“Last year we funded 55 new judgeships for circuit and county courts and in December we funded four additional judgeships for circuit and county courts in southwest Florida. This session we are finishing the job,” remarked Senator Crist. “This bill will fund the remaining judgeships requested by the courts, helping to further alleviate the backlogged dockets that burden Florida’s court system.”
The bill would fund 66 additional judgeships, consisting of 40 circuit court positions and 26 county court positions. These judgeships would be elected in the fall of 2006 and would begin their term in 2007. The bill also provides for two new district court of appeal (DCA) judges. One judge would be for the 2nd DCA, located in Lakeland, and the other one would be for the 4th DCA in West Palm Beach. Both DCA judges would be appointed by the Governor.
“We have heard the courts’ requests and have remained committed to providing the necessary funding for additional judgeships. I promised to revisit this issue to meet their requests and I feel that these additional judges will satisfy the courts’ needs,” concluded Senator Crist.
