Opinion ID: 1133035
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Creation of Vacancies

Text: The facts can be stated in chronological order. All dates are in the year 1979. April 2. Pursuant to Article V, Section 9, Florida Constitution, the Supreme Court certified a need for increasing the number of judges and for increasing and redefining appellate districts to a regular session of the Legislature. In re Certificate of Judicial Manpower for Circuit and County Courts, As Required by Section 9, Article V, Florida Constitution, 370 So.2d 363 (Fla. 1979); In re Certification Under Article V, Section 9, Florida Constitution, To Redefine Appellate Districts And To Increase the Number of Judges On the District Courts of Appeal, 370 So.2d 365 (Fla. 1979). June 6. After considering the Court's certificate, the Legislature, by two-thirds of the membership of both houses, enacted CS for SB 268. The bill altered the court's certification by increasing the number of judges recommended for the First District from 7 to 9 and decreasing the number of judges recommended for the Third District from 9 to 8. While the statute created a Fifth District, it altered the court's recommended alignment by taking the Tenth Judicial Circuit from the new Fifth District, and placing it into the realigned Second District. The bill left undisturbed the court's recommendation for: a) additional judges for the Second, Fourth, and Fifth Districts, b) realignment of the First and Fourth Districts, c) no change for the alignment of the Third District, and d) additional judges for various circuit and county courts. The Legislature then adjourned sine die. June 20. After CS for SB 268 was enrolled and signed by the required constitutional officers, it was presented to this office. Article V, Section 9, Florida Constitution, provides the procedure for the determination of the number of judges and for increasing and redefining appellate districts. Section 9 sets forth two different procedures for accomplishing this purpose. The first assumes that the Supreme Court presents a timely certificate of need to the Legislature: If the supreme court finds that a need exists for increasing or decreasing the number of judges or increasing, decreasing or redefining appellate districts and judicial circuits, it shall, prior to the next regular session of the legislature, certify to the legislature its findings and recommendations concerning such need. Upon receipt of such certificate, the legislature, at the next regular session, shall consider the findings and recommendations and may reject the recommendations or by law implement the recommendations in whole or in part; provided the legislature may create more judicial offices than are recommended by the supreme court or may decrease the number of judicial offices by a greater number than recommended by the court only upon a finding of two-thirds of the membership of both houses of the legislature, that such a need exists. A decrease in the number of judges shall be effective only after the expiration of a term. The second procedure is in the event the Supreme Court fails to make such certification to the Legislature: If the supreme court fails to make findings as provided above when need exists, the legislature may by concurrent resolution request the court to certify its findings and recommendations and upon the failure of the court to certify its findings for nine consecutive months, the legislature may, upon a finding of two-thirds of the membership of both houses of the legislature that a need exists, increase or decrease the number of judges or increase, decrease or redefine appellate districts and judicial circuits. Since the Court submitted a timely certificate, I am concerned with the first procedure. The only specific authorization for the Legislature to alter the Court's recommendations for increasing, decreasing or redefining appellate districts appears in the second procedure. On the other hand, the first procedure authorizes the Legislature to reject the Court's recommendations or by law implement the recommendations in whole or in part. The construction to be given Article V, Section 9, Florida Constitution, is in question.