Funding Florida Courts
To maintain the responsible administration of justice and to preserve the crucial role of the courts in resolving disputes in a fair and timely manner, Florida must adopt new budgeting practices. Lawmakers should have oversight of the distribution of filing fees rather than allowing county clerks to use those fees in their offices without legislative review. To ensure proper oversight and accountability of court user fees, the Legislature should budget for all officers within the Judicial Branch, including county clerks of court, and establish the appropriate level of funding for each.
Office of State Courts Administrator
On This Page
Links to FUNDING JUSTICE Facts and Materials on State Court Funding
Overview of the Current Situation
Legislative Activity
Courts and Clerks
Other Resources
Business Community Support
Court Funding Stories from The Florida Bar News
Court Funding Stories from Florida Media
Links to FUNDING JUSTICE Facts and Materials on State Court Funding
Overview of the Current Situation
- Seven Principles for Stabilizing Court Funding to address both the immediate crisis and solutions for long-term, sustainable funding stability for a truly unified state courts system.
Legislative Activity
- Senate Bill - SB 1718
- Senate Bill - SB 2108
- House Bill - HB 1121
- House Bill - HB 5117
- House Bill - HB 5119
- Florida Bar Legislative Positions on Court Funding
- Statement by Florida Bar President John G. White, III, Regarding Funding of the State Courts, March 5, 2009
Courts and Clerks
- Florida TaxWatch Analysis of the Collection and Allocation of Court-Related Revenues within Florida's Judicial System
, April 2009
- State Courts System Administration and Clerk of Circuit Court Related Functions
- Analysis: Whether clerks serve as a “check and balance” on the judiciary
- Let the Legislature Study Court Records Handling by Ben F. Overton and Major B. Harding
- Especially Now, Court Funding Must be a Priority by Raoul G. Cantero, III
- Assertions and Responses by clerks of court
- Clarifying misconceptions being circulated by opponents of SB 2108 and HB 1121 by Joseph P. Farina, Chief Judge 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida.
Other Resources
- The Washington Economics Group Inc. report: The Economic Impacts of Delays in Civil Trials in Florida's State Courts due to Under-Funding , February 9, 2009
Business Community Support
Court Funding Stories from The Florida Bar News
April 30, 2009
- Legislature reaches agreement on clerks' budgeting
- TaxWatch suggests legislative oversight of the clerks’ budgets
- Clerks bills refined
April 15, 2009
April 1, 2009
March 15, 2009
- Bills revisit court funding issues
- Committee takes first look at clerks’ operations
- House panel grills the clerks and the courts
March 1, 2009
- Chief Justice sets the court’s priorities
- Senate plan would reduce public defender caseloads
- Lawmakers focus on maintaining ‘core missions’
February 15, 2009
February 1, 2009
- Business leaders feel the sting of court cuts
- Quince outlines principles for stabilizing court funding
- Court budget trimmed by 1.25 percent
Court Funding Stories from Florida Media
[Revised: 05-26-2011]
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