Many questions remain over the potential consolidation of Florida’s 20 circuit courts, which have largely remained intact since 1969. Specifically, there’s uncertainty whether reducing and combining the circuits would lead to greater efficiencies and a noticeable cost savings to taxpayers.
A state committee tasked with telling state lawmakers whether there’s a need to reduce the circuit courts — and potentially consolidate circuits like the 16th in Monroe County with the 11th in Miami-Dade County — is up against a Dec. 1 deadline. The committee continued to review a plethora of data from survey responses by the public and legal professionals during a virtual Sept. 29 meeting. The group also received a report from its fiscal and resource subcommittee, which spent weeks gathering information and assessing whether consolidations would create a positive, negative or neutral fiscal change.
A report presented by Margaret Steinbeck, 20th Circuit Court judge, stated the subcommittee determined there would be no fiscal impact to trial courts, clerks and justice entities if the judicial circuits consolidated. Notably, the subcommittee determined that judicial circuit consolidation would have an estimated short-term negative fiscal impact for specific functional categories, such as technology, for the trial courts and clerks.
As for public defenders and state attorneys, the report finds that consolidation would bring a negative fiscal change.
“Without knowing which judicial circuits are subject to consolidation, the subcommittee cannot truly know or appreciate the exact fiscal or other impacts of consolidation without extensive analysis,” the report states.
Up next for the Judicial Circuit Assessment Committee is a public hearing on Friday, Oct, 13 in Tampa, where they’re expected to hear from a number of attorneys, public defenders and residents. Jonathan Gerber, Fourth District Court of Appeal judge and committee chairman, said they’ll take roughly three hours of public input, from 10 a.m to 1 p.m., before they move on to other business. Each commenter could get two to three minutes to speak, but that depends on the number of speakers.
“If we’re able to provide more time we will,” Gerber said.
In the Florida Keys, the potential consolidation of the southernmost circuit courts with Miami-Dade isn’t sitting well among judges, elected officials and residents. That’s evidenced by the 1,480 survey responses the JCAC received from Keys residents. Municipalities across the Keys have united against the consolidation idea. The cities of Key West and Marathon, village of Islamorada and Monroe County Board of County Commissioners all sent resolutions expressing strong opposition.
“This will likely cause significant logistical issues for Keys residents to have access to courts on the mainland. This issue is even more problematic for Key West residents, who live the farthest from Miami-Dade County,” wrote Ronald Ramsingh, attorney for the city of Key West.
The county’s constitutional officers have also chimed in over the proposal to combine the southernmost circuit courts with Miami-Dade County, which was initially referenced in a letter by House Speaker Paul Renner to Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz in June.
“Since day one a lot of us have been fighting against this wholeheartedly,” said Robert Lockwood, Monroe County public defender.
Holly Elomina, court administrator, recently told county commissioners that residents would lose access to justice if the court was consolidated with the larger neighboring county with nearly 1.5 million registered voters.
“Our votes would not stand a chance with voters in Miami,” she said.
State Attorney Dennis Ward has made his rounds on the radio, television and other gatherings to discuss the consolidation idea, which he said has political motivations to keep state attorneys Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended from returning to office. Last year, DeSantis suspended Hillsborough County’s state attorney, Andrew Warren, for refusing to follow the law in certain cases. Warren has filed paperwork to run and get his job back.
Lockwood, Ward and Bob Shillinger, Monroe County attorney, are among the Keys contingent set to travel to Tampa for the public hearing.
Keys residents interested in learning more about the potential consolidation of the court system can attend a rally on Sunday, Oct. 8 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Juice House, 103200 Overseas Highway, Key Largo. The event will welcome guest speakers while sharing information with the attending public.
Those interested in virtually attending the Oct. 13 public hearing can sign up here.
