Bay County Courthouse, County courthouse in Panama City, United States

Bay County Courthouse is a court building in Panama City, Florida, housing multiple judicial divisions that handle civil, criminal, family, and probate cases. The facility also provides access to the Clerk of Court's services for public records and related transactions.

Bay County's first and only courthouse was built in 1915 in the Classical Revival style. A 1920 fire gutted the yellow brick building, which was rebuilt in a simpler form without its entrance pediment, gabled roof and central clock tower, though the entrance columns and entablature were kept. In August 1961 Clarence Earl Gideon was tried and convicted here of felony theft; the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the refusal to provide him counsel in Gideon v. Wainwright, and he was retried here and acquitted in August 1963.

The courthouse is tied to Clarence Earl Gideon, tried here in August 1961 for felony theft without a lawyer; the Supreme Court's Gideon v. Wainwright ruling followed. He was retried in the same building in August 1963 and acquitted, a case taught in U.S. law schools.

The courthouse is open to the public and visitors can access services in person or through the Clerk of Court's website. Plan to allow time for security screening when entering the building.

In August 1961 Clarence Earl Gideon was tried and convicted here of felony theft; the refusal to grant him a lawyer led to the 1963 U.S. Supreme Court ruling Gideon v. Wainwright. Retried in this courthouse in August 1963, he was acquitted.