Find Public Records in Liberty County

Liberty County public records are maintained by the Clerk of Court in Bristol and are open to any person under Florida law. Liberty County is one of Florida's least populous counties, but the same open records rules that apply in larger counties apply here. This guide explains how to request court filings, official records, and other county documents from Liberty County offices.

Florida Public Records Law and Liberty County

Florida's open records law is found in Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes. The law applies uniformly across all 67 Florida counties, including Liberty. The basic rule is that every state, county, and local government record is open to inspection by any person. An agency can only withhold a record if a specific statutory exemption covers it.

This right sits in both the statute and the Florida Constitution. Article I, Section 24 makes open records access a constitutional guarantee, not just a legislative one. In practical terms, that means Liberty County offices cannot require you to give your name, explain your purpose, or fill out a specific form before granting access to a public record.

Section 119.07 of the statute says that custodians must allow inspection at any reasonable time. If a record contains both public and exempt information, the custodian must redact the exempt portion and provide the rest. A full denial where only part is exempt is improper. If you encounter a denial you believe is wrong, the Florida Attorney General's Office runs a free mediation program at (850) 245-0140. Additional guidance is available on the AG's Open Government page.

Liberty County Clerk of Court

The Liberty County Clerk of Court in Bristol is the primary custodian of public records for the county. The office handles court filings for the 2nd Judicial Circuit cases originating in Liberty County, records official instruments affecting real property, and maintains county government documents including commission records and financial files.

Liberty County is part of the 2nd Judicial Circuit, which includes Leon, Gadsden, Jefferson, Wakulla, Franklin, and Liberty counties. Leon County and Tallahassee anchor the circuit, but each county maintains its own Clerk for local records. Liberty County's courthouse in Bristol is small and staff can generally assist with most requests directly, often more quickly than in larger counties.

The screenshot below comes from the Liberty County Clerk's official website, which provides access to court records information, official records, and public records request guidance for the county.

The site shown above is the official source for Liberty County court records and official records maintained by the Clerk's office in Bristol.

How to Search Liberty County Records

The Liberty County Clerk's website at libertyclerk.com provides online access to court case records and official records. Court records can be searched by party name or case number for civil, criminal, family, and probate matters. Official records such as deeds, mortgages, and liens are also searchable without creating an account or paying a fee.

Liberty County participates in myfloridacounty.com, the statewide official records portal. That system aggregates records from participating Florida counties and is useful when a document involves property or parties in more than one county. Liberty County is small, and some transactions may involve adjacent counties such as Gadsden, Franklin, or Gulf.

Because Liberty County is one of Florida's smallest counties, its digital records archive is more limited than those of larger counties. Records from before the digital era may exist only in paper at the courthouse. If your online search comes up empty, call the office directly. Staff there can confirm whether a record exists and how to request it.

The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers directory provides contact information and links for all 67 Florida county clerks. That is a helpful backup when records may span county lines or involve a circuit court decision that touches multiple counties in the 2nd Circuit.

Fees for Records Copies

Florida law sets the fee schedule for public records copies that applies in Liberty County as in every other Florida county. Administrative records from county agencies cost $0.15 per single-sided page or $0.20 per double-sided page. Court records and official records from the Clerk cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies of official records include a $5.00 certification statement fee in addition to the per-page charge.

Research fees can apply when a request requires significant staff time. The first 30 minutes of staff time are not charged. After that, the agency may bill at the hourly rate of the lowest-paid employee who can complete the work. Ask for a written cost estimate before agreeing to any request that seems like it will involve significant staff effort. The agency is required to provide that estimate if you ask for it.

What Records Are Available

The Clerk of Court in Liberty County maintains court records for all civil, criminal, family law, and probate cases filed in the 2nd Judicial Circuit for Liberty County. Official records include all instruments recorded against real property in the county: deeds, mortgages, satisfaction of mortgages, judgment liens, and notices of commencement for construction projects. These are indexed by name and recorded date as they arrive.

County commission meeting minutes, marriage license applications, tax deed records, and county budget documents are also public records maintained through the Clerk. Each is open to inspection unless a specific exemption under Section 119.071 applies.

Other Liberty County offices hold their own records separately from the Clerk. The Sheriff's Office keeps arrest records and offense reports. The Property Appraiser maintains parcel and ownership data. The Tax Collector holds property tax payment records. Requests for those records go to those offices directly.

For statewide criminal records, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement operates a public access system at fdle.state.fl.us. That is separate from what the Liberty County Clerk and Sheriff hold and may contain records not reflected in local databases.

Submitting a Request

Public records requests in Liberty County can be made in person at the courthouse in Bristol, by phone, by mail, or by email. No form is required; describe clearly what records you need. Anonymous requests are accepted under Florida law. If staff cannot locate a record immediately, they will follow up with you.

For records held by other county offices, contact those departments directly. If you are not sure which office holds the records you need, the Clerk's office is a reasonable first call. Given Liberty County's size, staff there can usually answer questions quickly and point you to the right contact. For denied requests, the AG mediation program at (850) 245-0140 provides free resolution assistance.

Cities in Liberty County

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

Nearby Counties

These counties border Liberty County, each with its own Clerk's office and public records system.