section 119.071. Active law enforcement investigation records, certain personnel and medical files, and portions of records containing Social Security numbers are among the most common exemptions. For disputes about denied requests, the Florida Attorney General's mediation service is free and available at (850) 245-0140.

Property and Official Records

Property records for Lauderhill are part of the Broward County official records series. Deeds, mortgages, liens, satisfactions, and other instruments are filed with the Broward Clerk and searchable online through the official records index. Viewing records online is generally free. Copies carry the standard fee. The index goes back many years and can be searched by grantor or grantee name, document type, or recording date.

Broward County Property Appraiser data on property ownership and assessed values is a separate database that complements the official records index. If you need current ownership or value information for a Lauderhill property, the Property Appraiser is the right office. The Florida Association of Court Clerks also maintains a statewide clerk directory at flclerks.com that helps you locate any county clerk in Florida.

Types of Records Available in Lauderhill

A range of public records covers Lauderhill residents and local activity. Court case filings from both civil and criminal matters are at the Broward Clerk. Building permits and code enforcement records are city records at Lauderhill City Hall. Marriage and dissolution records are part of the family court files at the Clerk's office. Police incident reports are held by the Lauderhill Police Department, with certain exemptions during active investigations. County tax records are at the Broward County Tax Collector.

Florida's Department of Law Enforcement at fdle.state.fl.us handles state criminal history records that are separate from individual court case files at the county level. If you are researching criminal history matters beyond what the Broward Clerk has, FDLE is worth checking.

Florida Open Records Law

Chapter 119 applies to all government agencies in Florida, including the City of Lauderhill and Broward County. Records in any format, including email, digital files, and audio, are all subject to the law. The full statute is available at the Florida Legislature's statutes page. The First Amendment Foundation at floridafaf.org provides practical guidance for residents dealing with delayed or denied records requests in Florida.

Nearby Cities

These nearby Broward County cities also have public records pages with details on courts and local records access.

Broward County Records

Court records and official records for Lauderhill are maintained by the Broward County Clerk of Court.