Manatee, Florida Legal Overview Manatee County is served by the Manatee County Circuit Court, which is the main trial court with general jurisdiction over cases originating from anywhere in the county. This circuit court comes under the 12th Judicial Circuit of Florida, and is located in the county courthouse in Bradenton. The same courthouse also houses the limited jurisdiction Manatee County Court. Felony trials are held under the jurisdiction of the circuit criminal division, while misdemeanors are received by the county criminal division.
Top Manatee areas for Legal Issues: Bradenton lawyers
1. Civil lawsuits have to be filed with the circuit civil or county civil divisions. The circuit civil division handles all civil cases where the amount in question exceeds $15,000. This division also handles child support/custody hearings, divorce petitions, and other family law matters. The county civil division receives cases that do not exceed $15,000, along with small claims below $5,000. This division also handles landlord-tenant disputes, such as evictions. A separate traffic court handles citations and accepts payments for non-criminal traffic infractions.
Trending Manatee, Florida Legal Topics: An appeal against a verdict obtained in the Manatee County Court will be heard by the appellate division of the Manatee County Circuit Court. Appeals against verdicts handed down by the circuit court must be filed with the Second District Court of Appeal. This is an intermediate appellate court that is located in Lakeland. The Florida Supreme Court is the highest court in the state judicial system. The federal court for Manatee County is the Tampa Division of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. |