I had to go to court yesterday. I parked in the parking garage that I parked for years when I worked downtown. Easy peasey. I walked a block to the courthouse and scanned in by the Officers. I went to the Jury room and was told to sit down and wait for the check in process. Finally we were told to line up, check in with the lady and then proceed to a check in kiosk. There was an employee at each kiosk to assist. Perfect! I was glad she was there to help me. My name did not show up. So, we used my case number and did an easy check in. Then we all waited for the instructions. The young lady speaking over a microphone was so soft spoken and did not enunciate her words properly-no one hear her! But, then I heard my name-I went up to her desk and my Lawyer was already up there. He had taken care of everything and I was excused. I don't know if I have to rerun or not. I will be notified if I have another date set or not. I'm Pros:very organized and plenty of Police and Bailiffs to help. Things moved pretty fast. Cons: they need to have someone who can speak louder when calling the names of the people. They state they will only call your name once. If you don't hear her, you're screwed! So SPEAK IP! Listen well. Ignore all of the chatter around you. Recommend:this place is necessary for all legal purposes. Fact: this courthouse is very nice, but huge! It takes up two or more city blocks. read more

See all

Duval County was established in 1822 and is named for William Pope Duval who served as Governor of the Florida Territory from 1822 to 1834. It is the sixth-most populous county in Florida after Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsborough and Orange. Jacksonville has been the county seat ever since. The present courthouse was completed in 2012, replacing the now demolished 1958 courthouse. The building faces south and is a seven story concrete, steel and glass structure. The south front has a projecting two story center section with columns rising to a pediment. It is a massive structure that contains 51 courtrooms which includes the County Circuit Court of the 4th Judicial District and County Court. The massive size definitely projects the power of the judiciary in Northeast Florida. There is street parking around the area, both metered and paid lots. [Review 494 of 2025 - 2132 in Florida - 24056 overall] read more

See all

Passport office at the Clerk's Office offers excellent customer service. This location offers walk-ins and appointments for passport needs. Photo service is also available. It was fast, friendly and easy. read more

I visited the Duval County Courthouse for the first time this week. This was my first time being summoned for jury duty. The courthouse was beautiful. I loved the dark wood and beautiful lighting. And benches were readily available. I spent five hours inside starting in the jury waiting room, on the second floor, which had large TVs everywhere. When I saw my name I followed instructions up to the fourth floor court room 408. I spent about three hours in and out of the courtroom. I was asked to provide background information such as how long I lived in Jacksonville, what part of town, where I lived prior and how long, where I worked and my occupation, if I had children etc. They asked us many questions and I learned much about the process. They selected eight out of roughly 25 potential jurors. I was happy I was not chosen as I did not want to sit on a jury for an attempted murder trial. But it is my civic duty so if my name comes up again I will be back to the courthouse. I parked in the garage across the street from the courthouse which was validated at jury check in. At least you don't have to pay for parking;) read more

See all

There's some very helpful individuals at the information desk on the other side of the metal detectors. Cafeteria on the second floor.

I am a senior and needed help in changing my name on our property deed to my married name and had no idea how to do it. I was connected to DESTINY in the Deeds Dept. she was so gracious, patient, kind, polite and EXTREMELY knowledgeable. She walked me through exactly what I needed to do and emailed me my deed so that I could go ahead and get everything ready before coming down to the courthouse. What turned out to be a nightmare for me turned into a VERY pleasant experience. Destiny is an asset to your Organization. Give that girl a raise!! read more

How do you rate a courthouse? Knowing the history, I just can't give it a 5 but it sure is better than a 3, so a 4 it is. It is lovely and photogenic, inside and out. Vaulted ceilings, columns everywhere, shiny and "marble," it's modern with just enough southern grandeur to make you feel a little bit of awe when you are inside. Plenty of parking in the Clay Parking Garage across the street along with metered street parking and a couple of pop-up lots here and there. There are cafes across the street outside and one inside. The bathrooms in the courthouse are large and clean. The employees are pleasant enough for government workers. (I was one once, and know it's not as fun as it seems.) I've been to the courthouse for a few different reasons and each time has been a lot less complicated than I feared. They seem to be quite organized and the process almost logical. Honestly, there are worse things in Duval County than visiting the courthouse, so no fears when you come downtown... read more

Duval County Courthouse - View of the courthouse from the parking garage. - Courthouses Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

If you're going to claim that your phone lines open up at 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. for the traffic violations bureau, answer the phone when I call you at 8:30. If you guys don't open up until 9:00 a.m. with the phone lines, you need to specify that on your phone greeting. Please keep things up to date because some of us don't want to lose our licenses or any other things that we have to pay because somebody doesn't want to change the phone greeting. Which takes, oh, only a few seconds, because people at my job do it all the time on holidays. Come on, stop making it difficult for the people to get things done. read more

We got married 2/212/23 and we applied for marriage licenses at the courthouse, the staff was very help from the time we step front in the courthouse til it was time to leave. The security was friendly but thorough. The help desk gave great directions to where we needed to go. Once we arrived in marriage licenses office. The process was easy and the lady who assisted us to kind and very knowledgeable. The facility was very clean. 10/10 read more

If you had an opportunity to visit the old courthouse on Bay Street, you appreciate this new building so much more! I do wish they built up (like the federal courthouse) instead of out, but I heard a presentation from the architects/contractors before this courthouse opened and the sprawl saved a lot of money. The good: More security lines, it's brighter, better ventilation, more elevators, better security, enough courtrooms for the Judges, better parking options, awesome lounge for the hoity-toity lawyers. The bad: The floors were slippery as hell when it first opened, it can be a pain to find where things are because of how big it is, the door signs aren't the most helpful, and the handicap accessible ramp is totally hidden on the side of the main entrance. Since most things happening at the Courthouse are negative (except marriage licenses and adoptions), I hope most of you don't have to visit too often. read more

Duval County Courthouse - Duval County Courthouse - Courthouses Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

I came here at 8am from a long double and no sleep. Everyone was very helpful and informative, I was able to handle my business and leave. My phone was dead or I would have taken some pictures. I didn't know they had a small cafeteria on the second floor, all of the food looked and smelled really great. Everyone was smiling and offering their assistance I almost felt like a celebrity. I don't plan to frequent the Duval County Courthouse, but I'm coming back to try the cafe one day, promise. read more

This is a very nice building but perhaps a little overdone for Jacksonville Florida. Marble floors, marble walls, hardwood trim everywhere and a corner moldings. They spent a ton of money on this place and it shows. Many of the bailiffs are retired police officer's as well as many of the security guards. It's safe. The exterior is fairly well lit. Some of the neighborhood around here can be a little bit dodgy at night. Two blocks down there are a couple food trucks that seem to be popular. Parking is at a premium so get here early and expect to walk at least 10 minutes to get to the courthouse. It is literally four blocks from one end to the other so even while you get inside you are still going to be doing a lot of walking. read more

Duval County Courthouse - Sixth floor - Courthouses Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Wasn't me! (promise) Reviews might largely depend on exactly what business you have in what many consider an overpriced monstrosity. This, however, is quite a beautiful monstrosity. The ambiance most definitely reflects the dedication of service to the public through one of the best (if not the best) justice systems in the world. I came here for a mock trial competition for law students studying in various law schools such as FSU, Stetson, and UF. The people operating security measures at the entrance were pleasant and efficient. We utilized one of the smaller courtrooms on the fourth floor. Its decor was stately and modern. Each juror's seat had its own dedicated flat screen closed circuit TV. There are also two large 60 inch TVs for the viewing public as sometimes people can't see through other's heads while sitting! Overall, I was impressed! read more

Duval County Courthouse - Courthouses Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

See all

"It didn't suck." .... Imagine this song from a recent commercial playing in the background while reading this review. I recently had to attend a jury duty selection. I expected the worst but tried to hide my contempt because I know it's my civic duty and it's very little to ask of a citizen. As I walked into the new courthouse, I was pleasantly surprised by the décor, openness, and friendly staff. After going through security, I saw the signs directing me to the second floor jury check in. Checking into the jury holding area was smooth sailing. The process meets today's technology savvy. The courthouse staff were kind, informative, and surprisingly VERY funny. Our main point person was a man named Leon "Action" Jackson. (His words, not mine.) He really helped the day move smoothly and created a fun feel to the process. Notes: 1) The security check point follows many of the same airport security guidelines. You may not bring in large amounts of liquid (.ie perfume) 2) The sandwich shop on the second floor is just o.k. I recommend going to a eatery located within walking distance of the courthouse for lunch. 3) Bring your laptop, phone and chargers. Most of you will have access to plugs and time to catch up on work, if need be. 4) Courthouse has public wifi 5) You may bring your own lunch from home. Jurors have access to a fridge and kitchen like area. read more

I have never been to the old courthouse, so this is the only one I really know. The parking is not terrible, but there are some options aside from the street parking such as a few parking lots that offer decent rates for the convenience of not having to worry about checking the meter. Walking in, you have to put all your items in a basket and have it scanned then they wand you if you beep while you walk through the metal detectors. The floors are slippery and smooth so certain types of shoes might make it hard to walk around because you might just slide right across the floor. The officers who work there are generally nice enough when they answer your questions, but very concise as to keep you moving from point A to point B. So don't get caught trying to make conversation... They're not there to be too friendly. I had to go for custody issues. When you walk up the stairs (or take the escalators - shame on you, lazy people!! :oP) the Family Law Services are directly in front of you. Expect a bit of a wait because this is where they offer you some quick advice to help you do most of the work yourself if you are without a lawyer. I waited about an hour before I was called to see the case manager who basically told me what forms to fill out and what my best possible options were for my needs in my case. She was very kind and listened to me wallow about my troubles, and offered me great information. She DID NOT give me legal advice, just told me what forms to fill out and how it would work. If you have to FILE the paperwork in a custody or family law situation you have to go up the stairs and to your right make another right and go towards the deli and then left and all the way down the hall to file paperwork. More waiting. I mean, it's a courthouse. Either you're getting sued, suing someone, fixing a problem, getting permits or getting married and hoping you don't have to come back for a dissolution in a few years. Considering my visits are not always for the fun stuff I'd say I try not to enjoy the beauty of this new building as much as I do because I don't want to keep coming back... For me, I received good service and answers to my questions. So hopefully the other parts of the building are just as helpful in all your courthouse needs. I, for one, will try to make my visits are quick and painless as possible. read more

Duval County Courthouse - Family court services, - Courthouses Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

See all

The building is nice and clean but I'm not sure about how they work the system sometimes. Like right now, I'm frustrated because I need to do a name change. Just changing my name back to my maiden and I paid $413 for it (which was ridiculously high) for my case manager to tell me I would have to wait till June to have a hearing!!! Even though I did tell him that per instructions, I may be able to get a hearing date immediately after filing since it's a "simple" case. But NOPE! I filed my case beginning of April and was told to wait till June to have a hearing. What a waste of time and money for something I thought was a "simple" case! read more

I like the courthouse mostly because I'm a sucker for all things official. Just kidding...sort of. I love this building. It's easily accessible from bus stops and two skyway stops (I took the skyway from San Marco). The security lines were fast and efficient. The court rooms are elegant and the judges/magistrates are poised and professional, as expected. They are also accessible, which made it great for someone like me, who is trying to get a handle on how the legal system works in the courtroom. Word of advice: the floors are slippery. I wore heels and *nearly* slipped about ten times. read more

Duval County Courthouse - Courthouses Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Well if you have to go to court, then the courthouse might as well be impressive. If you've been to the old one, then you'll appreciate the new one. If you paid attention to how we got this new one and all the politics and wasted money, then you can't help but be disappointed. Jacksonville's courthouse isn't what it could have been given the obscene amount of money the taxpayers spent on it. I disagree that Jacksonville doesn't need a beautiful courthouse. Why not? A city is only as good as it's public buildings. They are a reflection of the town and I for one, am sick to death of Jacksonville being regarded as a back water Red neck good old boy town with lots of land, tons of churches and not enough smarts to go around. So, while I'm saddened at the wasted money and our courthouse whittled down to being less than impressive, it is an improvement to the old one. . read more

Duval County Courthouse - Symmetry - Courthouses Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

See all

Pleasantly surprised at how helpful people are in here, especially in the Family Law area. Going through security to get into the courthouse is a drag, but I get that. People don't carry crazy cards so you gotta check everyone. Also surprised at how quickly, relatively speaking, things went. I was expecting a DMV experience but that wasn't the case today (a Tuesday morning). Be warned that parking is tough, unless you're willing to pay for it. read more

Duval County Courthouse - Actually, they don't want you to take pictures of anything in here, so keep this on the DL.... - Courthouses Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

The courthouse is really beautiful and majestic and inspires awe before the upcoming court! This is how it should be, because the fate of people is decided here! None other than God chooses kings and judges to govern and judge His people! He is the supreme power of judgment! Therefore, it is very important that people who have been awarded this great honor to judge and manage people should do their job with fear and trembling! read more

Trying to decide on a star rating for the courthouse was a little bit difficult. I mean, wow, it is a gorgeous building. And I knew it cost a ton of money, but just googled it again for a refresher, and dayum. Yep, that's a lot of freakin' money. :( Taking into the consideration the building had nothing to do with this fact, the monstrosity is pleasing to the eye, squeaky clean inside and the customer service we experienced here was quick, efficient and friendly. I will add, the first time in the building, we were searching for a parking spot (the paid meters can fill up quickly) so drove around to the back of the building. There was a cop standing at the loading dock with a huge rifle.... and dang, that frightened me a bit. But, after parking for our first trip there, we went through security quickly, with no issues and the info desk pointed us in the right direction... to get our marriage license. I couldn't believe how INCREDIBLY easy it was to obtain the marriage certificate. We walked in, there were only 2 other people in the office, and took a number and filled out the easiest form I've ever seen. (Basic info, only a driver's license needed.) Within seconds, our number was called, the gal entered in all of our info, we raised our right hand and promised to the court we weren't married already, or to anyone else, and that we weren't related BAHAHAHAHA) and boom, it was done. All we needed from there was a justice of the peace, notary or ordained person to fill out the rest, and after that, we were to receive the official license in about 10 days. We had always talked about having a little-itty-bitty courthouse wedding, but since Duval is no longer offering wedding ceremonies (COME ON DUVAL) we decided we were just going to do it there anyway. We had a notary meet us at the courthouse on the day of our wedding, did a nice little private ceremony in one of the sitting areas outside of the front of the courthouse) and ha! There ya go! Courthouse wedding was done! The staff inside was really nice about letting us come in and take pictures for us though, even thou a cop saw me in my wedding dress and let me know "I hope you know, we don't perform ceremonies in here anymore" but on we went, and took some killer pics on the fantastic stair case, got a few shots of the amazing street lamps, and a couple on the balcony too. :) Security, cops, and court goers all saw us and wished us congratulations! :) read more

Parking easy, employees wonderful. Seven hours in those hard plastic seats was torture

Such a gorgeous building, for such crummy costumer service. I cannot believe the attitude of the people who work in some departments. It's not just one either, after having one woman with her bright orange shirt and smug look send us across downtown to be sent right back to deal with another woman, who with an even more smug look sent us to another department to send us BACK to the first department. In the end we ended up in the original spot, the people at the counter were just trying to be lazy and pass their job off to someone else. It really irritated me, and showed that no one there really cares about your problem. The only people who were actually any bit friendly were the police officers in the entryway of the courtrooms. Very kind with pointing out directions and always had a smile. Definitely going to try avoiding going back in there. PS: Parking is a PAIN. read more

Easy to get too. Parking is easy especially if you hit the public parking deck one block over. Building is beautiful and new. Thank You Tax Payers! It can be a bit confusing on the inside because it's very large and not nearly enough signage showing you where to go. Staff has been fairly nice, mediation services pretty incredible! All in all, very painless every time I've been and generally makes a not so fun situation a little easier. read more

Ok, I'm not sure if I want to give any courthouse a five star however I will say this, parking was easy and the security line was very doable. I had to be at the courthouse by 8:15am for someone else's case. I was just a witness trying to do my part as a good neighbor and citizen of Duval County. Lol. I found on-street-metered parking which was a 2- hour limit. I was so amazed and appreciative that the price for the meter was so cheap. Coming from Washington, D.C. where it's impossible to find street parking, let alone, cheap parking, I was pretty excited about the parking situation. It was .50 per half hour so I ended up paying $2 for two hours. You can use coins or credit card. Walking into the courthouse and approaching the security checkpoint, I only had one person in front of me. Very easy process. I already knew the floor and courtroom so I did not have to ask the Information Desk. However, the check in process was a bit confusing. Going to the second floor there was a desk with maybe, 3-4 people. Wasn't sure if it was a checkin desk or a gathering spot, but whatever the case, the lady saw my confusion and immediately asked if I needed assistance and she pointed me in the right direction. She was very nice and helpful. As I am approaching the courtroom there's another desk but this time with three officers standing there. When I said excuse me to ask a question, two were very nice, however, the one sitting behind the desk looked at me, rolled his eyes and looked away as if I was disturbing him. I didn't care for his attitude and this is coming from a person who spent 28 years as a police officer. Just saying..... The court process is a pretty slow process but I expected it so I was patient. I was called in, gave my testimony and went back to the hallway to wait for my neighbor to finish. Very positive outcome to the whole situation, so everyone was happy, except for maybe the complainant. In closing I would like to say, thank you Duval County for not giving me a ticket for my expired meter and thank you to the Bailiff for being friendly, professional and patient with me when asking about the timeframe of the whole process. read more

This monstrosity of a courthouse seems to stand for government overreach. It's awesome and horrifying at the same time. The building's architecture is totally out of scale with humanity and it looks like it cost a lot to build, but it's not especially beautiful. Meanwhile, lots of beautiful and wonderful old buildings in the very same area sit empty. Money well spent? read more

It's nice and clean from what I see. The staff are nice. They always greet you with a good morning. I was summoned for jury duty and ended up being chosen as a juror. read more

Details written out are not necessary. Just watch the video and see how things are done here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEvMUsWmHdw If this doesn't get your goat, nothing will. read more

I went to take care of a ticket. I had just off work & was tired. You have to get a ticket when you enter for whatever reason you are there. It was crowded but it only took about an hour and 15 minutes all together. You can pay for tickets, court dates and make arrangements with cash or card. It's a 3.5% charge for card payments. The clerk was ok. She was talking to the other clerk instead of telling me what I need to do.I had to keep asking her questions. read more

The wait to pay a ticket is insane, and you can only put money in the meter for one hour- dumb!

payment area for misdemenaor especially traffic has a long wait , there are lot of windows but only two cashiers available. have to pay 4 dollars plus the wait of an hour just to submit certification is so frustrating, at least they have free wi-fi arrive at 10 a.m. finished at 11:30 . read more

I was summoned for Jury Duty today and nervous for my first non Uber drive to downtown since moving here. Parking was a breeze with great directional signs for jurors to park on the upper level (7). I took my ticket inside (for validation). Security was a breeze (don't worry the metal detector flagged everyone...a quick wand scan and I was on my way). I was very impressed with how organized and really beautiful this building is inside and out. Several benches out front to relax. I never made it above the 2nd floor where the jury waits to be called but overall a great experience. Everyone who I encountered was very courteous and helpful. There are several Jury areas (assembly room, lounge, quite room and other small rooms to relax while you wait). The cafeteria on the 2nd floor was nothing to write home about but when hungry it worked and had an outside area as well. Bathrooms in the Jury area were very nice and extra clean (others I went to in the main area were not as clean). Overall a 4 star experience!! read more

This is a nice building but. I cost way too much and when they were building it the contractors used illegal aliens. They even told the immigration and the city that they were. What did they do? No A Dang Thing. Well we couldn't do the almost double the budget job without their cheap labor. Ok that upsets me. Then I have been inside a few times now. It is beautiful and huge and whatever. Now all of the times that I have been down here I have left not happy. Going though the pain of evicting someone that doesn't want to life up to their side of the deal we had. Or like today dropping a ton of money just because I went a little over the posted speed. Hell what's 30 MPH between friends. Not good for my wallet that's what. read more

I don't mind this courthouse... Until you lived in Detroit, you don't know what a headache is.. There was no line to get into the building, when I got in I had a line to stand in but i was barely there an hour and my stuff was cleared easily. I dont understand why they dont communicate with each other though which i feel is just a way to make people spend more money. I paid the speeding ticket.. I took the class on-line for traffic school. all digital. so tell me why I still had to print it out to prove i took it.. they knew I took the class but wanted to see the paper.. so i had to pay 23$ or they were going to suspend my license.. dum but whatever. I have had worst experiences, They have WI-FI and let you have cell phones so that wins it all for me. read more

Here are some things to know about jury duty that are *not* included in the information mailed to you in advance: - The entrance to the juror parking garage is on Clay Street. Drive west on Adams Street, turn left onto Clay Street and then turn left into the designated juror parking garage. - You cannot bring any metal knives, forks or spoons through Security and into the courthouse. I had brought a fork from my personal silverware set in my lunch bag but Security said the fork was not allowed. A fellow juror also had a metal spoon. We took both outside and put them into a planter until the end of the day when we retrieved them on our way to the parking garage. (After putting them into the planter, we went back through Security.) - You can bring a lunch, but you cannot bring it with you into many of the rooms into which you are marched. You are required to leave your food, drink, water bottle and/or lunch bag in a community, juror break-room where who-knows-what happens to them. - ALL MEN are REQUIRED to tuck their shirt tails into their pants before entering the courtroom for jury selection. Doesn't matter your shirt style, size, weight, belt or no belt; men's shirt tails must be tucked in when entering the courtroom. -You will not be anonymous nor will your personal information remain private. Your full name will be scrolled across a screen in the first room and when you get to the actual questioning, much of your personal information will be broadcast for all to hear. - There is no complementary coffee. There is a coffee vending machine on the Second Floor where coffee can be purchased for $1.00 (cash or credit card). Fancier coffee and hot chocolate concoctions can be had out of the same machine for various prices. - Jurors are selected on Mondays for all of the cases that week. You may be there on Monday evening past normal "quittin' hours". Two juries were selected from our group which meant that we were questioned by two separate sets of attorneys. After both juries were selected, our group was finally dismissed around 7:30 pm. - If you are selected for a jury, your trial may start any day that week including the very next day. Late on Monday evening, I was selected for the second jury and that case started on Wednesday. The case lasted two days (Wednesday and Thursday). So these are all things it would have been nice to know beforehand. Hope this helps! read more

The new courthouse is HUGE! But surprisingly hard to get lost in, definitely a huge upgrade from the old one everyone should be accustomed to by now. Definitely needless to say has become one of Jacksonville's landmarks with its colossal design and fortitude, shimmering glass as you drive past it's seemingly endless construction. I for one am very glass we have this beautiful addition to out current structures. 5/5 read more

Nice building, but parking sucks especially for disabled. Why not tear down some of the vacant buildings and/or use the open grassy lots and put in more free parking. Also how stupid to have 2 offices to pay traffic citations(here and beaches). always huge lines to wait in. read more

All in all, my first visit to the new(ish) Courthouse was pleasant enough. The new facilities look nice, street parking was easy (thank you to the person who left money on my meter) and the wait to pay my speeding ticket wasn't nearly as hellish as I was prepared for!! read more

Vote Paula Bartlett November 8th to reopen the courthouse chapel for all weddings. The incumbent, Fussell closed it because he'd rather lose ten of thousands of dollars in revenue than allow same-sex marriages there. Of course his ban also harms our military service members, the non-religious, and any else looking for an affordable place to get married. read more

Out of place, overbuilt and cold. Yet, the staff is normally efficient and parking is easy, so it gets a middling rating.