Public Records in Lafayette County

Lafayette County public records are held by the Clerk of Court in Mayo and are open to any person under Florida's public records law. This guide covers how to find court filings, official records, and other county documents, whether you plan to search online, contact the office by phone, or visit the courthouse in the county seat of Mayo.

Florida Public Records Law and Lafayette County

Florida's open records framework comes from Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes. The policy stated in Section 119.01 is direct: all state, county, and municipal records are open for inspection by any person. There is no requirement that you live in Florida or explain why you want a record. The law places the duty to justify secrecy on the agency, not on the person making the request.

That right is also in the Florida Constitution. Article I, Section 24 gives every person the right to inspect or copy public records. A constitutional guarantee is harder to limit than a statutory one, which is part of why Florida has one of the stronger public records frameworks in the country.

Section 119.07 says the custodian must allow inspection at any reasonable time. If a record is exempt, the custodian must identify the specific exemption in writing if you ask. Common exemptions appear in Section 119.071, which covers things like active criminal investigations, medical information, and certain law enforcement materials. If you believe a denial was improper, the Florida Attorney General's Office offers mediation at (850) 245-0140. The AG's Open Government page explains your rights in plain terms.

Lafayette County Clerk of Court

The Clerk of Court in Mayo is the primary custodian of Lafayette County public records. The office handles court case files, official records such as deeds and mortgages, county commission records, and other government documents generated by county operations.

Lafayette County is part of the 3rd Judicial Circuit, which includes Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor, and Lafayette counties. Circuit court cases originating in Lafayette County are filed and stored locally. The Clerk's office is small, which can make it easier to get direct answers by phone or in person rather than navigating a large online system.

The screenshot below is from the Lafayette County Clerk's official website, which provides access to court records, official records, and information on how to submit a public records request.

The site shown above is the official point of access for Lafayette County court records and official records maintained by the Clerk's office in Mayo.

Searching Lafayette County Records

The Lafayette County Clerk's website at lafayetteclerk.com provides online access to court case information and official records for the county. You can search by party name or case number for civil, criminal, family, and probate matters without creating an account. Official records such as deeds, mortgages, and liens are also searchable by name and recording date.

Lafayette County also connects to the statewide myfloridacounty.com system, which aggregates official records from participating Florida counties. If the document you need involves a party or property in more than one county, that system can save you from checking multiple sites.

Lafayette is one of Florida's smaller counties. Some older records, particularly those predating digital scanning, exist only in paper form at the courthouse in Mayo. If you search online and come up empty, contact the Clerk's office directly. Staff there can tell you quickly whether the record exists and what you need to do to get a copy.

The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers directory lists all Florida county clerks with contact information and links to their online search tools. That is a useful resource when records may span county lines or involve state-level filings.

Copy Fees and Research Costs

Florida sets baseline fees that apply to all counties. Administrative records from county departments cost $0.15 per single-sided page and $0.20 for double-sided copies. Court records and official records from the Clerk cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies of official records carry an additional $5.00 certification statement fee.

Research fees apply when a request takes significant staff time to fill. The first 30 minutes of staff research time are not charged. Beyond that, the agency may bill at the hourly rate of the lowest-paid employee who can complete the work. If your request seems like it might involve a lot of time, ask for a cost estimate up front. The agency is required to give you one if you request it.

Types of Records Available

Lafayette County public records span a range of categories. The Clerk maintains court records for the 3rd Judicial Circuit cases filed in Lafayette County, covering civil, criminal, family law, and probate matters. Official records include instruments affecting real property: deeds, mortgages, liens, satisfactions, and notices of commencement. These are recorded chronologically as they come into the Clerk's office.

County commission meeting minutes, budget documents, and public contracts are also public records maintained through county government. Marriage license records are held by the Clerk. Tax deed records, which arise when property taxes go unpaid, are also processed through the Clerk's office.

Records held by other Lafayette County offices are separate from those of the Clerk. The Sheriff's Office keeps arrest records and offense reports. The Property Appraiser maintains parcel data and ownership records. The Tax Collector holds property tax payment history. Each custodian handles requests for its own records independently.

For statewide criminal records, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement operates a public access system at fdle.state.fl.us. FDLE records cover state-level matters and may complement what you find through the local Clerk and Sheriff.

Making a Public Records Request

You can request records from the Lafayette County Clerk by visiting the courthouse in Mayo, calling the office, sending a letter, or emailing. No specific form is required. Describe the records you want as clearly as you can so staff can locate them efficiently. Anonymous requests are accepted; you are not required to give your name or state a reason.

For records held by county departments other than the Clerk, contact that department directly. If you are not sure which office holds what you need, calling the Clerk's office is a reasonable first step. Staff there can usually point you to the right place.

Requests that involve redaction, such as cases where exempt information must be removed from otherwise public documents, may take longer to fulfill. The agency must still provide the non-exempt portions of the record. If a request is denied in full, ask for a written citation of the statutory exemption. That written response is your starting point if you decide to challenge the denial.

Cities in Lafayette County

Mayo is the county seat and main community in Lafayette County. No cities in the county meet the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site.

Nearby Counties

Lafayette County is surrounded by these counties, each with its own Clerk and public records system.