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Quick summary: The Seventeenth Judicial Circuit covers Broward County. Here’s where its courthouses are, which clerk takes your filing, and what a creditor should know before suing or collecting a judgment here.
Courts and clerks in the Seventeenth Circuit
| County | Main courthouse | Clerk |
|---|---|---|
| Broward | Broward County Central Courthouse 201 S.E. 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 | Broward Clerk of Court |
The local economy, county by county
Broward County
Broward County is on Florida’s southeast coast. Fort Lauderdale is the county seat and largest business center. Other major cities include Hollywood, Pompano Beach, Coral Springs, Sunrise, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Miramar, Davie, Weston, and Deerfield Beach.
Port Everglades and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport support a large shipping, warehousing, and distribution trade. Greater Fort Lauderdale calls itself the “Yachting Capital of the World,” and boat building, repair, and service are major industries. Aviation, finance, life sciences, manufacturing, technology, healthcare, retail, and tourism round out the economy. Businesses here commonly hold office, warehouse, retail, and hotel property, along with marine and logistics equipment, inventory, and receivables.
The circuit’s official site is the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit. Appeals go to the Fourth District Court of Appeal.
What creditors should know here
- The Seventeenth Circuit has a Complex Litigation Unit with a business subdivision for cases that need heavy judicial management, such as many parties, large document volume, or significant post-judgment supervision.
- County civil is also handled at three regional courthouses: North (Deerfield Beach), South (Hollywood), and West (Plantation).
- Florida sends a money claim to court by size. Small claims cover up to $8,000. County court handles claims up to $50,000. Circuit court takes claims over $50,000. Filing is electronic through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal.
How Kass Shuler handles collection matters in the Seventeenth Circuit
We represent creditors and businesses in courts across Florida from our Tampa office, and have since 1978. In this circuit, that includes:
- Pre-suit demand and resolution
- Collection litigation
- Judgment enforcement and garnishment
- Domesticating out-of-state judgments
- Skip tracing and asset investigations
- Mortgage default and foreclosure
- Creditors’ rights in bankruptcy
City guide: Fort Lauderdale.
Frequently asked questions
Which counties are in Florida’s Seventeenth Judicial Circuit?
Broward County.
Where do I file a collection lawsuit in the Seventeenth Circuit?
With the Clerk of Court in the county where the case belongs, usually where the debtor lives, where the contract was made or broken, or where the property is. Small claims and cases up to $50,000 go to county court, and larger claims go to circuit court.
Where do appeals from the Seventeenth Circuit go?
To the Fourth District Court of Appeal.
Can I enforce a judgment from another Florida county or another state here?
Yes. A Florida judgment can be recorded as a lien in any county. An out-of-state judgment first has to be domesticated in Florida. See domestication of foreign judgments.
Bottom line: If your debtor or your dispute is in the Seventeenth Circuit, contact us or call (813) 229-0900. We’ll tell you whether the file is worth chasing before you spend on it.