UPDATE: Bay County Courthouse and Board Finance Office Closure Notice 21 Jan 6:49 AM (2 months ago)
Due to weather conditions the Bay County Courthouse and Board Finance offices will remain closed through Thursday January 23rd. Offices will reopen at normal business hours on Friday, January 24th.
If you had court scheduled during this closure you will be postponed to another date and you we will mail you a notice.
NOTICE TO JURORS: All jurors should report as instructed on 1/21/2025. Jurors 1 – 150 are to report as summoned for jury duty. 20 Jan 10:00 AM (2 months ago)
Domestic Violence Awareness Month 3 Oct 2024 7:00 AM (6 months ago)
October 1st we will be implementing the Hope Card program in our office. The program provides a digital or wallet-sized card to a person in Florida who is issued a final injunction for protection against domestic violence, stalking, repeat violence, sexual violence, dating violence, or abuse or exploitation of an elderly person or disabled adult.
- Why a Hope Card? These are smaller and easy to carry in your wallet or purse instead of the original signed final injunction for protection order paperwork.
- How do I obtain a Hope Card?
- This card is supplied free of charge.
- A Hope Card is valid for two years after the date of issuance or the final order of expiration of the injunction, whichever comes first. A Hope Card may be renewed after the two-year period if the injunction is still in effect.
Announcement: Please note the Bay County Courthouse and Board Finance Office will be closed October 3rd in observance of Rosh Hashanah. Both offices will reopen Friday October 4th. Thank you 2 Oct 2024 11:28 AM (6 months ago)
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Free Property Fraud Alert 26 Jul 2024 10:50 AM (8 months ago)
Property Fraud Alert is a free service that alerts subscribers when a mortgage, deed or other land document is recorded in their name in Bay County’s official records. Notifications are emailed within 24 hours of the document being recorded. Sign up and start protecting your most valuable investments.
Sign up for a free property fraud alerts. Click here for more details.
If You Receive an Alert
If a document is recorded that matches your monitoring criteria, you will receive an email and/or text alert within 24 hours. The alert will include a link to the document being recorded in the Clerk’s Official Records.
If the name and property are not yours or if you recognize the filed document, no further action must be taken.
If the property is yours, but you do not recognize the document filed, you may be a victim of property fraud.
If you believe you have been the victim of property fraud, correcting your title can be a complicated process. The Bay County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller has created this list of steps you should take immediately to correct your title and affirm your ownership.
Steps to Take for Victims of Property Fraud
- Report the Crime to the Appropriate Law Enforcement Agency
Deed forgery and property fraud is a criminal act under Florida Statute 817.535. Bay County’s local law enforcement agencies take this crime seriously and have detectives on staff to investigate these crimes with the hope of bringing the fraudsters to justice. The police report that is created will be helpful to you in correcting or restoring the title on your property.
Contact local law enforcement immediately if you suspect you have been victimized
– Bay County Sheriff’s Office: (850) 747-4700 - File a Complaint with the Circuit Court to Quiet Title Based on Fraudulent Conveyance (Fla. Stat. Sec. 65.091 and 817.535(8)(a))
Through this new legislation there are forms to help you remove the fraudulent document. A Complaint to Quiet Title based upon a Fraudulent Conveyance is a civil lawsuit that will request the Court to declare the offending document as fraudulent. All applicable filing fees will apply. A final judgment “quieting title” will direct the Clerk to remove the fraudulent document from the Official Record. On our website you will find instructions and a simplified form to assist you in filing a complaint to quiet title. For easy access please click here to view the form. - Record a Lis Pendens in the Official Records of Bay County
A lis pendens puts the public on notice that there is a lawsuit involving the property and helps prevent any subsequent sales or transfers of the property until the court resolves the dispute. The court case (step #2) must be filed prior to recording the lis pendens. - Contact the Property Appraiser and Tax Collector
– Property Appraiser’s Office 850-248-8401
– Tax Collector’s Office 850-248-8501
In a fraudulent recording, a recorded document may change the property owner in the Property Appraiser’s and Tax Collector’s systems. As a result, TRIM notices and property tax bills may be sent to a different address. Unpaid taxes can eventually result in the property being sold at Tax Deed Auction. - Sign Up for Property Fraud Alert
If you have not already done so, sign up for Property Fraud Alert, a free service offered by your Bay County Clerk. Property Fraud Alert notifies you within 24 hours of any documents filed that affect your property. While it cannot prevent a fraudulent document from being filed, it can allow you to respond quickly to address any problems.
Sign up for a free property fraud alerts. Click here for more details.
WARNING: Jury SCAM 1 Jun 2024 11:21 AM (10 months ago)
Please be aware of a scam targeting Bay County residents involving fraudulent phone calls. The callers falsely claim that you have missed jury duty and that there is a warrant or an order to show cause for your arrest. They may use the names of real law enforcement officers or judges to seem credible. However, please know that our office will NEVER contact you via phone about missing jury duty. Additionally, we only accept payments for fees and fines in person or over the phone directly through our office. We will never request payment in gift cards and will always provide a receipt for any transactions. Please call us to confirm before making payments or for any questions at 850.763.9061.
Ready to walk down the aisle? 30 May 2024 1:32 PM (10 months ago)
The Clerk’s Office is here to help! Follow this link for more information or visit our office Monday through Friday 8am until 4:30pm.
Join us for Operation Green Light 11 Apr 2024 7:44 AM (12 months ago)
During the 2025 Operation Green Light, Bay County customers with suspended driver licenses will have an opportunity to pay overdue court obligations, including traffic tickets, while saving up to 25 percent in additional fees to get their license back.
| When? Thursday 04/24/2024 – Friday 04/25/2025 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. | Where? Bay County Courthouse 300 East 4th Street, Room #110 Panama City, FL 32401 | How? In Person or Online |
WEATHER NOTICE: The Bay County Courthouse & Board Finance Office will close at 3:00pm on Wednesday September 25th and will remain closed on Thursday September 26th due to inclement weather. 24 Sep 2023 4:43 AM (last year)
IMPORTANT NOTICE: All court proceedings have been cancelled from Noon Today (9/25/24) – Friday at 5 p.m. You will receive notice of your new court date.
In the event that an updated weather notice is made, the update will be posted here.
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NOTICE: ISSUE WITH IMAGES NOT DISPLAYING WHILE USING CASE SEARCH: 14 Dec 2022 11:21 AM (2 years ago)
Maintenance Notice: We are aware that Case Search web application is having an issue displaying images. The problem is being investigated and will be restored momentarily. Thank you for your patience during this downtime.