Let’s start with the basics…
The link to the courthouse website is:
http://www.duvalclerk.com/ccWebsite/
There are then 2 different search engines.
1) Court Records: https://showcase.duvalclerk.com/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fDefault.aspx (click the public access link)
2) Official Records: http://www.duvalclerk.com/oncoreweb/Search.aspx
Now, why would anyone want to use these search engines? Good question… I’ll give an example – my wife makes a statement about her having a better driving record than I do. Instead of this turning into a debate, we simply go to the courthouse record search and do a quick inquiry to check the facts. (Unfortunately I lost this “non-debate”)
Other reasons… Maybe you’re interested in what an owner of a particular property owes on their mortgage. You would
go into the Official Records site, type in their name: last name, first name, and then search. Click the drop down box and select “mortgage.” You could use some deductive reasoning to estimate (based on when the mortgage was originated) what the rough balance is today. Or, you could use the Showcase site to search for an owner’s name to see what 
stage of foreclosure the property is in.
It’s amazing the things you can find in public records. The Duval County site is really quite user friendly, and a helpful resource for information gathering during the home search process.
Feel free to call or text (904) 434-5154 with questions about using the site.
Cheers!
