Send a message.
We’re here to answer any question you may have.
careers
Would you like to join our growing team?
careers@hub.com
careers
Would you like to join our growing team?
careers@hub.com
Quick summary: The Second Judicial Circuit covers Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty and Wakulla Counties, in the Big Bend and Tallahassee. 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 Second Circuit
| County | Main courthouse | Clerk |
|---|---|---|
| Franklin | Franklin County Courthouse 33 Market Street, Apalachicola, FL 32320 | Franklin Clerk of Court |
| Gadsden | Gadsden County Courthouse 10 East Jefferson Street, Quincy, FL 32351 | Gadsden Clerk of Court |
| Jefferson | Jefferson County Courthouse 1 Courthouse Circle, Monticello, FL 32344 | Jefferson Clerk of Court |
| Leon | Leon County Courthouse 301 South Monroe Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301 | Leon Clerk of Court |
| Liberty | Liberty County Courthouse 10818 NW State Road 20, Bristol, FL 32321 | Liberty Clerk of Court |
| Wakulla | Wakulla County Courthouse 3056 Crawfordville Hwy., Crawfordville, FL 32327 | Wakulla Clerk of Court |
The local economy, county by county
Franklin County
Franklin County’s economy rests on seafood, tourism, timber, and coastal construction. Apalachicola Bay supports oyster, shrimp, blue crab, and finfish harvesting. The bay’s wild oyster harvest reopened in 2026 with tight limits after a five-year closure. Tourism centers on Apalachicola, Carrabelle, and St. George Island.
Local businesses tend to hold boats and fishing gear, restaurant and hotel property, retail inventory, and logging equipment. Much of their income is seasonal, so cash on hand rises and falls with the tourist season. Commercial real estate is concentrated along U.S. 98.
Gadsden County
Gadsden County’s economy includes agriculture, manufacturing, distribution, and tourism and retail. Interstate 10 crosses the county with four interchanges, which draws warehouse and distribution companies. Government, healthcare, and education are also major employers.
Industrial businesses cluster in the county’s business parks, including Gretna Industrial Park, the City of Quincy Industrial Park, Southside Business Park, Gadsden 10/90 Commerce Park, and Hammock Creek Commerce Park. Businesses here tend to hold farmland and farm equipment, industrial buildings, trucks, inventory, and receivables from freight and supply contracts.
Jefferson County
Jefferson County is rural, with Monticello as its county seat and main business district. Farming, timber, and tourism drive the local economy. Visitors come for historic sites, canopy roads, outdoor recreation, and local events. U.S. 19 and Interstate 10 both cross the county.
Businesses here tend to hold farm and timber land, farm and logging equipment, and receivables from sales to other businesses. Retail and service businesses are concentrated in downtown Monticello.
Leon County
Leon County is home to Florida’s state capital. Tallahassee is the county seat, its only incorporated city, and its main business center. Smaller unincorporated communities include Bradfordville, Woodville, Fort Braden, and Chaires.
State government, Florida State University, Florida A&M University, and healthcare are the largest parts of the economy. Innovation Park, near the universities, holds research labs and technology firms, including the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. Many local businesses serve government agencies and hold contract receivables, office equipment, and commercial real estate.
The circuit’s official site is the Second Judicial Circuit. Appeals go to the First District Court of Appeal.
What creditors should know here
- The circuit sets resolution targets for civil cases, and the plaintiff must serve the case management order at the start of the case. Deadlines are strictly enforced, so a collection suit here needs to move on schedule.
- The Leon County Clerk also runs a Northeast Branch office in Tallahassee in addition to the courthouse office.
- 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 Second 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: Tallahassee.
Frequently asked questions
Which counties are in Florida’s Second Judicial Circuit?
Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty and Wakulla Counties.
Where do I file a collection lawsuit in the Second 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 Second 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 Second Circuit, contact us or call (813) 229-0900. We’ll tell you whether the file is worth chasing before you spend on it.