Florida Supreme Court Proposes Addition of 50 New Judges to Address Growing Judicial Workload

Tallahassee Judges Recommendation: Supreme Court Seeks 50 New Judicial Positions

In Tallahassee, the Florida Supreme Court has put forth a significant recommendation to address the growing judicial workload in the state. On Thursday, the Court suggested the addition of 50 judges across Florida, which includes 23 circuit judges, 25 county judges, and two judges on the 6th District Court of Appeal. This announcement follows a comprehensive study conducted earlier this year, highlighting the urgent need for more judicial resources.

Study and Background

The recommendation emerged after the release of the Florida Judicial Workload Assessment in June, which cited a need for 55 additional circuit-court judgeships and 29 county-court judgeships. Each year, the Supreme Court evaluates judicial needs as part of an ongoing process to certify the requirement for new judicial positions to the Legislature, which holds the final authority on creating and funding these posts.

Incremental Approach

The Supreme Court’s recommendation is notably higher than those made in previous years. In a unanimous opinion, the Court stated, “We chose to adopt an approach that is more incremental but still reasonable and fair.” They acknowledged the challenges posed by budget constraints faced by the Legislature while stressing that the court system’s capacity to absorb new judges is tempered by factors such as space within courthouses and the resources available at the county level.

Distribution of New Judgeships

If approved, these new judgeships would be spread across various regions, from Miami-Dade County to Walton County in Northwest Florida. Specific recommendations include:

• Seven circuit-judge positions in the 20th Judicial Circuit, covering Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties.
• Three circuit-judge positions in the 5th Judicial Circuit, which includes Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion, and Sumter counties.
• New county-judge positions, with seven in Miami-Dade County, two in Duval County, and two in Palm Beach County.

6th District Court of Appeal Expansion

The recommendation also highlighted the needs of the recently created 6th District Court of Appeal. This court, which began operations on January 1, 2023, has inherited nearly 1,700 cases from other districts. The Court called for two additional judgeships to manage this growing caseload efficiently.

Long-Term Outlook

In their opinion, the Court pointed out that while there is a need for new judges, it also noted excess judicial capacity in the 2nd District Court of Appeal. This district covers areas such as Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Sarasota counties, and the Supreme Court recommends addressing its issues gradually through natural turnover.

Legislative Action

This year, state lawmakers already approved nine new judgeships, exceeding the previously set recommendations. New positions included circuit judgeships distributed across various judicial circuits and multiple county judgeships in counties like Orange and Hillsborough.

Conclusion

The Florida Supreme Court’s latest recommendation illustrates a growing awareness of the pressing demands on the state’s judicial system. With new judgeships awaiting legislative approval, the hope is to improve case management and provide better access to justice for Florida citizens.