• The Florida Supreme Court officially rejected a proposal to consolidate the state’s judicial circuits on Thursday, a decision in alignment with the views of legal practitioners across the state.
• The decision follows extensive research and public consultations by an exploratory committee, which found that the negative impacts of consolidation would outweigh any benefits.
• The committee, led by Judge Jonathan D. Gerber, was formed in response to an inquiry by House Speaker Paul Renner.
• Public hearings and survey responses reflected concerns over the loss of local judicial identities, operational efficiency, and potential political motivations behind the consolidation efforts.

The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday ruled against the consolidation of the state’s judicial circuits, a decision welcomed by legal practitioners statewide.

The court’s verdict follows outreach efforts conducted by an exploratory consolidation committee including research and public consultation.

The proposal, initially aimed at improving efficiency and reducing taxpayer burden, met significant resistance from various legal entities. The Florida Bar, state attorneys, public defenders, and judges collectively argued that the current circuit system is efficient and that changes could disrupt judicial operations and adversely affect fiscal management.

The Court’s assessment committee conducted in-depth reviews, including public hearings and thousands of survey responses. Their findings underscored that while the number of circuits has been constant since 1969 and there are population disparities, the negative impacts of consolidation would overshadow any perceived benefits.

“We do not find that there is a need to consolidate judicial circuits at this time,” the Court wrote in its opinion. “What we learned through this process will undoubtedly help us to better serve the people of our State.”

Significant opposition emerged in October from the Florida Bar, which contended that the current circuit structure ensures effective and efficient case handling. The organization pointed to high clearance rates and positive feedback on case and decision management, further arguing that the existing system facilitates judges’ engagement in committees and effective caseload management.

“[P]rior to recommending a change in judicial circuits or appellate districts, the Supreme Court shall consider less disruptive adjustments including, but not limited to, the addition of judges, the creation of branch locations, geographic or subject divisions within judicial circuits or appellate districts, deployment of new technologies, and increased ratios of support staff per judge,” the Bar commented.

A series of public hearings also saw concerns over the loss of local judicial identities and operational efficiency. Participants expressed apprehension about political motivations behind the consolidation efforts, fearing it could undermine the legal system’s integrity.

Notably, Chief Judge Glenn Kelley of the 15th Circuit expressed skepticism in August about the efficiency gains from consolidation, citing the satisfactory performance of current circuits. Public Defender Cliff Wilson from the 3rd Judicial Circuit emphasized the importance of maintaining local judicial identities for efficiency and public trust.

Representative Yvonne Hinson echoed these sentiments, warning against consolidating for political reasons and highlighting the need for tailored budgeting to meet unique local needs.

The committee, chaired by Judge Jonathan D. Gerber of the Fourth District Court of Appeal, was established in response to an inquiry by House Speaker Paul Renner to investigate the feasibility of consolidation. Chief Justice Carlos G. Muñiz supported this inquiry, emphasizing the need for careful study, though did not offer an opinion at the time.

“Without expressing any view on the merits at this time, the Court agrees that the question of whether there is a need to consolidate Florida’s judicial circuits deserves thoughtful consideration and careful study,” Muñiz wrote in an administrative order to Renner. “To that end, and to aid the Court in making its ultimate determination, the Court believes it would be beneficial to appoint an assessment committee.”