E-Filing numbers see a healthy uptick in May
The Florida Courts E-Filing Authority released its May data for the statewide E-filing Portal, showing a robust jump in the number of submissions.
In May, the total number of documents filed through the Portal was 2.97 million (in 2.03 million submissions). Those numbers stand 14% higher in April and represent the second-highest total in the last 12 months.
The record high for portal submission came two months prior in March. The 3.58 million documents (2.17 million submissions) were directly related to the passage of HB 837, the comprehensive tort reform measure that was passed by the Legislature and quickly signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis March 21.
The numbers produced in April confirmed that a record-breaking March was just a spike as submissions plunged. However, taking the overwhelming volume in March off the table, the May data would have beaten the previous record month of August 2022 (2.88 million documents) by nearly 4%.
Karen Rushing, the Sarasota clerk and chair for the authority’s board of directors, said unlike March there was no singular reason for the spike in submissions.
“If you look at last year, May of 2022 was higher than April of 2022,” Rushing said. “We generally see increases from April to May, so this is normal and not an anomaly like March [of 2023] was.”
The average number of weekday submissions in May stood at 95,959, up 10% from April and just a percentage point away from the March record high.
District courts of appeal hit a record with 12,814 submissions. That number was 12% higher than April and beat out the previous record in March by half a percent.
The Florida Supreme Court also showed an increase in submissions. The high court received 372 submissions, which beat April by more than 25%.
Rushing was asked if the increased Portal activity meant Florida lawyers are working harder than ever.
“I totally agree with that,” Rushing said. “There continues to be increases in filing. While there are some seasonal affects such as a holiday, generally speaking we’ve seen continued growth in the Portal. There’s been some fluctuation, but we’re seeing that growth continue in 2023.”
