Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Why do I have access to certain cases and documents, but not others?
A. The Florida Supreme Court has determined the appropriate level of access for each category of user. These access levels are in accordance with legal statutes that protect confidential information. The Clerk is required to comply with these access levels and uses certain security protocols to protect confidential information and documents.
Q. I am a party on a case. How do I get access to additional information that can’t be seen by the general public?
A. You may register online as a case party to obtain additional access to the case. You will be required to complete an affidavit that must be notarized and returned to the Clerk’s Office, either by mail or in person. Once we receive the affidavit and verify that you are a party to the case, you will receive a confirmation email to your registered email address, and you will be able to log in for increased access. This must be done for each case that you are a party to. Click here to begin the registration process.
Q. Can I view un-redacted documents online?
A. No, in order to protect confidential information, such as account information, social security numbers, etc., only redacted documents are available online. In order to receive un-redacted copies of documents, you must go to the courthouse and present a state-issued ID. Once your identity is verified and it is confirmed that you are a party to the case, you may receive an un-redacted copy of a document.
Q. Why are there some docket items listed without an associated document?
A. The Orange County Clerk of Courts began electronically scanning documents in 2009. Documents prior to this date may not be available in electronic form at this time.
Q. I don’t know my case number. How do I obtain the case number so I can register for access as a case party?
A. From the home page, click ‘Records Search’ and enter the search criteria to locate your case. The case number is located in the leftmost column of the search results or in the very top header of the case information page. The case number format should be YYYY-XX-999999-A-O, where YYYY is the case year and XX is the case type. Please note: For certain sensitive case types, such as adoptions, the system will not return a case number, even when relevant search criteria are entered. For these cases, the case number can only be obtained in-person, at any of the Clerk’s locations, upon successful verification of a state-issued identification.
Q. Why are certain documents not immediately available to view?
A. For certain sensitive cases, such as those involving sex crimes or abuse, the documents must be manually redacted in order to protect confidential information that cannot be detected by automated software. These are considered Viewable on Request or VOR documents and they will display a
Q. I need bulk reporting of court data. Is this available through my eClerk?
A. The my eClerk system is intended for accessing documents and information on individual cases, not bulk data.
Q. I am an attorney and need increased access to my cases. How do I obtain this?
A. You may register online as an attorney to gain additional access to all cases on which you are an attorney of record. You will be required to complete an affidavit that must be notarized and returned to the Orange County Clerk of Courts, either by mail or in-person at any of the Clerk’s locations. Upon successful validation of your request, you will receive an email confirming your account activation. Please note: Attorney access to cases is dependent on current standing with the Florida Bar Association, which the Orange County Clerk of Courts verifies daily. If you are not validated as being in good standing, you will be prevented from logging in to my eClerk.
Q. I forgot my password. How can I reset it?
A. On the login screen, click ‘Forgot password? Click here to reset’ and enter your registered email address. You will receive an email with a link to reset your password. If you are a case party or attorney and need further assistance, please call 407-836-2000. If you are an agency employee and need further assistance, please contact your agency administrator.
Q. There is a document on my case that I feel should not be available for viewing by the general public. How do I remove this document from public viewing?
A. Certain documents are covered by confidentiality rules that restrict them from public viewing. These confidentiality rules also cover certain information within public documents, such as Social Security number, bank account numbers, etc. However, there are also documents that do not fall under confidentiality rules, but may still contain sensitive information, for instance, details about a party’s current financial situation. If you feel a document or information within a document is publicly displayed in error, please call 407-836-2000. If you feel a document should be made confidential due to the information it contains, please file the appropriate document seeking that relief from the court, or obtain legal advice.
Q. Can I request certified copies of documents through my eClerk?
A. No, certified copies cannot be requested through the site and must be obtained from one of the Clerk’s five locations.
Q. I received notification of a case consolidation. Will this affect my access through my eClerk?
A. If your case was consolidated into a different case number, you will need to request access to the new case number in order to obtain case party access to the case. To add the additional case, please go to the My Account page, which is available after logging in, and follow the instructions for adding a case.
Q. I have issues printing Registration Form, can I download a copy?
A. Yes, click here to download the Registration Form
Q. I am attempting view a document, but it loads very slow or not at all, what do I need to do to view the document?
A. In some browser versions it may be necessary to refresh the document page, or you can attempt to reload the document.
Q. What should I do if I see confidential information online that has not been redacted?
A. The Clerk’s Office places the highest priority on the security of confidential information. If you find that confidential information has not been redacted, please contact us immediately by filling out the contact form on our website; please be sure to select the division of the affected case. We will work to correct the issue as quickly as possible and notify you when it has been completed.
Q. My agency needs access beyond that available to the general public. How do I get my agency set up for expanded access?
A. We encourage you to first try using my eClerk to search for records and documents as a general public user. If you find that you cannot view the documents that you need online and/or you were able to obtain them at the courthouse, please call our Call Center at (407) 836-2000 or email us. When emailing us, please select Technical Support. When you contact us, please identify the specific case that you are attempting to view online. We will confirm what you are eligible to view online and work with you on next steps.