Personal Injury in Fort Lauderdale
By Find Local Law Editorial Team · Last reviewed: May 26, 2026
Researched and drafted with AI assistance and verified against primary sources (statutes, Judicial Council forms, and official court websites). This is general information, not legal advice.
If you’ve been injured in Fort Lauderdale, your lawsuit is filed in the Broward County courts — the Circuit Court within Florida’s 17th Judicial Circuit for larger claims, or the County Court for smaller-dollar civil cases. Fort Lauderdale is the county seat, and which court hears the case turns on the amount in controversy.
The local court decides where your case is heard; the substantive law lives in our statewide guides. Start with the Florida personal injury hub, then read about car accidents, motorcycle accidents, or wrongful death.
Injury claims run on tight deadlines, and early steps matter. To get matched with a local Fort Lauderdale personal-injury attorney, connect with a lawyer.
Local court
Court: Personal injury lawsuits for Fort Lauderdale residents are filed in the Broward County courts — the Circuit Court (17th Judicial Circuit) for larger claims, and the County Court for smaller-dollar civil cases.
Fort Lauderdale is the seat of Broward County. Personal injury suits are heard in the Circuit Court within the 17th Judicial Circuit when the amount in controversy exceeds the statutory county-court threshold, while smaller-dollar civil claims go to the County Court. Verify the court's current location, hours, jurisdictional thresholds, and filing procedures on its official website before you file.
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Start your free intakeFrequently asked questions
- Which court hears my injury case in Fort Lauderdale?
- It depends on the amount claimed. Larger personal injury suits are filed in the Broward County Circuit Court, part of Florida's 17th Judicial Circuit, while smaller-dollar civil claims go to the County Court. Confirm the current jurisdictional threshold.
- How long do I have to file an injury lawsuit in Fort Lauderdale?
- Florida sets the deadline by statute, and recent tort reform shortened many negligence claim windows. The local court controls where you file; see our statewide guides for the current filing deadlines and how the law applies.