The Miami Beach city court docket is a public record of every case filed, heard, or scheduled in Miami Beach. Miami Beach has no separate court system, so all Miami Beach city court docket entries are stored and managed by the Miami-Dade County Clerk of Court.
Anyone can look up these records online for free using the clerk’s official portals. Searches work by case number, party name, or date range, and the results show filings, motions, hearing dates, orders, and final rulings tied to Miami Beach cases.
Why Miami Beach Has No Standalone Court
Florida cities do not run their own courts. The state of Florida runs a unified court system divided into 20 judicial circuits. Miami Beach sits inside the 11th Judicial Circuit, which covers all of Miami-Dade County. Every criminal, civil, traffic, and ordinance case tied to a Miami Beach address is filed in a Miami-Dade courthouse. The Miami-Dade Clerk of Court acts as the official record keeper for the entire circuit, so the Miami Beach city court docket lives on the county clerk’s system, not on a city-run database.
The Clerk office is led by Juan Fernandez-Barquin, Esq. His office holds docket records for more than 2.7 million residents across Miami-Dade. The Clerk is a public officer elected countywide. The office must follow Florida public records law and post most docket entries online. The Clerk staff processes new filings, scanned motions, and updated hearing schedules every business day.
Where Miami Beach Cases Are Heard
Cases tied to Miami Beach addresses are heard at different Miami-Dade courthouses based on case type. The Clerk website lists all active locations and current hours. Each location can pull up a Miami Beach city court docket on its public terminals. The Miami Beach District Court branch has been temporarily closed for repairs and maintenance. During this closure, cases that would normally be heard at the Miami Beach location are being transferred to other county courthouses. Check the Clerk’s website for the most recent update on the reopening date.
Official Court Locations Serving Miami Beach
Miami Beach residents may need to visit one of three main county courthouses. Each handles a different case type, and all three can pull up any Miami Beach city court docket in their system.
| Court | Address | Case Type |
|---|---|---|
| Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building (Criminal) | 1351 NW 12th Street, Miami, FL 33125 | Criminal, felony, misdemeanor, arraignment |
| Downtown Courthouse (Civil) | 20 NW 1st Avenue, Suite 6.240, Miami, FL 33128 | Civil, small claims, traffic, county civil |
| Lawson E. Thomas Courthouse (Family) | 175 NW First Avenue, Miami, FL 33128 | Family, domestic relations, juvenile |
| Miami Beach District Court (temporarily closed) | 1130 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139 | Ordinance violations, misdemeanor |
Most Miami Beach criminal and traffic cases move through the Gerstein Justice Building and the Downtown Courthouse. Family cases tied to Miami Beach residents go to the Lawson E. Thomas Courthouse. The Miami Beach District Court normally handles local ordinance violations, but it is closed for repairs as of mid-2026. Residents should call the Clerk before visiting any branch.
How to Search the Miami Beach City Court Docket Online
The fastest way to look up the Miami Beach city court docket is through the Miami-Dade Clerk website. The Clerk runs two main public search tools. Both are free. Neither needs an account for basic case lookups.
COIN (Criminal Justice Online Case Search)
The COIN system is the Clerk’s online search tool for criminal cases. The link is miamidadeclerk.gov/cjis. COIN covers all criminal court docket records in Miami-Dade County, including cases from Miami Beach. The tool searches criminal cases, not civil or traffic cases. Users can search by full name, date of birth, or case number. Each result shows the case number, charges, filing date, judge, hearing dates, and final disposition. No registration is needed for basic searches. Users can also view a printable docket sheet for any public case.
Official Records Search
Civil, family, traffic, and small claims cases appear in the Clerk’s Official Records search. The portal is linked from the Clerk homepage. The search works by party name, case number, or document type. Results include the full docket sheet, which lists every motion, order, and hearing in the case. Traffic tickets filed in Miami Beach show up under the same search. To find a specific ticket, use the ticket number, the driver’s license number, or the citation number printed at the top of the ticket. Most traffic cases will show the next hearing date, the assigned judge, and any fines or fees already paid.
Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
The Florida Courts E-Filing Portal is a statewide system at myflcourtaccess.com. More than 770,000 users have accounts. The portal is used by attorneys, parties, and the public to file new documents in existing Miami Beach cases. Each filing updates the Miami Beach city court docket in real time. The portal runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and serves all 67 Florida counties. Self-represented parties can also use the portal to file motions, pay fines, and check the status of pending documents.
What the Miami Beach City Court Docket Shows
A Miami Beach city court docket is a complete timeline of a case. Each entry lists the date, the document type, the filer, and a short description. The first entry is the original charge, complaint, or petition. The last entry is the final judgment, sentence, or dismissal. Between those, the docket shows every motion, response, court order, and hearing held in the case.
Common Docket Entries for Criminal Cases
Criminal cases in Miami Beach often include these docket entries: warrant issued, initial appearance, arraignment, bond hearing, pretrial conference, plea entered, motion to suppress, trial calendar call, verdict, and sentencing. Some cases also include appeals, probation violation hearings, and post-conviction motions. The judge assigned to the case appears on every entry. The court reporter and clerk initials are also listed for each hearing.
Common Docket Entries for Civil Cases
Civil cases in Miami Beach often include these docket entries: complaint filed, summons issued, service of process, answer filed, motion to dismiss, case management conference, order setting trial, pretrial conference, trial, and final judgment. Some cases also include mediation reports, settlement conferences, and post-judgment motions. Civil cases tied to Miami Beach include landlord-tenant disputes, contract claims, personal injury lawsuits, and small claims under $8,000.
Common Docket Entries for Traffic Cases
Traffic cases in Miami Beach often include these docket entries: citation issued, plea entered, school election (for eligible infractions), hearing scheduled, fine paid, and case closed. Drivers can pay a traffic ticket online through the Clerk’s portal. The Miami Beach city court docket updates within 24 hours of payment. Drivers who want to contest a ticket must request a hearing before the payment deadline. Failure to respond results in a default judgment and a suspended license.
Court Dates and Hearing Schedules in Miami Beach
The Miami Beach city court docket shows all scheduled hearings for a case. Each hearing lists the date, time, courtroom, and assigned judge. Most criminal hearings in Miami Beach take place in the morning. Civil hearings are often set in the afternoon. Family court hearings are scheduled in blocks of 30 or 60 minutes. Traffic hearings are short and run on a set calendar each week.
Daily Docket and Calendar Lookup
The Clerk posts a daily docket for each judge. The daily docket lists every case set for that day, the time, the hearing type, and the courtroom. Users can view the daily docket through the Clerk website by selecting a date and a division. The daily docket updates automatically as new cases are added or rescheduled. Attorneys, parties, and the public can all view the daily docket for free. Many judges also post their weekly calendar on the court website.
Future Court Dates and Pretrial Conferences
The Clerk portal allows users to search for future court dates. Users can run a search by date range to see all Miami Beach cases set for a given week or month. Pretrial conferences are scheduled between the arraignment and the trial. The Miami Beach city court docket shows the date of each pretrial conference and the deadline for filing pretrial motions. Most misdemeanor cases resolve at the pretrial stage. Felony cases often go through several pretrial hearings before trial.
Arraignment and Bond Hearings
Arraignments in Miami Beach are held within 24 hours of arrest for in-custody defendants. Out-of-custody defendants are notified by mail of their arraignment date. The Miami Beach city court docket shows the arraignment date, the charges, and the assigned judge. Bond hearings may be held before or at the arraignment. The docket lists the bond amount, the conditions, and whether the defendant posted bond.
Searching the Miami Beach City Court Docket by Case Number
Searching by case number is the fastest and most accurate method. Each case filed in Miami Beach gets a unique number. The format depends on the case type:
- Criminal cases: 2 letters, 2 digits, 5 letters, 4 digits (example: F-26-012345-A)
- Civil cases: 2 digits, letters, 4 digits (example: 26-CV-0123)
- Traffic cases: 8 to 10 digits, with a prefix (example: A0-123456)
- County civil: starts with COCE
- Family: starts with FC or FM
To search by case number, type the full number into the search field on the Clerk website. Do not leave spaces or dashes. The system will pull up the full Miami Beach city court docket for that case. Each search result includes a printable docket sheet in PDF format.
Public Access Rules and Confidential Records
Florida has one of the strongest public records laws in the country. Florida Statute Chapter 119 says that any person can request public records without giving a reason. The Clerk must provide access to public docket entries during normal business hours. The Clerk’s office charges a small fee for printed copies.
User Roles and Electronic Access (AOSC24-65)
The Florida Supreme Court issued Administrative Order AOSC24-65 in September 2024. The order sets 15 different user roles for electronic access to court records. Members of the public are placed in User Role 7. This role gives access to case numbers, party names, hearing dates, and docket entries. Role 7 does not require an account. Attorneys of record, judges, and court staff have higher roles that include access to sealed filings and document images. The order also created rules for remote online access to non-confidential hearings in Miami Beach and other counties.
Records That Stay Confidential
Some records are automatically confidential under Florida Rules of Judicial Administration 2.420. These include:
- Adoption records
- Juvenile delinquency and dependency records
- Mental health commitment records
- Substance abuse treatment records
- Records involving victims of certain crimes (sexual offenses, child abuse)
- Warrant information before an arrest
- Personal identifiers like Social Security numbers and bank account numbers
The Clerk removes personal identifiers from all public docket views. Anyone who wants to see a sealed record must file a motion and get a court order. The judge assigned to the case decides whether to grant access. Most sealed records in Miami Beach stay sealed for the life of the case.
Requesting Court Records by Mail, Email, or Phone
If a record is not available online, users can request it directly from the Clerk. Public records requests for the Miami Beach city court docket can be sent in three ways:
- Email: cocpubreq@miamidadeclerk.gov
- Phone: (305) 593-1352
- In person: any open Miami-Dade courthouse branch
Include the case number, the full name of the party, and the records you need. The Clerk responds within a few business days. Standard copies cost $1 per page. Certified copies cost more. Records older than 10 years may take longer to retrieve because they are stored off-site.
Ordinance Violations and Code Enforcement Cases
Miami Beach has a local code enforcement division. Code officers can issue citations for violations of city rules on noise, parking, building, business licenses, and short-term rentals. Each citation becomes a court case in the Miami Beach city court docket. The Miami Beach District Court normally hears these cases, but that branch is closed for repairs as of mid-2026. Code enforcement hearings are now held at the Downtown Courthouse. Fines for ordinance violations range from $50 to $5,000. Repeat offenders may face liens on their property or suspension of a local business license.
Misdemeanor and Criminal Case Lookups
Misdemeanor and felony cases tied to Miami Beach are all filed in the Miami-Dade criminal court system. The COIN portal is the main search tool. Users can search for:
- Theft and retail fraud
- Drug possession
- DUI and traffic misdemeanors
- Assault and battery
- Vandalism and trespass
- Probation violations
Felony cases move to circuit court after the preliminary hearing. The Miami Beach city court docket will show the case number change as the case moves up. The Clerk website links felony case records to the same public search tool.
Civil Case Lookups
Civil cases in Miami Beach include landlord-tenant disputes, small claims, personal injury claims, contract disputes, and debt collection. Small claims cases under $8,000 are heard in county civil court. Larger cases are filed as circuit civil cases. The Miami Beach city court docket for civil cases shows each filing, motion, and hearing. Settled or dismissed cases stay on the docket permanently unless sealed by court order.
Traffic Court Lookups and Payment
Traffic tickets issued in Miami Beach show up on the Miami Beach city court docket as soon as the officer files them. Drivers can pay tickets online through the Clerk portal. The system accepts credit card, debit card, and e-check. Drivers who want to contest a ticket must request a hearing. Failure to pay or appear results in a late fee, a license suspension, and possibly a bench warrant. Drivers with multiple unpaid tickets may also have their registration blocked.
Judges in Miami Beach Cases
The 11th Judicial Circuit has more than 100 judges who rotate through criminal, civil, family, and traffic divisions. The Miami Beach city court docket shows the assigned judge for each case. Some judges specialize in certain case types, such as drug court, veterans court, or mental health court. Each division posts its own weekly calendar. Users can look up a judge’s schedule by name on the Clerk website or the Florida Courts website.
Mobile Access to the Miami Beach City Court Docket
The Clerk website is mobile-friendly. Users can search the Miami Beach city court docket from any smartphone or tablet. The COIN system, the Official Records search, and the E-Filing Portal all work on mobile browsers. There is no app required. Users who want alerts on a specific case can sign up for e-mail or text notifications through the Clerk portal.
Common Errors When Searching the Docket
Many users get no results because of small input mistakes. These are the most common errors when searching the Miami Beach city court docket:
- Typing the case number with dashes or spaces
- Searching with only a first or last name
- Using a nickname instead of the legal name on file
- Looking in the wrong system (COIN does not have civil or traffic records)
- Searching before the case has been indexed (new cases can take 24-48 hours to appear)
If a search returns no result, try a different spelling, use a wider date range, or search by case number from the citation or summons.
Cost of Miami Beach City Court Docket Records
Basic online searches for the Miami Beach city court docket are free. Printable docket sheets are also free. The Clerk charges a fee only for:
- Certified copies of court orders (around $7 per document)
- Printed copies at a courthouse ($1 per page)
- Full document images on older cases (small per-page fee)
Public records requests by email are free, but the Clerk may charge for the time it takes to pull older records. The fee is set under Florida law and is published on the Clerk website.
What to Do If You Cannot Find a Case
Some Miami Beach cases do not appear online. These include cases filed before 1990, sealed cases, and very recent filings. To find an older or missing case, contact the Clerk office by phone or email. Court archivists can pull paper records from storage. The Clerk office keeps paper records for every case filed in Miami-Dade since the 1950s.
Contact the Miami-Dade Clerk of Court for Miami Beach Docket Help
The Clerk’s office answers public questions about the Miami Beach city court docket by phone and email. The main phone line for the Clerk’s office is (305) 275-1155. For public records requests, send an email to cocpubreq@miamidadeclerk.gov. The Clerk website at miamidadeclerk.gov lists hours for each location. The downtown courthouse is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Official Website
Website: https://www.miamidadeclerk.gov/
Phone: (305) 275-1155
Public Records Email: cocpubreq@miamidadeclerk.gov
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Main Address: 22 NW 1st Street, Miami, FL 33128
Frequently Asked Questions About the Miami Beach City Court Docket
The Miami Beach city court docket can be confusing for first-time users. The questions below cover the most common issues people face when searching for cases, checking hearing dates, or requesting records. Each answer gives a clear path to the right tool or office so you can get the records you need without losing time.
How do I find out my next court date in Miami Beach?
You can find your next court date by searching the Miami Beach city court docket online. Go to the Miami-Dade Clerk website and use the COIN portal for criminal cases or the Official Records search for civil and traffic cases. Enter your full legal name and date of birth, or enter your case number. The search result will list every hearing on the docket, including the next scheduled date, time, and courtroom. If you cannot find the case online, call the Clerk at (305) 275-1155 during business hours. Have your case number or citation number ready when you call. Some hearings are rescheduled on short notice, so always check the docket one day before your court date.
Can I look up a Miami Beach criminal case for free?
Yes. The COIN portal is a free public search tool run by the Miami-Dade Clerk. COIN shows criminal cases filed in Miami Beach and across Miami-Dade County. The tool works without an account. You can search by name, date of birth, or case number. Each result includes the charges, filing date, judge, bond amount, hearing dates, and final outcome. COIN does not show the actual documents in the case, only the docket sheet. To get copies of the documents, you can request them through the Clerk’s public records email or visit a courthouse in person.
Are Miami Beach court records public?
Most Miami Beach court records are public under Florida law. Florida Statute Chapter 119 gives anyone the right to view public court records without giving a reason. The public includes residents, journalists, employers, and landlords. The Clerk must post most docket entries online. Some records are sealed by court order, including adoption, juvenile, and mental health records. Personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers and bank account numbers are removed from all public docket views. Sealed records require a court order before they can be released.
How long does it take for a new Miami Beach case to show up online?
New cases filed in Miami Beach usually appear in the public search within 24 to 48 hours. The Clerk indexes each case after it is filed. High-volume days, court holidays, and technical issues can delay indexing. If your case is not showing up after two business days, call the Clerk’s office. Have your case number or citation number ready. Cases filed late on a Friday may not appear online until the following Monday or Tuesday.
Can I pay a Miami Beach traffic ticket online?
Yes. Miami Beach traffic tickets can be paid online through the Clerk’s portal. Enter your citation number or case number. The portal accepts credit card, debit card, and e-check. A small processing fee applies. Payment updates the Miami Beach city court docket within 24 hours. Drivers who want to fight the ticket must request a hearing before paying. Failure to pay or appear results in a late fee, a license suspension, and a possible bench warrant.
What is the difference between the Miami Beach city court docket and the federal docket?
The Miami Beach city court docket only includes state-level cases filed in Miami-Dade County. Federal cases, such as federal criminal charges or federal civil lawsuits, are filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Federal cases have their own docket system called PACER. Most cases tied to Miami Beach residents are state cases, not federal. Federal cases are rare and usually involve federal crimes, civil rights claims, or lawsuits against the United States government.
Can I remove my name from the Miami Beach city court docket?
In most cases, no. Court docket entries are public records under Florida law. The Clerk cannot remove a public record just because someone wants it hidden. The only way to seal a record is to file a motion and get a court order. A judge may seal a record if the person can show a clear privacy or safety concern. Expunged or sealed cases are removed from the public search. The Clerk does not charge for the initial motion, but most people hire an attorney to handle the paperwork. Sealing a record does not erase it from the court’s files.