Opinion ID: 2545779
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: state courts revenue trust fund

Text: Because of the economic crisis and as part of its ongoing effort to seek stable funding for Florida's State Courts System, the Supreme Court has worked with legislative leaders to identify a stable funding source for Florida's courts. In response, during Special Session A 2009, the Legislature created the State Courts Revenue Trust Fund. The fund supports most court operations with the exception of some judicial salaries which remain general revenue funded. The primary revenue stream supplying the trust fund became effective July 1, 2009. The Supreme Court is grateful to the Legislature for the establishment of this fund, which we believe will help stabilize Florida's court system. The creation of the State Courts Revenue Trust Fund is also consistent with the Seven Principles of Court Funding advanced through the State Courts System's Funding Justice initiative. [4] Nevertheless, while the new trust fund appears to promise greater long-term stability, it has not yet impacted the budgetary reductions experienced by the judicial branch over the last two fiscal years. The budget reductions, coupled with no new judgeships for the last three fiscal years, have combined to create an environment of increased judicial workload, caseload backlog, and court delay.