Florida Legal Overview: Lakeland-Winter Haven The Lakeland-Winter Haven metropolitan area in central Florida is defined by the Census Bureau as covering Polk County. While Bartow is the county seat, the biggest city is Lakeland and the second biggest one is Winter Haven. The county is served by the 10th Judicial Circuit. The circuit and county courts handle cases with original jurisdiction. The circuit courts have general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal matters, while the county courts have limited jurisdiction. Listed below are the main cities in the Lakeland-Winter Haven metro area.
Top Florida cities for Legal Issues: Lakeland
1. The circuit and county courts for Polk County are located in Lakeland. It has separate divisions for civil and criminal cases. The criminal division is divided into a criminal circuit court and a criminal county court, with the latter having limited jurisdiction over traffic and county ordinance violations and misdemeanors. The civil division is likewise divided into circuit and county civil courts, with the latter limited to matters not exceeding $15,000. A small claims court takes care of civil actions not exceeding $5,000. 2. The Polk County School Board is being sued in the circuit court for unspecified damages by a student and his parents who claim that the boy, whose name has been withheld, was fondled by another boy at Carlton Palmore Elementary School. The lawsuit alleges the school board of failing to supervise students on campus. 3. State Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, has filed a special claims bill in the state legislature on behalf of Polk County resident Clinton Treadway. The 28-year old Treadway was wrongfully imprisoned for seven years, and stands to get $350,000 in the claim.
Florida 10th Judicial Circuit
Florida Second District Court of Appeal Polk County Clerk of Court U.S. District Court - Middle District of Florida U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
Trending Lakeland-Winter Haven Legal Topics: Appeals against verdicts handed down by circuit and county courts in Polk County may be filed with the Second District Court of Appeal located in Lakeland. The Florida Supreme Court is the court of last resort. Another appeal may be possible if the U.S. Supreme Court decides to take it up for review. Federal cases with original jurisdiction in Polk County have to be filed with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. All federal appeals in Florida are handled by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. |