Access Gadsden County Public Records

Gadsden County public records are held by the Clerk and Comptroller's office in Quincy, serving a north Florida county of about 46,000 residents just west of Tallahassee. Nicholas D. Thomas serves as Clerk and Comptroller and is the official custodian of all court records, official records, and other public documents maintained by the county. Florida law makes all of these records available for public inspection without any requirement to state a reason.

Gadsden County Clerk and Comptroller

Nicholas D. Thomas is the Gadsden County Clerk and Comptroller. The office is located at 10 East Jefferson Street in Quincy and can be reached by phone at (850) 875-8601, extension 224. The clerk's website at gadsdenclerk.com provides access to online search tools and information about how to make a public records request from the Quincy office.

The clerk's office maintains court records for the 2nd Judicial Circuit, which is headquartered in Tallahassee and covers a large area of north Florida. Gadsden County cases are filed locally in Quincy, but the circuit court serves multiple counties in the region. The clerk also records all property-related official records for Gadsden County, including deeds, mortgages, and liens. Marriage licenses are issued here as well. These functions generate a broad range of public records that anyone can ask to review.

Gadsden County Records and Florida Law

Florida's public records law, Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, makes all Gadsden County government records available to the public. The law is grounded in a core principle: government records are open by default. An agency that wants to withhold a record must identify a specific exemption that covers it. Section 119.071 lists the most common exemptions, including active criminal investigations, certain personal data, and medical records.

The Gadsden County Clerk's website provides the online portal for records access and request information.

The site links to the clerk's online search tools and provides contact details for the Quincy office.

Copy fees under Chapter 119 are set by state law and apply uniformly across all Florida agencies. Standard printed copies cost up to $0.15 per one-sided page. Certified copies run $1 per page plus a $5 certification fee. The first 30 minutes of staff research are free; after that, fees are based on the hourly rate of the lowest-paid staff who can handle the request. Agencies must keep records for at least 30 days after receiving a public records request covering those documents. If you have a dispute about access, the Florida Attorney General's mediation line is (850) 245-0140. More help is available at the FL AG open government site.

Court Records in Gadsden County

Gadsden County is served by the 2nd Judicial Circuit, which covers Leon, Wakulla, Jefferson, Madison, Franklin, and Liberty counties as well. The circuit court in Quincy handles felony criminal cases, civil lawsuits above the county court dollar threshold, family law matters, and probate proceedings for Gadsden County residents and parties. County court handles misdemeanors, small claims, and minor civil matters. All court records from both levels are filed with the Gadsden County Clerk.

Online case searches for Gadsden County are available through the clerk's website. You can search by case number or party name. The system shows case type, filing date, and docket entries. Some documents are available to view online. Older records or sealed files may require in-person access or a written request. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers directory can help if you need to search cases filed in nearby Leon or other circuit counties. The myFloridaCounty.com platform allows cross-county official records searches.

Gadsden County Official Records

Recorded instruments in Gadsden County, including property deeds, mortgage documents, liens, easements, and plat maps, are all part of the official records maintained by the clerk. These records form the authoritative history of property ownership and financial obligations in the county. The clerk indexes all recorded documents by grantor and grantee name, making them searchable by the parties involved in any transaction.

If you are researching a property in Gadsden County, start with the official records index on the clerk's website. You can identify prior owners, check for outstanding liens, and confirm whether past mortgages have been satisfied. The clerk can provide certified copies of any recorded document. Certified copies carry the clerk's seal and are considered official evidence of the recorded instrument for legal and administrative purposes.

Criminal Records in Gadsden County

Court records for criminal cases in Gadsden County are available through the clerk's case search. These include charging documents, orders, pleas, and sentencing records for felony and misdemeanor cases heard in Quincy. The Gadsden County Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records and booking information separately. Both agencies operate under Chapter 119, and most arrest records are public.

Active criminal investigation files, juvenile records, and certain victim information are among the standard exemptions. Requests for arrest records should go to the Sheriff's Office, not the clerk. If a request is denied, ask for the specific exemption in writing. The Florida AG's open government resources explain what to do when a denial seems improper.

Vital Records and Related Gadsden County Documents

Birth and death certificates from events in Gadsden County are state-level records held by the Florida Department of Health's Bureau of Vital Statistics. The county clerk does not handle these. Requests for vital records go to the state agency, either online through VitalChek or by mail. The Gadsden County Health Department can provide local guidance for vital records requests.

Marriage licenses are an exception. They are issued by the Gadsden County Clerk and are part of the county's official records. Copies of marriage licenses from Gadsden County are available from the Quincy office. Divorce records are part of the family law court file, also held by the clerk. Property tax records and vehicle registration data are maintained by the Tax Collector's office, which handles its own public records requests under Chapter 119.

How to Request Gadsden County Records

You can request records from the Gadsden County Clerk by visiting the Quincy office at 10 East Jefferson Street, calling (850) 875-8601 ext. 224, or writing a letter to the office. No special form is required. Just describe what you need clearly enough for staff to locate the records. The clerk must respond within a reasonable time and cannot charge you just for looking at records in person.

For records from other Gadsden County agencies, including the Sheriff, the Board of County Commissioners, or the Property Appraiser, contact those offices directly. Each agency is an independent custodian of its own records. If you get a denial without a clear explanation, ask for the specific exemption in writing. Unresolved disputes can be referred to the Florida Attorney General's mediation program at (850) 245-0140.

Cities in Gadsden County

Gadsden County has no cities that meet the population threshold for a dedicated page. Quincy is the county seat and Havana and Chattahoochee are other incorporated places, but none qualify. All records for Gadsden County are handled through the Clerk's office in Quincy.

Nearby Counties

Gadsden County is in Florida's Panhandle, just west of Tallahassee, and borders five other Florida counties.