How to Look Up Your Florida Foreclosure Case Status Online

September 18, 20268 min readBy Barrett Henry, REALTOR®Last updated: September 18, 2026

Barrett Henry is a Broker Associate at REMAX Collective with 23+ years of Florida real estate experience. He helps homeowners across all 67 Florida counties understand the foreclosure process and find their footing when facing a lawsuit.

Why Your Florida Foreclosure Case Is Public Record

Florida is a judicial foreclosure state, which means your lender cannot foreclose without filing a lawsuit in circuit court. That lawsuit is a public court record -- and every filing, motion, hearing, and order is logged in the public court docket. This is both a burden (the public can see your case) and an advantage: you can see exactly where your case stands at any time, from any computer, for free or very low cost.

Many Florida homeowners facing foreclosure do not know how to check their case status and miss critical deadlines as a result. This guide walks you through exactly how to find your case and what to look for in the docket.

Step 1: Find Your County Clerk's Online Portal

Foreclosure cases are filed in the circuit court of the county where the property is located. Florida has 67 counties and 20 judicial circuits. Most counties participate in the MyFloridaCounty.com statewide portal, which gives you one starting point. A few large counties have their own separate portals:

Miami-Dade County: Miami-Dade Clerk of Courts (mdcourts.gov)
Broward County: Broward Clerk of Courts (browardclerk.org)
Palm Beach County: Palm Beach County Clerk (mypalmbeachclerk.com)
Hillsborough County: Hillsborough County Clerk (hillsclerk.com)
Pinellas County: Pinellas County Clerk (mypinellasclerk.org)
All other counties: Try MyFloridaCounty.com first, then search for "[County Name] Clerk of Court" for the direct portal.

To understand what a Lis Pendens means and how it shows up in property records (separate from the court docket), see our Lis Pendens guide.

Step 2: Search for Your Case

On most Florida clerk portals, you can search for your foreclosure case by:

Party name: Enter your last name as it appears on the deed and mortgage. Filter by "Civil" case type to narrow results.
Case number: If you were served with a complaint, the case number is printed in the top right corner of every page (format: YYYY-CA-XXXXXXX or similar).
Property address: Some counties allow address-based searches, which is useful if you are uncertain how your name appears in the court records.

Foreclosure cases in Florida circuit court are typically classified as circuit civilcases. The case caption will name your lender or loan servicer as the plaintiff and you (and any other parties on the deed) as defendant. If you have recently gone through a servicer transfer, the plaintiff may be the new servicer or the loan's holder.

Step 3: Read the Docket -- Key Events to Identify

The docket is a chronological list of every document filed in the case. Here is what to look for at each stage of a Florida foreclosure timeline:

Early Stage (0-6 Months)

Complaint filed: The lawsuit has been initiated. Watch for the service date on you -- you have 20 days to answer after being served.
Lis Pendens recorded: Public notice filed in property records.
Summons issued: The court issued the formal notice to you. See our guide on responding to a Florida foreclosure summons.
Return of service: Proof that you were served. Your 20-day answer clock runs from this date.
Answer filed: If you (or your attorney) filed a response, it appears here.

Middle Stage (6-18 Months)

Motion for summary judgment: The lender is asking the court to rule in their favor without a full trial. Learn what summary judgment means and your options to contest it.
Summary judgment hearing date: A critical deadline. If you want to raise defenses or negotiate, act before this date.
Order on summary judgment: If granted, the judge enters the final judgment. If denied, the case continues to trial.
Mediation: Some cases go through court-ordered mediation. See our guide on Florida foreclosure mediation.

Late Stage (Final Judgment Through Sale)

Final Judgment of Foreclosure: The court has ruled for the lender. The judgment sets the total amount owed and schedules a sale.
Order Scheduling Foreclosure Sale: Sets the date, time, and location of the auction.
Certificate of Sale: Filed after the auction is completed. The highest bidder's information is recorded.
Certificate of Title: Issued 10 days after the sale (if no objection is filed). This transfers ownership out of your name.
Writ of Possession: If you remain in the property after the certificate of title is issued, the new owner can obtain a writ of possession. See writ of possession after Florida foreclosure.

Step 4: Act Based on What You Find

Once you know your stage, you can determine what options remain. The Florida foreclosure checklist is a useful companion to track where you stand and what to do next. Generally:

Before judgment: You have the most options -- loan modification, forbearance, short sale, deed in lieu, reinstatement, or foreclosure defense.
After judgment but before sale: You may be able to reinstate, pay off, or still negotiate a short sale or deed in lieu. A bankruptcy filing triggers the automatic stay and stops the sale.
After sale but before certificate of title: You may be able to file an objection to the sale or, in some circumstances, stop the foreclosure after the sale.
After certificate of title: Your options are very limited. Consult an attorney about whether any challenge to the title is possible.

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Barrett Henry

REALTOR® & Broker Associate | REMAX Collective

Barrett Henry has 23+ years of real estate experience helping Florida homeowners navigate foreclosure, short sales, and distressed property situations. He serves all 67 Florida counties with offices in Tampa, Largo, and Brandon.

(813) 761-0133

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I look up my Florida foreclosure case online?

Florida foreclosure cases are civil lawsuits filed in the circuit court of the county where the property is located. Each county's Clerk of Court maintains an online case search portal where you can find your case. Most Florida counties use the MyFloridaCounty.com portal, which provides a unified search interface. You can search by case number, party name, or address depending on the county system. A few large counties -- Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach -- maintain their own separate portals with more detailed information.

What is MyFloridaCounty.com and how do I use it?

MyFloridaCounty.com is a statewide portal that aggregates public court records from participating Florida counties. To find your foreclosure case: go to MyFloridaCounty.com, click "Court Records," select your county, then search by your name (as it appears on your mortgage) or by the property address. Enter your last name in the party name field and filter by civil cases. Foreclosure cases are civil division filings, often with case numbers beginning with the year (e.g., "2024-CA-" for circuit civil). Not all counties participate equally -- if you don't find your case, try the county clerk's own website directly.

How do I find my case number if I don't have it?

If you were served with a foreclosure complaint, the case number appears in the top right corner of every page of the complaint. If you haven't been served yet (or lost the papers), search the county clerk's portal using your name (exactly as it appears on the deed) or the property address. You can also call the clerk's civil division directly and ask them to look up any foreclosure cases under your name and property address. In Florida, the plaintiff is typically your mortgage lender or servicer, so you can also search by plaintiff name if you know your lender.

What does the court docket tell me about my foreclosure case?

The court docket is the official chronological record of every filing and court event in your case. Key entries to look for: the original complaint (the lawsuit that started the case); your answer deadline (20 days from service); any motions for summary judgment (the lender asking the court to rule without a trial); the summary judgment order and hearing date; the final judgment of foreclosure (if granted); the foreclosure sale date and location; the certificate of sale; and the certificate of title (which transfers ownership). Each entry shows the date, the document type, and often a link to the full document. Understanding which stage you are at tells you how much time you have and what options remain.

What does "Lis Pendens" mean in my foreclosure case records?

A Lis Pendens (Latin for "suit pending") is a recorded notice that a lawsuit affecting the property is pending. In a Florida foreclosure, the lender records a Lis Pendens in the county public records at the same time or shortly after filing the foreclosure complaint. It appears in both the court docket and in property records at the county property appraiser or clerk's office. The Lis Pendens serves as public notice to any potential buyers, refinancers, or lenders that a foreclosure action is pending. It does not mean the foreclosure is complete -- it is just the notice that proceedings have started.

How do I know if a foreclosure sale date has been set for my property?

After a final judgment of foreclosure is entered, the court sets a sale date. This appears on the docket as "Order Scheduling Foreclosure Sale" or similar. The sale is conducted by the county clerk (for judicial foreclosures) and is advertised in a local newspaper for at least two consecutive weeks before the sale. You can also check the county's online foreclosure sale listings -- many Florida counties post upcoming sales on the clerk's website. In addition, check your docket for the "Certificate of Sale" entry -- if it has been filed, the sale already occurred. A "Certificate of Title" filing means the property has been transferred to the new owner.

Can I access my foreclosure case documents for free online?

In most Florida counties, you can view the docket (the list of filings) for free online. Downloading or printing the actual documents (the complaint, motions, orders) may require a small per-page fee, typically $1 per page through the county clerk's portal. Some counties allow free online viewing of documents. If you need certified copies for legal purposes, those require an in-person or mail request to the clerk with a fee. For most homeowners, the free docket view is sufficient to understand the status and timeline of the case.

What should I do after I look up my foreclosure case status?

After checking your case status, identify your stage: (1) If served but no answer filed -- you may still be able to file a late answer or negotiate. (2) If a summary judgment hearing is scheduled -- contact a foreclosure defense attorney immediately; you may be able to contest the judgment. (3) If a sale date is set -- you have options including reinstatement, payoff, short sale, deed in lieu, or filing bankruptcy to trigger the automatic stay. (4) If the sale occurred but no certificate of title has been issued -- you may still be able to redeem or negotiate. At any stage, a free consultation with a foreclosure counselor or attorney can clarify your remaining options.

Florida Foreclosure Guides

Understanding your options is the first step. These guides break down every path available to Florida homeowners.

→How Foreclosure Works in Florida →Ways to Stop a Foreclosure →Loan Modification Options →Short Sale Guide →Foreclosure vs. Short Sale →Lis Pendens Explained →Get a Cash Offer →Sell Before Foreclosure

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