Florida 7th Circuit Debt Collection Attorney

Quick summary: The Seventh Judicial Circuit covers Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia Counties, in Northeast Florida’s Atlantic coast. 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 Seventh Circuit

County	Main courthouse	Clerk
Flagler	Kim C. Hammond Justice Center 1769 E. Moody Blvd, Bldg 1, Bunnell, FL 32110	Flagler Clerk of Court
Putnam	Putnam County Courthouse 410 St. Johns Ave., Palatka, FL 32177	Putnam Clerk of Court
St. Johns	Richard O. Watson Judicial Center 4010 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, FL 32084	St. Johns Clerk of Court
Volusia	Volusia County Courthouse, DeLand (also the Steven C. Henderson Judicial Center, Daytona Beach) 101 North Alabama Avenue, DeLand, FL 32724	Volusia Clerk of Court

The local economy, county by county

Flagler County

Flagler County is on Florida’s northeast coast. Bunnell is the county seat. Palm Coast is the largest city and main business center. Flagler Beach, Beverly Beach, and Marineland are smaller coastal towns.

Health care, retail, professional services, tourism, and construction drive the local economy. Farming is still active, including potatoes, cabbage, sod, and cattle. The county is working to attract aviation, technology, and life sciences companies. New industrial sites are going up at the Flagler Executive Airport Commerce Park near I-95. Local businesses tend to hold commercial real estate, equipment, farm assets, and receivables from service work.

Putnam County

Putnam County is centered on Palatka, the county seat. Crescent City, Interlachen, Pomona Park, and Welaka are the other towns. East Palatka and Melrose are unincorporated communities.

Manufacturing is the backbone of the economy. The county has a large pulp and paper mill, structural steel fabrication, building products, and shipbuilding and repair. Power generation and mining also employ many people, and agriculture remains part of the mix. The Putnam County Barge Port gives businesses access to the St. Johns River. Industrial users also locate at the Putnam County Business and Aviation Park. Local businesses often hold heavy machinery, vessels and vehicles, industrial real estate, and inventory.

St. Johns County

St. Augustine is the county seat of St. Johns County. St. Augustine Beach is the other city. Much of the county’s business activity is in unincorporated areas such as Ponte Vedra, Nocatee, Fruit Cove, and the farming area around Hastings.

Tourism, health care, professional services, and retail lead the economy. Manufacturing is also growing, including aircraft work, aluminum products, and wire and cable. Businesses cluster at the World Commerce Center off I-95 and at the Northeast Florida Regional Airport. Hotels, stores, and offices line corridors such as CR 210, U.S. 1, and A1A. Many local businesses own commercial real estate. Service and health care firms tend to hold receivables. Many companies are organized as LLCs or closely held corporations.

Volusia County

Volusia County sits on Florida’s Atlantic coast between Jacksonville and Orlando. DeLand is the county seat. Deltona is the largest city, and Daytona Beach is the best-known business and tourism center.

Key industries include advanced manufacturing, aviation and aerospace, distribution and logistics, life sciences, and professional and financial services. Tourism and motorsports are also big draws. Daytona Beach International Airport anchors aviation businesses, and the county also has industrial and airport business parks. Interstates 4 and 95 support warehouse and distribution sites. Local businesses tend to hold commercial real estate, manufacturing equipment, inventory, and receivables.

The circuit’s official site is the Seventh Judicial Circuit. Appeals go to the Fifth District Court of Appeal.

What creditors should know here

• The Volusia Clerk takes general civil filings in two places: the DeLand courthouse and the Henderson Judicial Center at 125 East Orange Avenue in Daytona Beach.
• Four counties stretch from St. Augustine to New Smyrna Beach, so venue depends on where the debtor lives or where the contract was made or breached.
• 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 Seventh 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: Daytona Beach.

Frequently asked questions

Which counties are in Florida’s Seventh Judicial Circuit?

Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia Counties.

Where do I file a collection lawsuit in the Seventh 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 Seventh Circuit go?

To the Fifth 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 Seventh Circuit, contact us or call (813) 229-0900. We’ll tell you whether the file is worth chasing before you spend on it.

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