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Quick summary: The First Judicial Circuit covers Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton Counties, in Northwest Florida. 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 First Circuit
| County | Main courthouse | Clerk |
|---|---|---|
| Escambia | M.C. Blanchard Judicial Building 190 W. Government St., Pensacola, FL 32502 | Escambia Clerk of Court |
| Okaloosa | Okaloosa County Courthouse 101 East James Lee Blvd., Crestview, FL 32536 | Okaloosa Clerk of Court |
| Santa Rosa | Santa Rosa County Courthouse 4025 Avalon Blvd., Milton, FL 32583 | Santa Rosa Clerk of Court |
| Walton | Walton County Courthouse 571 Hwy. 90 East, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433 | Walton Clerk of Court |
The local economy, county by county
Escambia County
Escambia County sits at the western end of the Florida Panhandle. Pensacola is the county seat, and Century is the county’s other incorporated town. Much of the business activity is in Pensacola and nearby unincorporated areas such as Ferry Pass, Brent, Ensley, Warrington, Myrtle Grove, and Gonzalez.
The military, healthcare, and tourism drive the local economy. Hotels and restaurants on Pensacola Beach operate on land leased from the county, so their value is usually in revenue and equipment rather than owned land. Chemical, nylon, and paper plants north of Pensacola hold heavy equipment and inventory. Hospitals, retailers, and businesses in Central Commerce Park and Heritage Oaks Commerce Park more often own or lease commercial real estate and carry customer receivables.
Okaloosa County
Okaloosa County’s seat is Crestview. Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Niceville, Mary Esther, and Valparaiso are its other main business centers. Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field, and Duke Field make defense and aerospace work the county’s largest industry. Contractors in this field often hold government receivables and specialized equipment.
Tourism is centered in Destin and along Beal Parkway in Fort Walton Beach, where hotels and restaurants hold seasonal revenue, furnishings, and leased space. Retail and service businesses along U.S. 98 and near Uptown Station tend to hold commercial real estate and customer receivables.
Santa Rosa County
Santa Rosa County lies between Escambia and Okaloosa counties. Milton is the county seat, and Navarre, Pace, and Gulf Breeze are other major communities.
Healthcare, retail, and construction are large employers. Naval Air Station Whiting Field near Milton supports a group of defense contractors and service companies. Manufacturers in Santa Rosa Industrial Park East, the Northwest Florida Industrial Park at I-10, and Whiting Aviation Park hold equipment and plant assets. Healthcare and retail businesses in Milton and Pace more often hold receivables and commercial real estate.
The circuit’s official site is the First Judicial Circuit. Appeals go to the First District Court of Appeal.
What creditors should know here
- Civil cases across the circuit run under a circuit-wide case management order that stresses early judicial involvement and strict deadlines. Plan the case timeline from day one.
- Okaloosa and Walton each have a second court location on the coast (Fort Walton Beach and Santa Rosa Beach), so confirm which location handles your hearing.
- 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 First 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: Pensacola.
Frequently asked questions
Which counties are in Florida’s First Judicial Circuit?
Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton Counties.
Where do I file a collection lawsuit in the First 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 First Circuit go?
To the First 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 First Circuit, contact us or call (813) 229-0900. We’ll tell you whether the file is worth chasing before you spend on it.