I was here in LaBelle for a meetup with the awesome Ariel W…read more https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=lvthTfCQGD0qaEk6jCdRdQ and happened to stop by this amazing building. This is the original Hendry County Courthouse. It was built in 1926 and is at the intersection of Bridge Street and Hickpochee Avenue, which are the two main north-south and east-west roads through LaBelle. You can't miss it as one of the few working traffic lights is at these corners. The architecture is the Mediterranean Mission Revival style and it looks like some of the courthouses I saw during my trip through Texas last October. The inspiration is the late 18th and early 19th century Spanish missions. The structure got a complete restoration last year which included the brick façade, iron work, and even a full roof replacement. The building looks brand new and not nearly 100 years old. Unfortunately, closed and locked in a Saturday morning but during the week is open to walk around. Or just tour the grounds like I did. There is parking at the adjacent sheriff's building. [Review 16787 overall - 1512 in Florida - round number 300 of 2022!]

I am a fan of history and architecture, especially old Florida courthouses. Usually they are…read moreNeoclassical but the Hendry County Courthouse is a bit different. The Old Hendry County Courthouse was built in in 1927 on the corner of Bridge Street and Hickpochee Avenue. The courthouse was designed in the Mediterranean Revival-Mission Revival styles by architect Edward Columbus Hosford. The building is 3 stories with three subsidiary towers with pyramid roofs at the corner of the building. The most striking feature of the building is a large Renaissance 70 foot clock tower that contained a one thousand pound bell. A Seth Thomas electrically-regulated clock that cost $3,000 at the time was added to the tower. The clock would frequently lose time forcing the late Ray C. Hull, Sr. who was chosen for this thinness to climb the inside of the tower to wind the clock. On May 11, 1926 a shameful incident happened in LaBelle that was not uncommon during this period of history in Florida. A mob tortured and lynched an African-American man named Henry Patterson who asked for a glass of water while working on building Hwy 80. He was attacked and hung from a tree south of the newly built courthouse. No one was brought to justice for the murder. After the crime a series of lightning storms struck the tower and eventually the clock and bell were dismantled. The courthouse began operating on May 3, 1927. Ever since then it has served as the center of Hendry County's civic and political functions. On February 22, 1975 a new clock was installed in the tower but it is no longer working. On November 8, 1990, the Hendry County Courthouse was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The courthouse is currently undergoing restoration. It has been granted two Special Category Grants to rehabilitate, restore and preserve the Old Hendry County Courthouse. The first grant was for $350,000 to rehabilitate the foundation. Another $500,000 has been granted for facade preservation. Once that work is completed it is hoped that another $500,000 dollars will be granted for brick work and installing a new clock at a price of $42,000. An additional $10,000 would be required for bells and chimes in the form of digital carillon Sonata that can programmed to also play hymns and songs. If you go by the courthouse now it is covered in scaffolding. It will be interesting to see how the restoration turns out.

Lee County began taking shape long before its official creation in 1887, when it was formed out of…read moremassive Monroe County and named after the famous Confederate general after residents pushed for a government that wasn't anchored down south in Key West. The area had already seen centuries of Calusa presence, later Seminole settlement, and the rise of Cuban fishing ranchos along the coast during the Spanish period. Today the county stretches across a wide sweep of Southwest Florida, with Fort Myers as its historic seat and Cape Coral as its largest and fastest growing city. With family living in Cape Coral for several years now, it has made Cape Coral and Fort Myers among my most reviewed cities (over 200 each!). The county's history has become something I have encountered not just in books but in the rhythm of family visits and familiar streets. The Lee County Courthouse, completed in 1915, stands as one of the county's most recognizable civic buildings. Its architecture leans toward the restrained classical style that early twentieth century Florida favored, with a symmetrical facade and a sense of grounded permanence that young counties often wanted to project. Built just before the region's major growth spurts, the courthouse became a visual anchor as Fort Myers expanded around it. Even now, the building carries that early ambition in its proportions and materials, offering a quiet reminder of the county's transition from frontier settlement to established Gulf Coast community. The grounds are busy with war memorials and time capsules and the remarkable tree that has been retained and made permanent. Lee County hosts spring training for the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins. Cape Coral's steady rise has made it possible to watch a city grow in real time. And the courthouse, with its century of service, adds a layer of architectural continuity to a region that changes quickly. Taken together, the history, the civic architecture, and my own ties to the area make Lee County a lovely place to visit. [Round number review 1600 of 2025 - 2178 in Florida - 25148 overall]

I love architecture from the early 1900's, especially stately old courthouses. This is the Old Lee…read moreCounty Courthouse located at 2120 Main Street in Fort Myers, Florida. Lee County was named for Confederate Civil War General Robert E. Lee. The State of Florida created Lee County on May 13, 1887. At the the time the county had a population of 1,414 people. The first County Courthouse was built on this site for $3,640 in 1894. On October 26, 1914 citizens who were frustrated with the outdated courthouse tore it down and demanded a more modern facility. On April 13, 2015 the cornerstone was laid for the new courthouse which was designed by Francis J. Kennard in a Classical Revival style at a cost of a hundred thousand dollars. The new courthouse opened in 1916. In 1926 a thirty five thousand dollar addition was added to the back of the building. From 1916 to 1963, the Old Courthouse was a segregated facility. During that time African-Americans were restricted to the balcony while white citizens sat underneath. The courthouse was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1989. The courthouse celebrated it's 100th anniversary in December of 2015. A reception was held and tours of the courthouse were given. As part of the 100th anniversary, the Lee County Clerk of the Court's office collected items for a time capsule that was sealed in the clerk's vault in the building's basement. A previous 1915 Time Capsule was discovered during a a $5,000,000 renovation in 1989. The contents are on display on the 2nd floor of the courthouse. In front of the courthouse is a two story art piece by Marlin Miller called. American Bald Eagle. Miller is an artist who is well known for carving animals out of damaged oak trees. He did a series of sculptures after Hurricane Katrina. The sculpture in front of the courthouse is a soaring American bald eagle. It was carved by chainsaw from a 200 year old oak tree that was scheduled to be cut down due to termite infestation. Miller did not charge the county for carving the piece. He started carving on June 9, 2011 and completed it five days later on June 14th. The courthouse is currently closed due to the pandemic. When it is open you can print a self guided tour map from the internet and take a self guided tour 8 A.M. to 5 P.M., Monday through Friday.

Standing in front of this beautiful courthouse building, the sign points out "Okeechobee County was…read moreformed Aug. 7, 1917, from St. Lucie, Osceola and Palm Beach Counties. Long a haunt of the Seminoles, the area saw almost no white penetration until the 2nd Seminole War, 1835-42. Much fighting occurred in the county during the war including the Battle of Lake Okeechobee on Dec. 25, 1837. The county has become a major truck crop area. The vicious 1928 hurricane led to flood control on the Lake." It is marker number F-59. The courthouse building was completed in 1926 by architect George Gaynor Hyde in a style blending Southern Colonial Revival and Mediterranean Revival elements. The building faces south and is a three story concrete and glass structure. The main part of the building has a pink colored façade with rounded corners and rounded glass bay windows. On the weekend, the rolling doors were down so the large arch with a double set of stairs inside were not visible. Okeechobee County is named for Okeechobee Lake, the largest lake in Florida, and the name comes from the Hitchiti words "oki" meaning "water" and "chubi" meaning "big." [Review 444 of 2025 - 2087 in Florida - 24006 overall]

As an avid fan of 1920's courthouse design in Florida I had to check out the Okeechobee Courthouse…read moreon a recent trip through town. This historic courthouse was in 1926, the same year Okeechobee became the seat of government for Okeechobee County. In the Native American language of Hitchiti, oki means water and chobi means big which refers to Lake Okeechobee, the largest fresh water lake in Florida. The courthouse was designed by architect George Gaynor in a Mediterranean Revival style. This ornate style was very common in the 1920's when Florida was flush with money. The collapse of Florida's economy due to the land boom bust sparked a recession so the central dome of the courthouse was never added. During the 1928 Hurricane, the first recorded hurricane 5 in the Atlantic, the hallways of the courthouse served as a temporary morgue. Approximately 2,500 people died, making it one of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history. In 2009 -2010 the courthouse was renovated by Rowe Architects and Dooley Mack Constructors. A security door was added that can be shut when the building is closed. There is a historical marker out front that details the history of Okeechobee County.

Title: Terrible Experience -- Complete Lack of Organization and Misinformation…read more I visited Robert Weissman's Palm Beach County Government Center (301 North Olive Ave, 1st Floor, West Palm Beach, FL 33401) for a driver's license appointment, and the service was absolutely unacceptable. I scheduled my appointment carefully, made sure I had all my documents in order, and confirmed details about my visit. I was clearly misinformed by staff: I was told I could come back to change my Florida Title appointment to a license appointment. However, when I returned, I was denied service -- the supervisor said no, explaining that adding or changing services was not allowed, only adding a license on a title appointment. This left me frustrated, confused, and forced to reschedule an entirely new process. The wait times are awful -- even with an appointment, expect at least an hour. Staff appeared completely overwhelmed and unprepared. Some clerks were emotional and crying at their desks, and the person assisting me seemed barely capable of keeping things together. The supervisor, Junior, offered minimal help despite the clear misinformation I received. To add insult to injury, parking costs money unless you're willing to walk 15 minutes. Overall, this location demonstrates poor management, disorganization, and a lack of customer service. I would not recommend anyone use this office for driver's license or DMV services.

I reported to jury duty at 8 AM Monday morning. I drove an hour, parked for $20 day @ walked 7…read moreminutes to the courthouse with the line wrapped around the dome. The officer announced no guns, knives or ammo said I was in the right place. I stood for :20 outside & :10 in the a/c before getting to the metal detectors. Ninety minutes later I checked into the computer took a badge & was directed into another juror waiting room with about a hundred others to wait. At 9:30 I was called to the 10th floor Judge Sherry Collins' courtroom. From the 10th floor, I had a view of the Palm Beach County Museum, intercostal, bridges, marina, and the Breakers. I am on a jury & have an hour break for lunch. Unfortunately, I'm back on the huge line wrapping around the courthouse to go through the metal detectors.

A bit intimidating entering as the place is full of police. Free Parking was easy across the…read morestreet near the library. You go through a metal detector before entering the courtroom. The experience was good. Witnesses can get paid $6-8 for appearing.

Beautiful court house in Delray . Parking was easy, I parked at the library across from the court…read morehouse and a short walk into the court house. You have to pass security to get in. My daughter married the love of her life Friday the 29 and now she begins a new life. Getting hitched only took about a half hour so if you have all your papers in properly everything goes easy. The court house is beautiful and empty so if you need great pictures for your wedding this is the place.

Waited over an hour on hold just for nobody to answer, website is old and useless. Thankful I don't…read morelive in this county and have to deal with this terrible service.

They were very helpful and I was out of there in less than an hour. I went during the week around…read more1 pm and there were a handful of people there.

Visited the downtown Tampa courthouse to find needed records on the ground floor, Clerk of Circuit…read moreCourt Customer Service Center, 'Room 101.' It was a nice touch to have a person assist you after going through security. She walked me to the computer kiosk and assisted. There are 30 or so service windows divided by category. My number was called but they then asked me to go back to the kiosk for a different category. The woman at window four seemed 'bothered' to find solutions in helping me. A very rude coworker stood behind her meddling in my business while working on something shaking her head no and mumbling "no." They are there to serve the public and find solutions since they are trained and the public is not familiar with the processes and options. The woman said I needed to hire an attorney to get the records. No, not an option. I am not paying to get records I can get myself. They were not helpful and unwilling to do their job. I went back to the kiosk a third time and went back to a different rep in the first category, records. I was called immediately. The man at window 29 was SO HELPFUL. He asked questions and even asked a manager for guidance. He filled out papers for a record search and said the archives would work on it and I would be contacted. I received a call within a couple of hours. She had questions and was researching. Received two more calls from the nice lady as she was broadening her search. She called me a fourth time and found the records. I thanked her profusely on the phone. She replied, "it is my job to serve our customers." That is a public servant. This woman and the nice man are what is right with the staff on the ground floor, Room 101. Tax dollars well spent. Heading in today to pick up my papers, WITHOUT SPENDING MONEY ON AN ATTORNEY.

Final judgment. Judge ruled in my favor. He's ordered that Brickpavers showroom pay me $500 and…read morecourt costs of $130. Now comes the fun. I have to collect the money from the owner Andre. I was a fool for not checking the BBB first. This guy has some really bad history. Wish me luck.

I had to report for Jury Duty selection here. I needed to be there by 8am the day after MLK…read moreHoliday. First thing you need to know is that to gain entry, you'll be going through a security screening very similar to that of TSA's security procedures at airports. The Deputies manning these stations were professional and thorough. It didn't take long. Reminder, no drinks can be brought through the checkpoint. After a successful screening, I found the Jurors waiting room and found a seat in a large room that could probably accommodate 300 people. I'd say the room was probably 60% filled and over the next 2 hours, at different times, a bailiff or deputy would take a large group upstairs to where 1 of 3 Judges would be starting court proceedings by first selecting Jurors. Before this however, we received important information from workers in the waiting room such as parking, reimbursement, cell phone policy, and cafeteria location. Everyone was professional and helpful. (BTW, there's a special designated parking lot, free for Jurors. You only need to show your summons to the gate attendant in order to park there. It's about a block and a half away.) I was in the third group called. We went up to the 7th floor where a circuit court Judge was planning on trying a felony case. The Judge was very well spoken, had a genuine enthusiasm for his work, and explained in as simplest of terms as possible what the jurors selection would entail. Two attorneys for the state, as well as two attorneys for the defendant, were given chances to question all 41 of us in what is known as "voir dire", in order to finalize the selection of Jurors. Just before 5pm they selected 7 Jurors out of our group. I was not one of them. Just before releasing us, the Judge thanked us and stated that we had fulfilled our Jurors Summons obligations for 1 year. My overall experience was very positive. Every one was very helpful, positive, and professional. The building and rooms are very clean and modern. One should bring a jacket or sweater as the rooms are quite cool. Hours are: Monday-Friday: 7:30am - 5:00pm

Ok I'm here and it's not my ideal way to spend a day . It's super cold, so if you get a jury…read moresummons, definitely bring a jacket. Staff is helpful with checking you in, explaining reimbursement of parking, where bathrooms, vending machines and cafeteria is. Watched a video on the court process as well as a judge made a presentation. Now just waiting to see if my group gets called. Really well organized and the staff was super nice and helpful. If you lose your summons they can still check you in if you have ID with you . Of course only a judge can excuse people from jury duty but people still asked. Think I'm going to be here all day.... Well at least they have HGTV on.....

Got in and out fast enough but the security guards especially the ones you have to pass on the way…read moreto the bathroom are so depressing to pass by. It's a struggle for them to answer a yes or no question. They seemed half asleep. Not sure they are the right ones for the job. I can't imagine them jumping up and taking action if needed!

Are you looking for fast , friendly service ? Don't come to Miami Beach Courthouse- honestly it…read moretook the lady staring at her computer screen 10 minutes to finally call me. Meanwhile the other lady was on a roll taking care of guests walking in! Why? Why? Why are these people on our pay roll to sit there and "look busy"

This massive structure is Tampa's county courthouse. It's named for the first African-American…read morecounty judge in Hillsborough County. He was appointed to the bench in 1973 but sadly passed away three years later. It serves as the main courthouse for Florida's 13th Judicial Circuit and features a bronze bust of Edgecomb in its lobby, as well as a Lady Justice statue outside its front doors. Florida's Thirteenth District Court goes back to the earliest courthouse for Hillsborough County that was a log cabin that was destroyed during the Second Seminole War. There was a replacement built in 1847. That was replaced by a red brick courthouse in 1892 and then a 1952 courthouse. In 1999, the Commissioners gave final approval for the latest Courthouse Facilities Project, which provided for new construction and renovation of existing buildings in downtown Tampa. The new construction, in 2004, included a six-story Family/Civil Court Building, which provides over 268,000 gross square feet of space for the courts and related agencies. There is street parking and a parking deck nearby. Nothing is free. [Review 336 of 2025 - 1991 in Florida - 23898 overall]

Went to the Courthouse the other day. Everyone was great -…read moretwo clerks were walking across the street (me on cane) made sure I was safe. Everyone was helpful and polite. Really was able to conduct my business. Never had a problem and thanked everyone for their help. Just be patient and remember that their work is hard and stressful. Deal with everyone who is also struggling.