Lee County Public Records /Lee County Criminal Records

Lee County Criminal Records

What Is Lee County Criminal Records

Criminal records in Lee County, Florida, are official government documents that chronicle an individual's interactions with the criminal justice system, from initial law enforcement contact through final court disposition. These records are maintained by multiple agencies across the county and state, each responsible for a distinct segment of the criminal justice process.

Members of the public should understand the key distinctions among record types:

Arrest records vs. conviction records: An arrest record documents that law enforcement took an individual into custody based on probable cause. A conviction record reflects a formal finding of guilt by a court of law. An arrest does not constitute a conviction.
Felony vs. misdemeanor: Felonies are serious offenses punishable by more than one year of incarceration in a state facility. Misdemeanors are lesser offenses typically resulting in county jail sentences of up to one year.
Adult vs. juvenile records: Adult criminal records are generally accessible to the public. Juvenile records are routinely sealed or expunged under Florida law and are not available for public inspection except under specific statutory circumstances.
Active warrants vs. historical records: Active warrants represent current judicial orders for an individual's arrest. Historical records document past arrests, charges, and dispositions that have been resolved.

The principal agencies maintaining criminal records in Lee County include:

Lee County Sheriff's Office – maintains arrest records, booking information, and jail rosters
Lee County Clerk of Courts – maintains court case files, charging documents, pleas, trial records, sentencing orders, and dispositions
Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) – maintains the statewide criminal history repository
Fort Myers Police Department and other municipal agencies – maintain local arrest and incident records

Records maintained across these agencies collectively document charges filed, arraignments, pleas entered, trial proceedings, sentencing, and any subsequent probation or parole conditions. The Lee County Clerk of Courts serves as the official custodian of court case records within the Twentieth Judicial Circuit.

Lee County Sheriff's Office 14750 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Fort Myers, FL 33912 (239) 477-1000 Lee County Sheriff's Office

Lee County Clerk of Courts 1700 Monroe St, Fort Myers, FL 33901 (239) 533-5000 Lee County Clerk of Courts

Florida Department of Law Enforcement 2331 Phillips Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32308 (850) 410-7000 Florida Department of Law Enforcement

Are Criminal Records Public In Lee County

Criminal records in Lee County are presumptively public under Florida's Government-in-the-Sunshine Law and the Florida Public Records Act, codified at § 119.01, Florida Statutes, which establishes that all state, county, and municipal records shall be open for personal inspection by any person. This broad mandate applies to adult criminal history records maintained by law enforcement agencies and courts throughout Lee County.

Under current law, the following categories of records are available for public inspection:

Adult conviction records and court dispositions
Arrest records and booking information
Court proceedings, case filings, and sentencing orders
Jail rosters and inmate information
Sex offender registration information

Certain categories of records are restricted from public disclosure, including:

Records pertaining to active or ongoing criminal investigations, where disclosure would compromise law enforcement operations
Juvenile delinquency records, which are protected under § 985.04, Florida Statutes
Sealed and expunged records, which are removed from public access pursuant to court order
Confidential informant identities and related investigative materials
Victim information in certain sensitive case categories, including sexual battery and domestic violence

Members of the public seeking criminal records should be aware that the existence of an arrest record does not imply guilt, and that records reflecting charges that were dismissed, nolle prossed, or resulted in acquittal remain part of the public record unless the subject has obtained a court order for sealing or expungement.

How To Look Up Criminal Records In Lee County in 2026

Members of the public may obtain criminal records in Lee County through several official channels. The following steps outline the process for accessing records through the primary custodial agencies:

Through the Lee County Clerk of Courts:

Visit the Clerk's official online case search portal or appear in person at the main courthouse location
Provide the subject's full legal name and date of birth to initiate a search
Review case records, which include charging documents, docket entries, and disposition information
Submit a written public records request for certified copies of specific documents if needed
Pay applicable copy and certification fees at the time of request

Through the Lee County Sheriff's Office:

Contact the Records Division by telephone or visit in person during public counter hours
Submit a written public records request identifying the subject and the nature of records sought
Allow the agency's statutory response period for processing
Pay applicable fees for reproduced records

Through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement:

Access the FDLE Criminal History Information portal online
Submit a name-based or fingerprint-based background check request
Pay the applicable processing fee (currently $24 for a name-based search)
Receive results reflecting statewide criminal history compiled from all Florida jurisdictions

Lee County Sheriff's Office Records Division 14750 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Fort Myers, FL 33912 Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (239) 477-1000 Lee County Sheriff's Office

How To Find Criminal Records in Lee County Online?

Several official online portals provide access to Lee County criminal records without requiring an in-person visit. Each portal contains distinct categories of information and serves a different research purpose.

Lee County Clerk of Courts – Online Case Search The Clerk of Courts case search portal allows members of the public to search civil and criminal court records by party name, case number, or attorney. The portal contains case filings, docket entries, hearing schedules, and disposition information for cases filed in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit. No registration is required for basic name searches.

Lee County Sheriff's Office – Inmate Search The Sheriff's Office maintains a publicly accessible inmate search tool on its official website, allowing users to locate individuals currently held in the Lee County jail. The roster includes booking date, charges, and bond information. This resource reflects current custody status and is updated regularly.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement – Public Records Search The FDLE provides a statewide criminal history search through its online portal. Name-based searches are available to the general public for a fee, while fingerprint-based searches provide more definitive identification and are required for certain employment and licensing purposes.

Florida Sex Offender Registry The Florida Sex Offender and Predator Registry, maintained by FDLE, allows free public searches of registered sex offenders and sexual predators residing in Lee County and statewide.

Records available exclusively through in-person requests include sealed case documents accessible only to authorized parties, certified copies requiring official court seal, and certain law enforcement investigative reports not published online.

Can You Search Lee County Criminal Records for Free?

Florida law mandates that public records be made available for inspection at no charge. Under § 119.07, Florida Statutes, every person has the right to inspect public records, and agencies may only charge fees for the actual cost of duplication when copies are requested. Inspection of records in person does not require payment of any fee.

The following resources are currently available at no cost:

Lee County Clerk of Courts online case search – Free name-based searches of court records, including criminal case dockets and dispositions, available through the Clerk's official portal
Lee County Sheriff's Office inmate search – Free access to the current jail roster, including booking charges and bond amounts
FDLE Sex Offender Registry – Free public search of registered sex offenders and predators statewide
Court docket inspection – Members of the public may inspect court files in person at the Clerk of Courts office at no charge during regular business hours

Fees apply when requesting certified copies of court documents, reproduced records from law enforcement agencies, or statewide criminal history background checks processed through FDLE. The standard copy fee under Florida law is currently $0.15 per one-sided page and $0.20 per two-sided page for documents up to letter size.

What's Included in a Lee County Criminal Record?

A comprehensive criminal record in Lee County may contain information compiled from multiple agencies. The specific content varies depending on the source of the record and the nature of the subject's criminal history.

Identifying Information

Full legal name and known aliases
Date of birth and place of birth
Physical description, including height, weight, eye color, and hair color
Booking photograph (mugshot)
Last known address
State Identification Number (SID) assigned by FDLE
FBI Number assigned by the Federal Bureau of Investigation

Arrest Information

Date, time, and location of arrest
Arresting agency and officer identification
Booking number and facility
Charges filed at the time of arrest
Bail or bond amount set
Name of jail facility where individual was held

Court Case Information

Case number and court of jurisdiction
Filing date and assigned judge
Charges as filed, including applicable Florida Statutes and felony or misdemeanor classification
Plea entered by the defendant
Attorney of record for prosecution and defense

Disposition Information

Verdict or case outcome
Conviction date if applicable
Sentencing details, including type and length of sentence, fines, restitution ordered, and special conditions
Appeals filed and outcomes
Probation or parole terms and supervising agency

Additional Record Elements

Active or recalled warrants
Protective or restraining orders
Sex offender or sexual predator registration status
DUI or DWI adjudications
Traffic violations processed through criminal court
Pending charges not yet adjudicated

How Long Does Lee County Keep Criminal Records?

Criminal records in Lee County are retained in accordance with the Florida Department of State's General Records Schedule for Law Enforcement Agencies and the retention schedules applicable to court records maintained by the Clerk of Courts. Retention periods vary by record type and the nature of the underlying offense.

Current retention periods for principal record categories include:

Felony conviction records: Permanent retention; these records are never destroyed
Misdemeanor conviction records: Retained for a minimum of 75 years from the date of disposition
Arrest records without conviction: Retained for a minimum of 25 years unless the subject obtains a court order for expungement
Juvenile records: Retained until the subject reaches age 26, unless the offense was a serious or violent felony, in which case longer retention may apply
Court case files – felony: Permanent retention pursuant to the Florida Supreme Court's records retention schedule
Court case files – misdemeanor: Retained for a minimum of 10 years from the date of final disposition
Booking photographs: Retained for a minimum of 25 years for felony arrests and 10 years for misdemeanor arrests

The Florida Department of State publishes the official General Records Schedule GS2 for Law Enforcement Agencies, which governs retention requirements for all law enforcement records statewide. Court record retention is governed separately by administrative orders of the Florida Supreme Court. Records subject to a litigation hold or active appeal are retained beyond standard schedules until all proceedings are concluded.