Florida 8th Circuit Debt Collection Attorney

Quick summary: The Eighth Judicial Circuit covers Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, Levy and Union Counties, in North Central Florida and Gainesville. 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 Eighth Circuit

County	Main courthouse	Clerk
Alachua	Alachua County Family and Civil Justice Center 201 East University Ave., Gainesville, FL 32601	Alachua Clerk of Court
Baker	Baker County Courthouse 339 East Macclenny Ave., Macclenny, FL 32063	Baker Clerk of Court
Bradford	Bradford County Courthouse 945 North Temple Ave., Starke, FL 32091	Bradford Clerk of Court
Gilchrist	Gilchrist County Courthouse 112 South Main Street, Trenton, FL 32693	Gilchrist Clerk of Court
Levy	Levy County Courthouse 355 South Court Street, Bronson, FL 32621	Levy Clerk of Court
Union	Union County Courthouse 55 West Main Street, Lake Butler, FL 32054	Union Clerk of Court

The local economy, county by county

Alachua County

Alachua County is in North Central Florida. Gainesville is the county seat and largest city. Other towns include Alachua, Archer, Hawthorne, High Springs, Newberry, and Waldo.

The University of Florida and large health systems drive much of the economy. The county also has a strong biotechnology cluster at Progress Corporate Park in the City of Alachua, which is home to UF’s Sid Martin Biotech incubator. Retail, hospitality, farming, and light manufacturing round out the base. Local businesses often hold office, lab, retail, and apartment property. Service firms tend to carry receivables. Biotech and manufacturing firms often own specialized equipment and intellectual property.

Baker County

Baker County is in Northeast Florida, west of Jacksonville. Macclenny is the county seat, and Glen St. Mary is the other town.

Key industries include government, health care, retail, construction, logging and timber, farming, and logistics. Manufacturers here are strong in wood products and fabricated metals. Industrial sites include Enterprise East Industrial Park in Macclenny and the large Midpoint Commerce Park near I-10. Commercial activity also runs along U.S. 90. Local businesses often own timberland and farmland, warehouse and industrial property, logging and farm equipment, and truck fleets.

Bradford County

Bradford County is in North Florida. Starke is the county seat and largest city. Lawtey, Hampton, and Brooker are the other towns.

Health care, state government, and retail are major employers. State prisons are also large employers in the area. Manufacturing includes mining-related operations and steel fabrication, and farming and timber are still active. Retail businesses cluster in downtown Starke, including the Call Street Historic District. Commercial property lines U.S. 301 and State Road 100. Local businesses tend to hold farm and timberland, storefront and industrial real estate, and receivables from retail and service work.

Gilchrist County

Gilchrist County is a rural county in North Central Florida. Trenton is the county seat. Bell and Fanning Springs are the other towns.

The economy was built on farming and timber, and both remain important. Tourism has grown around the county’s many natural springs, which support campgrounds, outfitters, and other recreation businesses. Most commercial debtors are small operations, such as farms, stores, auto shops, and building trades. Their assets are usually land, farm and work equipment, and vehicles. Because holdings tend to be modest, collection often focuses on real estate and equipment.

Levy County

Levy County is on Florida’s Gulf coast, southwest of Gainesville. Bronson is the county seat. Williston is the largest town, and Chiefland is the farm center for the north end of the county. Cedar Key, Inglis, and Yankeetown are coastal communities.

Farming, timber, and cattle are the core of the economy, and the county has commercial dairies. Crops include watermelon, peanuts, and vegetables. Commercial fishing and clam farming are key in the Cedar Key and Inglis-Yankeetown areas. Tourism draws visitors to Cedar Key and nearby parks. Local businesses tend to hold farm and timberland, equipment, boats, and seasonal inventory.

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

What creditors should know here

• In Alachua County, civil cases are heard at the Family and Civil Justice Center, not the criminal courthouse a few blocks away.
• Outside Gainesville the counties are small and rural, and each clerk’s office runs its own way.
• 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 Eighth 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: Gainesville.

Frequently asked questions

Which counties are in Florida’s Eighth Judicial Circuit?

Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, Levy and Union Counties.

Where do I file a collection lawsuit in the Eighth 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 Eighth 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 Eighth Circuit, contact us or call (813) 229-0900. We’ll tell you whether the file is worth chasing before you spend on it.

← All Florida circuit courts