Bay County Divorce Records

Divorce records within the Bay County family court system comprise all documentary materials pertaining to a divorce case filing in Bay County, which can be either for simplified or regular dissolution of marriage proceedings. Divorce cases in Bay County are filed and resolved in the local circuit court’s family law division.

Florida offers two paths for ending a marriage: Simplified Dissolution and Regular Dissolution.

• A Simplified Dissolution of Marriage is a straightforward legal process available to couples who satisfy Florida’s eligibility requirements (See Form 12.901(a)).
• The Regular Dissolution of Marriage is appropriate for spouses who do not meet the criteria for simplified divorce. Due to its greater complexity, a regular petition often requires the assistance of an attorney, although parties are permitted to file on their own (pro se).

During the 2024-2025 fiscal year, Bay County recorded a total of 1,024 dissolution filings, according to the Florida Judicial System’s Court Filings and Statistics Reports. This total comprised 204 simplified dissolutions and 820 regular dissolutions.

Under Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 2.420, Bay County divorce court records-encompassing divorce decrees, petitions, custody/support orders, and related case materials- are accessible to the general public. Access is available through the local Clerk of the Court and Comptroller’s Case Search portal, as well as in person at the county courthouse and via mail or email request to the clerk’s office. However, confidential or sensitive documents/information are only released to authorized parties defined by statute, such as the participants of the case and their legal representatives.

County	Court Name	Address	Phone Number	Office Hours
Bay County	Bay County Family Court	300 East 4th Street P.O. Box 2269 Panama City, FL 32401	(850) 763-9061	8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday