Florida’s judicial circuits are the 20 general-jurisdiction trial court districts that cover the state’s 67 counties. Each circuit takes in one or more counties as assigned by statute, and its courts hear felonies, civil disputes above the county court limit, family law, probate, juvenile matters, and appeals from county courts.
How the Circuits Are Set Up
Article V, Section 1 of the Florida Constitution vests judicial power in four courts: the Supreme Court, the District Courts of Appeal, circuit courts, and county courts. The same provision tells the legislature to divide the state into judicial circuits along county lines.1FindLaw. Florida Constitution Art. V, Section 1 – Courts Circuit courts sit above county courts and below the District Courts of Appeal.
Size varies a lot. Miami-Dade and Broward each get their own circuit because caseload alone justifies the infrastructure. Rural groupings in the Panhandle and north-central Florida pull together six or seven counties into a single circuit to make the same math work.
The 20 Circuits and Their Counties
Florida Statutes Section 26.021 assigns counties to circuits as follows:2Florida Senate. Florida Code 26.021 – Judicial Circuits; Judges
- 1st Circuit: Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton
- 2nd Circuit: Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Wakulla
- 3rd Circuit: Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor
- 4th Circuit: Clay, Duval, Nassau
- 5th Circuit: Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion, Sumter
- 6th Circuit: Pasco, Pinellas
- 7th Circuit: Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, Volusia
- 8th Circuit: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, Levy, Union
- 9th Circuit: Orange, Osceola
- 10th Circuit: Hardee, Highlands, Polk
- 11th Circuit: Miami-Dade
- 12th Circuit: DeSoto, Manatee, Sarasota
- 13th Circuit: Hillsborough
- 14th Circuit: Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Washington
- 15th Circuit: Palm Beach
- 16th Circuit: Monroe
- 17th Circuit: Broward
- 18th Circuit: Brevard, Seminole
- 19th Circuit: Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, St. Lucie
- 20th Circuit: Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Lee
What Circuit Courts Handle
Florida Statutes Section 26.012 gives circuit courts exclusive original jurisdiction over the state’s more serious matters.3Florida Senate. Florida Code 26.012 – Jurisdiction of Circuit Court The dividing lines are worth knowing before you file anything.
Civil Cases Above $50,000
County courts handle civil claims of $50,000 or less.4Florida Senate. Florida Statutes Chapter 34 Section 01 – Jurisdiction of County Court Anything larger belongs in circuit court. Circuit courts also take exclusive jurisdiction over disputes about title and boundaries of real property, tax assessment challenges, and ejectment, regardless of the dollar amount.
All Felony Prosecutions
Every felony case is filed in circuit court. When a misdemeanor arises out of the same facts as a felony, the circuit court keeps both rather than sending the misdemeanor to county court.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile
Divorce, child custody, and domestic violence injunctions are circuit matters. So are probate and guardianship, including estate settlement, guardian appointments, and involuntary hospitalization proceedings. Juvenile delinquency and dependency also fall to circuit court, and most circuits run specialized divisions for these dockets.
Appeals from County Court
Circuit courts hear appeals from county court decisions and from local code enforcement boards. They can also issue writs of mandamus, habeas corpus, prohibition, quo warranto, and certiorari.5Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure. Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.030 – Jurisdiction of Courts
Filing Fees
Costs depend on case type and claim size. Family law cases filed under the chapters covering custody and related proceedings run $300. Dissolution of marriage is $397.50, which includes child welfare and domestic violence surcharges. Other civil filings like name changes, adoptions, and trust petitions are $400.
For standard civil suits, the fee scales with the amount at stake. Real property or foreclosure claims of $50,000 or less cost $400. Claims from $50,001 to $249,999 cost $905. Claims of $250,000 or more cost $1,905.
If you cannot afford the fee, the clerk of court can determine you indigent. You qualify if household income is at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. There is a presumption against indigency if you own assets with a net equity of $2,500 or more, excluding your homestead and one vehicle worth up to $5,000. Approved applicants go on a payment plan, and the case cannot be delayed for nonpayment.6The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes Chapter 57 Section 082 – Determination of Civil Indigent Status
Who Runs a Circuit
Circuit Judges
Circuit judges are elected in nonpartisan races to six-year terms. A candidate must be a Florida elector, reside in the circuit, and have been a Florida Bar member for at least the preceding five years.7eLaws. Florida Constitution Article V Section 8 – Eligibility When a seat opens mid-term, a judicial nominating commission screens applicants and sends a shortlist to the governor for appointment.
Chief Judge
The judges of each circuit choose one of their own as chief judge for a two-year term, with consecutive terms allowed. The chief judge assigns judges to divisions, manages the calendar, orders case consolidations, and can request temporary judges from other circuits when caseloads spike.
State Attorney
Each circuit elects a state attorney to a four-year term. The state attorney is the chief prosecutor for the circuit, supervising the assistant state attorneys who try individual cases.1FindLaw. Florida Constitution Art. V, Section 1 – Courts
Public Defender
Each circuit also elects a public defender to a four-year term. The eligibility rules match the state attorney’s: Florida elector, resident of the circuit, and Florida Bar member for at least five years. The office represents defendants who cannot afford to hire private counsel, with assistant public defenders appointed as the law allows.