Walton County Public Records Search

Walton County public records are maintained by the Clerk and Comptroller in DeFuniak Springs and are open to any member of the public under Florida law. This guide explains how to search court case files, official recorded documents, and other government records in Walton County, whether you use the online search portal, submit a written request, or visit the courthouse in person.

Open Records Law in Walton County

Florida's public records law is found in Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes. It applies to Walton County and all its government offices just as it does to every county in Florida. The Walton County Clerk's own website states the principle directly: Clerk Sconiers "is pleased to offer online access to information deemed as public record by the Florida Statutes 119.01 (1), (2), (3), (4) and not exempted by Judicial Administration Rules." The basic rule is that records made or received in the course of official business are public. You do not need to give a name or a reason to see them.

Section 119.07 of the Florida Statutes requires the custodian to allow inspection at any reasonable time. Copy fees are set by law: 15 cents per page for plain paper copies of administrative records, up to $1.00 per page for recorded official documents, and a $5.00 fee for certified copies. Research time is free for the first 30 minutes. If a search takes longer, a reasonable hourly charge may apply. Inspecting records without copying is always free.

Exemptions exist under Section 119.071. Active law enforcement investigation files, certain personal data, and some medical and financial records may be withheld. The Clerk's website is clear that access to electronic court records in Walton County "is governed and approved by the Florida Supreme Court via the 'Access Security Matrix.'" If a request is denied, you must be told which exemption applies. For help with a dispute, the Florida Attorney General runs a free mediation program at (850) 245-0140 or at the AG's open government page.

Walton County Clerk and Comptroller

Crystal Sconiers, MPA, SHRM-SCP, CPM, serves as the Clerk and Comptroller for Walton County. Her office in DeFuniak Springs is the official custodian for court case records, officially recorded documents, marriage records, and county financial records. The Clerk handles filings at both the circuit and county court levels. The office also manages online access to public records through its web portal.

The office is open weekdays during normal business hours. Calling (850) 892-8115 before visiting is a good first step, especially if you are not sure whether the records you need are available through the online portal or require an in-person visit or written request.

The screenshot below comes from the Walton County Clerk's main website, which is the starting point for all online records access in the county.

From the Clerk's main site you can navigate to the court records search portal, review office contact details, and find information about services available both online and in person.

Online Court Records Search

Walton County provides public online access to court records through its search portal at waltonclerkfl.gov/courtrecords. The portal allows searches by name (last, first, middle -- the search is not case sensitive), by case number, or by date range. Date-range searches are limited to a maximum seven-day span at a time, which is a common restriction for Florida county court search systems.

The Clerk offers a secure login option for Florida attorneys and other registered users. Access through that account requires completion of a Walton County Access Agreement. The public search does not require registration. As the Clerk's website notes, "the information available through this publicly available internet website is not the official record and should not be relied upon for any type of legal action." For certified or official copies, you need to contact the office directly.

The image below shows the court records search portal for Walton County, where you can run searches by name or case number.

The portal covers circuit and county court case types and is accessible to the public without creating an account.

Court Records in Walton County

Walton County is part of the 1st Judicial Circuit of Florida, which also covers Escambia, Okaloosa, and Santa Rosa counties. The circuit court seat is in Pensacola. Circuit court cases in Walton County include felony criminal matters, civil actions over the jurisdictional threshold, family law cases including divorce and custody, juvenile proceedings, and probate. County court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, civil claims under the threshold, small claims, and traffic violations.

Most court records are public under Chapter 119. Key exceptions include juvenile case files, which are confidential by statute, and records sealed or expunged by court order. The Clerk's system flags documents with restricted access, so you can often determine online whether a file is open before contacting the office. The statewide Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers directory lists Walton County and all other Florida clerks with current contact information.

Official and Property Records

The Walton County Clerk records and indexes all official documents affecting real property in the county. Deeds, mortgages, liens, releases, and easements are filed and indexed by name and document type. The official records are the authoritative source for the chain of title on any parcel in Walton County. Recorded documents are available for search and in many cases for online viewing through the Clerk's portal.

Standard copy fees apply: up to $1.00 per page for recorded documents, with a $5.00 certification fee added for certified copies. There is no charge to inspect records at the office in DeFuniak Springs. The statewide portal at myfloridacounty.com may also have some Walton County official records indexed, depending on what has been made available there.

Marriage licenses are issued and held by the Clerk's office. Divorce case files are part of the family law circuit court record maintained by the same office. Both are public records accessible by name or case number. The Clerk can advise on the quickest search method if you do not have a case number.

How to Request Walton County Records

For records available through the online portal, no request is needed. Just go to waltonclerkfl.gov/courtrecords and run a search. For records not in the online system, you have three options: visit the Clerk's office in person at 571 US Highway 90 E in DeFuniak Springs, call (850) 892-8115, or mail a written request to the same address.

No official form is required under Florida law. Describe the records you want clearly and give as much detail as you can: party names, date ranges, case numbers if known, and the type of document. Good detail speeds up the response. Staff research time is free for the first 30 minutes. Beyond that, a reasonable hourly rate may apply. Standard copy fees are in addition to any research time charges.

For records held by other county offices, including the Walton County Sheriff's Office and the Board of County Commissioners, contact those offices directly under Chapter 119. Each agency is its own records custodian. For state-level criminal records, the FDLE public records page explains what is available at the state level. If you run into problems getting records in Walton County, the First Amendment Foundation provides free assistance.

Cities in Walton County

Walton County has no incorporated cities that meet the population threshold for a dedicated records page. DeFuniak Springs is the county seat, and the Clerk's office there handles records for the entire county.

Nearby Counties

Walton County borders five other Florida Panhandle counties, each with its own clerk and records system.