Polk County, Florida Public Records

Polk County is located in the central part of the U.S. state of Florida. The county seat is Bartow, and the largest city is Lakeland.

The county government of Polk County is defined and authorized under the Florida Constitution and Florida law. It is composed of the Board of County Commissioners, several other elected offices and officers, and numerous county departments and entities.

The Board of County Commissioners is the county's governing body, and has five members who are elected from single-member districts. The Board enacts ordinances, adopts regulations, and exercises all powers expressly granted by state law.

The other elected offices are the Sheriff, Property Appraiser, Tax Collector, Supervisor of Elections, and Clerk of the Circuit Court. All of these offices are elected to four-year terms.

The county also has numerous departments and entities such as the Sheriff's Office, the Property Appraiser's Office, the Tax Collector's Office, the Supervisor of Elections Office, the Clerk of the Circuit Court, the County Attorney's Office, the County Administrator's Office, the Parks and Recreation Department, the Public Works Department, the Planning and Development Department, and the Emergency Management Department.

Polk County, Florida is located in the 10th Judicial Circuit and is served by the Circuit and County Courts. The Circuit Court has jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases, including family law, probate, juvenile, and small claims. The County Court has jurisdiction over all misdemeanors, traffic infractions, and small claims cases.