Can this page tell me what my notice to appear requires me to do?

No. It does not interpret dates, deadlines, pleas or what action to take. Read the paperwork itself, contact the county clerk for court information, and ask a licensed Florida attorney for advice.

What if I lost the paperwork?

The county clerk of court is the usual place to look up court case information. The verified clerk links below cover the 11 Florida cities this site serves.

Should I upload a photo of the citation to the intake form?

No. The intake form does not accept uploads. Keep the paperwork yourself and describe the matter in general terms; do not type license, Social Security or other ID numbers into the form.

Florida criminal defense resource

Florida notice to appear or criminal citation: what to keep for intake

If you or a family member received a Florida notice to appear or a criminal citation instead of being held, the paperwork carries details that are easy to lose track of. This page lists what to keep, what a defense intake request asks about, and where county clerk court records are found. It does not interpret the paperwork.

Not legal advice. AnswerSignalApp is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. This page summarizes, in general terms, what the official sources linked below say, and points you to them.

What to keep, exactly as printed

The county where it was issued, and the agency that issued it.
The date it was issued.
Any court date, time and courthouse location printed on it.
The citation number or case number, if one is shown.
The charge names exactly as printed — do not rewrite them in your own words.
The original paper, plus a clear photo kept somewhere safe.

What a criminal-defense intake request asks about

County and city.
The date of the incident and any court date.
Custody status — for example, released on a notice to appear.
A short, general description of the matter.
How and when you can be contacted.

Leave out admissions, detailed accounts of what happened, and identification numbers. The form is not a place to explain your side; a lawyer will ask what they need.

Finding the clerk and court record

Court records are kept by the clerk of court in the county where the case is filed. Verified clerk links for the counties this site serves:

Hillsborough County Clerk — Hillsborough County (Tampa)
Pinellas County Clerk — Pinellas County (St. Petersburg, Clearwater)
Miami-Dade Clerk Criminal Search — Miami-Dade County (Miami)
Miami-Dade Clerk Records Information — Miami-Dade County (Miami)
Orange County Clerk Court Records — Orange County (Orlando)
Orange County Clerk my eClerk — Orange County (Orlando)
Duval County Clerk — Official Records and Research — Duval County (Jacksonville)
Broward County Clerk — Records Request — Broward County (Fort Lauderdale)
Palm Beach Clerk eCaseView — Palm Beach County (West Palm Beach)
Palm Beach Clerk Official Records — Palm Beach County (West Palm Beach)
Lee County Clerk — Copies of Records — Lee County (Fort Myers)
Lee County Clerk — Official Records Copies — Lee County (Fort Myers)
Sarasota Clerk Court Records — Sarasota County (Sarasota)
Sarasota Clerk Courts — Sarasota County (Sarasota)
Polk Records Online — Polk County (Lakeland)

For other counties, The Florida Bar's directory of courts-related websites links to Florida court administration, clerks, and circuit and county courts. The Florida police report and court-record finder groups the same verified offices by city.

What this page does not do

It does not explain deadlines, what happens at a court date, whether to plead, or what to do next in the case. A licensed Florida criminal-defense attorney can advise on that.

Official sources for this page

Keep sensitive identifiers out of your request

Share only what is needed for an intake review. Please do not submit Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, medical record numbers, insurance member IDs, financial account numbers, passwords, or images of identity documents. If a participating lawyer needs additional detail, they can request it directly through their own secure process.

Already represented by a lawyer?

If you tell us you already have a lawyer for this matter, we do not route the matter to another participating lawyer, and we will not contact your current lawyer for you. Any questions about your current representation belong with your current lawyer.

Editorial note: Sources and limits: the Florida Courts site, The Florida Bar's directory of courts-related websites and the verified county clerk links in this site's city registry. It states no deadlines, procedures or consequences. It was compiled internally by AnswerSignalApp from the linked official sources and was not written or reviewed by an attorney. It is not legal advice. Official guidance can change after the review date. Last internally reviewed: October 19, 2026.

Informational guides only — not legal advice.

First appearance and bond paperwork to keepBooking or case number and release conditions, as printed.
Florida arrest action checklistWhat to keep, what to describe at intake, and what never to write down.
Florida DUI and arrest guideHow the process generally unfolds and which details to keep together.
All Florida legal resourcesEvery guide, grouped by injury, insurance, criminal, records and lawyer topics.

Want to submit a Florida criminal-defense request?

Requests are reviewed for possible connection to a participating Florida attorney. Not every request results in a connection, and nothing obligates you to hire anyone.

Start a criminal defense requestSubmit your request 24/7

AnswerSignalApp is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Submitting a request does not create an attorney-client relationship, and no lawyer is selected or retained by submitting the form. 24/7 refers to intake submission availability only. A participating lawyer's contact is not guaranteed, is not immediate, and no lawyer is standing by.

Florida notice to appear FAQ

Can this page tell me what my notice to appear requires me to do?: No. It does not interpret dates, deadlines, pleas or what action to take. Read the paperwork itself, contact the county clerk for court information, and ask a licensed Florida attorney for advice.
What if I lost the paperwork?: The county clerk of court is the usual place to look up court case information. The verified clerk links below cover the 11 Florida cities this site serves.
Should I upload a photo of the citation to the intake form?: No. The intake form does not accept uploads. Keep the paperwork yourself and describe the matter in general terms; do not type license, Social Security or other ID numbers into the form.

Request a defense connection

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