POLK COUNTY · PUBLIC-RECORDS TRANSPARENCY GRADE
A
22/24
Polk County gets an A.
Sunshine Law in the constitution. Tallahassee actually keeps the lights on.
Note: Statewide grade applies — no separate local grade yet computed for Polk County.
COMPUTED 2026-06-12 23:57 UTC · SCORE 22/24
Live data · checked just now
FL Sunshine
FL Courts
FDLE
FL DOC Inmate
STATUS LEGEND: LIVE = HTTP 200-399 · WARN = 4xx · DEAD = 5xx · PENDING = checker could not reach (may still be live in browser)
Sources checked
- → https://www.myfloridalegal.com/open-government [LIVE · HTTP 200 · 2026-06-12 23:43 UTC]
- → https://www.flcourts.gov/ [LIVE · HTTP 200 · 2026-06-12 23:43 UTC]
- → https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/ [LIVE · HTTP 200 · 2026-06-12 23:43 UTC]
- → https://pubapps.fdc.myflorida.com/OffenderSearch/Search.aspx [LIVE · HTTP 200 · 2026-06-12 23:43 UTC]
Method: Live source health verified against official government portals at the timestamp shown. Grade computed from a six-criterion rubric (records access, fees, turnaround, e-filing, mugshot policy, body-cam release). How we grade →
Live · FBI Most Wanted · FL Field Offices (Statewide)
Currently Wanted by the FBI
Active FBI cases from the FL field office (statewide). Data: api.fbi.gov, refreshed every 6 hours.
Wanted
ELAINE ANGENE ESCOE
Wanted
RODOLFO MANTILLA
Wanted
ANA MARIA HENAO KNEZEVIC
Wanted
EMANUEL SALOMON
Source: FBI.gov · Wanted
Live · NCMEC Missing Children · FL
Children Missing From Florida (Statewide)
Active Florida cases from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (statewide feed). Refreshed every 6 hours.
Renasia Lubin (FL)
Rhianna Outlaw (FL)
Arlette Hernandez Gutierez (FL)
Juliet Hernandez (FL)
Sabrina Aisenberg (FL)
Adrian Vazquez (FL)
Source: NCMEC · National Center for Missing & Exploited Children · If you have information, call 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).
Live · Updated Daily
Recent Florida Court Cases
Most recent Florida court filings indexed across districts and counties.
| Docket | Parties | Indexed |
|---|---|---|
| BANKRUPTCY 26-16205- | Francois Xavier Lopez | 06/12/2026 |
| BANKRUPTCY 26-17715- | Luis Fernando Gallego and Yaneth Gallego | 06/12/2026 |
| BANKRUPTCY 26-17718- | Elizabeth Abreu | 06/12/2026 |
| BANKRUPTCY 26-17717- | Efrain Mustelier Barlet | 06/12/2026 |
| BANKRUPTCY 26-17719- | Samuel Arnaldo Pena Ricardo | 06/12/2026 |
| BANKRUPTCY 26-17720- | Jose Martinez | 06/12/2026 |
| BANKRUPTCY 26-17721- | Roinel Horta Fuentes and Irisvel Mendoza Viamontes | 06/12/2026 |
| BANKRUPTCY 26-16015- | Carlos Joaquin Alava | 06/12/2026 |
| BANKRUPTCY 26-16135- | Domingo Reyes | 06/12/2026 |
| BANKRUPTCY 26-17722- | Raisy Lopez Rodriguez | 06/12/2026 |
| BANKRUPTCY 26-17723- | Natesha Anita Robinson | 06/12/2026 |
| BANKRUPTCY 26-17724- | Ricardo Fabal | 06/12/2026 |
Cities in Polk County
Browse by City
Drill down to city-level court, sheriff, police, and clerk records.
Cited Answers · Verified Sources
Common Questions
Answers verified against official agency websites and state statutes.
How do I look up property records in Lakeland?▼
Property records for Lakeland, Florida are filed at the Polk County Clerk of the Circuit Court (Lakeland sits in Polk County). Search Official Records at https://officialrecords.polk-clerk.com — deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments, free to view, $1/page certified + $2 certification. Parcel data, ownership, sales history, building characteristics, homestead exemption, and assessed values: Polk County Property Appraiser at https://www.polkpa.org. Tax bills: Polk Tax Collector at https://www.polktaxes.com. Recording fees statewide: $10 first page, $8.50 each additional, plus documentary stamp tax of $0.70/$100 of consideration on deeds; intangible tax on mortgages $0.002/$1. All records are public under Ch. 28 F.S. with limited redactions for protected persons under §119.071(4)(d). Polk Clerk address: 255 N Broadway Ave, Bartow FL 33830; phone 863-534-4000. Lakeland city permits: https://www.lakelandgov.net/departments/community-economic-development/. The Lakeland branch courthouse is at 930 E Parker St.
How can I find out if someone has an outstanding warrant in Bay?▼
Outstanding warrants in Bay County, Florida are checked through the Bay County Sheriff's Office Warrants Division at https://bayso.org/warrants. The Warrants Division enters all felony warrants into BCSO's Records Management System, NCIC, and the FCIC/FDLE statewide system. The statewide FDLE Wanted Persons database is at http://pas.fdle.state.fl.us/pas/restricted/PAS/person/WantedPersons.jsf. For a personal warrant check, call BCSO Records Division at (850) 747-4700 or visit 3421 N Highway 77, Panama City FL 32405; staff will not confirm by phone but you can ask in person. Many people instead retain a Florida attorney to clear the warrant before walk-in to avoid arrest. Active misdemeanor and traffic warrants also appear on the Bay County Clerk of Court case search at https://www.baycoclerk.com. Federal warrants are not in the local system — check US Marshals at https://www.usmarshals.gov/wanted. Quashing a warrant in Florida requires a motion to the circuit or county court under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.730.
Where do I look up warrants in Marion?▼
Active warrants in Marion County, Florida are checked through the Marion County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) Warrants Division at https://www.marionso.com — phone 352-732-9111, located at 692 NW 30th Ave, Ocala FL 34475. The MCSO Warrants Unit enters all felony warrants into NCIC, FCIC, and the FDLE Wanted Persons database at http://pas.fdle.state.fl.us/pas/restricted/PAS/person/WantedPersons.jsf (publicly searchable). Active misdemeanor and traffic warrants also appear on the Marion County Clerk of Court case search at https://www.marioncountyclerk.org. Local police departments (Ocala PD at https://www.ocalafl.gov, Belleview PD, Dunnellon PD) feed warrants into MCSO's system. Calling about your own warrant: staff will not confirm by phone, but you may ask at the Records counter — many people retain a Florida criminal-defense attorney to clear the warrant before walk-in to avoid arrest. Federal warrants: US Marshals at https://www.usmarshals.gov/wanted. Quashing requires a motion under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.730 to the Marion County Clerk.
Where do I find a deed or property record in Florida?▼
Florida deeds and property records are filed at the county Clerk of Court / Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where the property sits — Florida has 67 counties, each with its own Official Records search. The statewide directory of Clerk record search portals is at https://www.flclerks.com. For example: Miami-Dade at https://onlineservices.miamidadeclerk.gov/officialrecords; Broward at https://officialrecords.broward.org; Hillsborough at https://pubrec3.hillsclerk.com/oncoreweb. Property valuation, ownership, and parcel data come from the county Property Appraiser (directory at https://floridarevenue.com/property/Pages/LocalOfficials.aspx); tax history from the county Tax Collector. All Florida Official Records (deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments) are open under Ch. 28, F.S. with very limited redactions for protected persons (LEOs, judges) under §119.071. Recording fees are statutory: $10 first page, $8.50 each additional, plus documentary stamp tax of $0.70/$100 of consideration ($0.60 in Miami-Dade). Certified copies are typically $1/page + $2 certification.
How do I look up a birth record in Hialeah?▼
A birth record for someone born in Hialeah, Florida is ordered from the Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics — birth certificates are issued statewide, not at the city level. Order at https://www.floridahealth.gov/certificates-records/birth-certificates: $9 base fee + $7 VitalChek processing online; or by mail with form DH726 to PO Box 210, Jacksonville FL 32231. Records exist statewide from 1917; pre-1917 records are spotty. The Miami-Dade County Health Department's Vital Statistics office at 1725 NW 167th St, Miami Gardens FL 33056 (305-623-3500) issues same-day in person for Miami-Dade births. Birth records are restricted under §382.025(1) F.S. for 100 years — only the registrant (if 18+), parent named on the certificate, legal guardian, or court-ordered parties may obtain certified copies. Required ID: government-issued photo ID; mail orders need notarized signature. Heirloom 'commemorative' certificates are also offered through VitalChek at https://www.vitalchek.com for $34.
How do I look up property records in Manatee?▼
Property records for Manatee County, Florida come from three offices. (1) The Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court Official Records at https://records.manateeclerk.com indexes deeds, mortgages, liens, and judgments — search by name or document type, free to view, $1/page certified + $2 certification. (2) The Manatee County Property Appraiser at https://www.manateepao.gov provides parcel data, ownership, sales history, building characteristics, homestead exemption, and assessed/just/market values — also free. (3) The Manatee County Tax Collector at https://www.taxcollector.com handles tax bills and tax-deed sales. Recording fees are statewide: $10 first page, $8.50 each additional, plus documentary stamp tax of $0.70/$100 of consideration on deeds; intangible tax on mortgages of $0.002/$1. All records are public under Ch. 28 F.S. with limited redactions for protected persons (judges, LEOs, prosecutors) under §119.071(4)(d). Office address: 1115 Manatee Ave W, Bradenton FL 34205; phone 941-741-4045.
📊 Public Data Sources for Polk County, FL
Aggregated from federal agencies (DOJ, FBI, EPA, IRS, CFPB, HHS-OIG, FDIC, NPPES) and local arrest feeds. All sources public-domain.
🔎 Crime Data & Public Safety Sources
Direct lookups · Polk County, FL · external links open in new tab
Official Crime Statistics & Registries
.GOVFBI Crime Data Explorer
Official UCR / NIBRS crime stats for FL
.GOVNSOPW (Sex Offender Registry)
DOJ — search all 50 state registries
.GOVBureau of Justice Statistics
DOJ's primary criminal-justice data agency
.GOVCDC WISQARS
Injury, violence & fatality stats by county
.GOVUS Marshals 15 Most Wanted
Federal fugitives
.GOVATF Most Wanted
Firearms, arson & explosives fugitives
Interactive Crime Maps
Federal Agency Lookups (FL)
.GOVEPA ECHO
Environmental violations & enforcement by facility
.GOVNPPES NPI Registry
Search healthcare providers in FL
.GOVFDIC BankFind
FDIC-insured banks in FL
.GOVCFPB Consumer Complaints
Financial-product complaints database
.GOVOFAC Sanctions Search
US Treasury sanctions list
.GOVSEC EDGAR
Public-company filings in FL
.GOVIRS Tax-Exempt Search
501(c)(3) nonprofit lookups
.GOVUS Census Bureau
Demographics & statistics for FL
📰 Recent Federal Law Enforcement News 8 items
Statewide (FL) — federal-news feed scoped to state
FBI-Jacksonville
FBI-Jacksonville
FBI-Miami
FBI-Miami
FBI-Miami
FBI-Jacksonville
FBI-Jacksonville
FBI-Tampa
🚔 Recent Public Arrest Records 10
| Name | Date | Agency |
|---|
🏥 Healthcare Providers (NPPES) 8
Statewide (FL) — no city filter applied
| Name | City |
|---|---|
| WILLIAM PILCHER | JACKSONVILLE |
| RICHARD THACKER | TALLAHASSEE |
| FRANCISCO SMITH | NAPLES |
| ERIC TOWNSEND | PONTE VEDRA |
| RICHARD SCHWARTZ | WEST PALM BEACH |
| GHAITH MITRI | JACKSONVILLE |
| MEDFUND LLC | SARASOTA |
| BADER PROSTHETICS & ORTHOTICS, INC | LUTZ |
🏭 EPA Regulated Facilities 8
| Facility | City |
|---|---|
| ORKIN EXTERMINATING CO | |
| CPV PIERCE, LTC. | MULBERRY |
| K-VILLE PH 2 & 3 | AUBURNDALE |
| PETERSON CLEANERS | BARTOW |
| MARBELLA | DAVENPORT |
| US 27 // 1976791 | WINTER HAVEN |
| PROSE LAKELAND | LAKELAND |
| IRONPEDDLERS | LAKELAND |
💰 CFPB Consumer Complaints 6
Statewide (FL) — CFPB data not available below state level
| Date | Company | Issue |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-21 | TRANSUNION INTERMEDIAT | Improper use of your report |
| 2026-05-21 | TRANSUNION INTERMEDIAT | Incorrect information on your report |
| 2026-05-21 | TRANSUNION INTERMEDIAT | Problem with a company's investigati |
| 2026-05-21 | ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP I | Attempts to collect debt not owed |
| 2026-05-21 | Checkr, Inc | Problem with a company's investigati |
| 2026-05-21 | Experian Information S | Incorrect information on your report |
⛔ HHS-OIG Excluded Individuals 8
Statewide (FL) — no city filter applied
| Name | Type |
|---|---|
| 143 MEDICAL EQUIPMENT CO | 1128b7 |
| 1ST REHABILITATION OF PORT ST | 1128b8 |
| A & A MEDICAL CENTER CORP | 1128b8 |
| A & J MEDICAL CORP | 1128b8 |
| A AND A ORTHOPEDICS, INC | 1128b8 |
| A GIFT FROM CHINA, INC | 1128b8 |
| A HEALTH & STRESS FREE | 1128b4 |
| A PERFECT SMILE, INC | 1128b8 |
🎗 IRS Tax-Exempt Nonprofits 8
Statewide (FL) — no city filter applied
🏦 FDIC-Insured Banks 3
| Bank | City |
|---|---|
| SouthState Bank, National Association | Winter Haven |
| Citizens Bank and Trust | Frostproof |
| Bank of Central Florida | Lakeland |
🏛️ Latest Government Feeds 12
Direct from FL state + federal sources · no aggregators
FBI Field Office
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Entice a 13-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual Activity
Jun 11, 2026
doj_news
Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to More Than 16 Years in Federal Prison
Jun 11, 2026
doj_news
Nurse Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Tampering with and Stealing Controlled Substances at Tampa Bay Area Hospital
Jun 11, 2026
FBI Field Office
From Classrooms to Chatrooms: FBI Jacksonville Tips for Staying Safe Online This Summer
Jun 11, 2026
doj_news
Nicaraguan National Extradited from Costa Rica to Face Passport Fraud and Counterfeit Currency Charges
Jun 10, 2026
doj_news
Gainesville Career Criminal Sentenced To 174 Months in Federal Prison for Firearms Offense
Jun 10, 2026
doj_news
Honduran Illegal Alien Sentenced to 121 Months in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation Crimes
Jun 10, 2026
doj_news
Illegal Alien Sentenced in Multi-State Racketeering Conspiracy Involving the Forced Labor of Mexican Workers
Jun 9, 2026
Federal Circuit
QUOTE – Furniture procurement, delivery & installation – Cincinnati, OH
Jun 11, 2026
Federal Agency
FTC Files Contempt Motion Against Amare Global and Three Individuals Over Unsubstantiated Health Claims
Jun 12, 2026
Sources: state appellate courts, state AGs, DOJ, SEC, FTC, FDA, DOL, Federal Reserve, OCC, and more. Direct from .gov — never aggregated.
🌴 FL Sunbiz Corporations 8
Recent News in Polk County
Public-safety and law-enforcement headlines relevant to this area.
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West Virginia Embezzlement Fugitive Handed One-Way Ticket Back Home After Florida Arrest
Williams was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Polk County Jail. Law enforcement officials confirmed that she will be held locally as a fugitive from justi…
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Last-second I-4 exit turns fatal for off-duty Polk County deputy
A 32-year-old off-duty detention deputy with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office died late on the night of June 9 after the SUV he was riding in made a sudden dash for an exit on Inte…
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Undercover crackdown on child sex crimes in Polk County, Florida, nets multiple arrests
Detectives from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in Florida have arrested eight suspects for online sex crimes against children as part of a multi-agency undercover investigation t…
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Florida teacher charged after backyard fire burns five acres
POLK COUNTY, Fla. — On February 15, 2026, a teacher at Bartow High School was arrested after intentionally setting a backyard fire that escalated and burned around five acres. Bria…
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Polk County sheriff joins Florida Rep. Donalds on trail as poll shows leader topping Dems
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd officially joined Congressman Byron Donalds on the campaign trail Friday, throwing his weight behind the Republican frontrunner as new polling shows …
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Central Florida Sex-Sting Blitz Bags 266 in 'Polk Around and Find Out' Crackdown
A multi‑day undercover sweep across Central Florida dubbed "Polk Around and Find Out" ended with 266 arrests, dozens of felony charges and a long list of people accused of either s…
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Popular Florida "Santa Claus" arrested in undercover child sex sting, sheriff says
Thomas Hicks, 68, of Lakeland, faces numerous charges including human trafficking and using a computer to seduce a child.
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Wanted Florida man tried to throw cops off with ‘I don’t live here sign’
A Florida man wanted by the cops tried to throw them off his trail by placing a big sign outside his house, reading: “Johnny Yates does NOT live here!!” It didn’t work. Yates, 41, …