Florida Legal Overview: Punta Gorda The Punta Gorda metropolitan area in southwest Florida is defined by the Census Bureau as covering Charlotte County. The county is served by the 20th Judicial Circuit of Florida and the Second District Court of Appeal. The circuit court is the main trial court with general jurisdiction. County courts have limited jurisdiction over misdemeanors, traffic violations and civil claims that range between $5,000 and $15,000. A small claims court handles cases involving sums less than $5,000. Listed below are the main cities in the Punta Gorda metro area.
Top Florida cities for Legal Issues: Punta Gorda
1. The circuit and county courts for Charlotte County are located at the Charlotte Justice Center in Punta Gorda. There are separate divisions for criminal and civil actions, along with family law, probate and juvenile courts. Both criminal and civil divisions have circuit and county courts. The circuit criminal court handles felony prosecutions and the circuit civil court has jurisdiction over cases that involve amounts exceeding $15,000. Appeals against verdicts handed down by all these courts may be filed with the Second District Court of Appeal in Lakeland.
Florida 20th Judicial Circuit
Florida Second District Court of Appeal Charlotte County Clerk of Court U.S. District Court - Middle District of Florida – Fort Myers Division U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
Trending Punta Gorda Legal Topics: The Florida Supreme Court is the court of last resort. The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida has original jurisdiction over federal cases in Charlotte County, which can be filed with the court’s Fort Myers Division. The bankruptcy court for Charlotte County residents and businesses is the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida, which also has a Fort Myers Division. All federal appeals in Florida are handled by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. |