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Quick summary: The Sixth Judicial Circuit covers Pasco and Pinellas Counties, in Pinellas and Pasco. 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 Sixth Circuit
| County | Main courthouse | Clerk |
|---|---|---|
| Pasco | West Pasco Judicial Center (also the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center, Dade City) 7530 Little Rd., New Port Richey, FL 34654 | Pasco Clerk of Court |
| Pinellas | Clearwater Courthouse (also the St. Petersburg Judicial Building) 315 Court Street, Clearwater, FL 33756 | Pinellas Clerk of Court |
The local economy, county by county
Pasco County
Pasco County sits just north of Tampa. Dade City is the county seat, and Zephyrhills is the largest city. New Port Richey, Port Richey, San Antonio, and St. Leo are the other towns. Much of the growth is in unincorporated areas like Wesley Chapel, Land O’ Lakes, and Trinity.
Health care, retail, and professional services are major employers. The county is also recruiting advanced manufacturing, aerospace and defense, life sciences, and logistics. Industrial businesses cluster in parks such as the Zephyrhills Airport Industrial Park and the Eagle I and II Industrial Parks. Local businesses often hold commercial real estate, equipment, inventory, and receivables from health care and retail work.
Pinellas County
Pinellas County is the peninsula west of Tampa Bay. Clearwater is the county seat, and St. Petersburg is the largest city. Other cities include Largo, Pinellas Park, Dunedin, Tarpon Springs, Seminole, Safety Harbor, Oldsmar, and Gulfport. The Gateway area in the middle of the county is a major business district.
Pinellas has one of Florida’s largest manufacturing bases. Key industries include defense, aerospace, medical devices, electronics, financial services, and information technology. Tourism is strong along the beaches. Businesses also cluster along U.S. 19 and around St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. Manufacturers often own equipment and machinery. Financial and tech firms tend to hold receivables. Hotels and restaurants often have income that rises and falls with the tourist season.
The circuit’s official site is the Sixth Judicial Circuit. Appeals go to the Second District Court of Appeal.
What creditors should know here
- Both counties have courthouses at each end: Clearwater and St. Petersburg in Pinellas, New Port Richey and Dade City in Pasco. Where a case is heard depends on the division and location.
- The circuit is a short drive from our Tampa office, across the bay.
- 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 Sixth 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: St. Petersburg, Clearwater.
Frequently asked questions
Which counties are in Florida’s Sixth Judicial Circuit?
Pasco and Pinellas Counties.
Where do I file a collection lawsuit in the Sixth 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 Sixth Circuit go?
To the Second 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 Sixth Circuit, contact us or call (813) 229-0900. We’ll tell you whether the file is worth chasing before you spend on it.