St. Augustine, Florida Legal Overview The City of St. Augustine is the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida. The St. Johns County Circuit Court is the main trial court with general jurisdiction. This circuit court is a part of the 7th Judicial Circuit of Florida. The county is additionally served by the limited jurisdiction St. Johns County Court. Both courts are located in the county courthouse in St. Augustine. Felony prosecutions come under the jurisdiction of the circuit criminal division, while criminal and non-criminal misdemeanors are handled by the county criminal division.
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1. Civil cases are handled by the county civil and circuit civil divisions. The exact choice of division depends on the amount in question and the nature of the case. Civil matters exceeding $15,000 are handled exclusively by the circuit civil division. This division also receives divorce petitions, child support and custody hearings, among other family law matters. Lawsuits not amounting to $15,000, and small claims below $5,000, are both handled by the county civil division. Similarly, landlord-tenant disputes, such as evictions and breach of contract, also have to be filed with the county civil court.
Trending St. Augustine, Florida Legal Topics: Appeals against verdicts handed down by the St. Johns County Court must be filed with the St. Johns County Circuit Court’s appellate division. In turn, appeals against verdicts obtained in the circuit court are heard by the Second District Court of Appeal, which has its offices in Lakeland. The court of last resort is the Florida Supreme Court. The Jacksonville Division of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida is the federal court that handles cases from St. Augustine and other parts of St. Johns County. |