Opinion ID: 1666514
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Appellate Courts

Text: The criteria for certification of the need for additional judges in the district courts of appeal are set forth in rule 2.035(b)(2), Florida Rules of Judicial Administration. The last new judgeships for the district courts were authorized in 1993. Since that time the numbers of annual filings in each district court have risen steadily. In 1998 a total of 21,334 cases were filed in the district courts for an increase of 15.5 percent since 1993. Each of the district courts have employed an array of strategies to address increased workload pressures. They have streamlined internal operating procedures, established central legal research staff to handle selected matters, and assigned senior (retired) judges to hear appeals on a temporary basis. The First and Fourth district courts of appeal utilize appellate mediation to improve case resolution. We have encouraged the district courts to continue to explore and develop alternative and creative means to efficiently and fairly hear the cases brought before them. Such efforts have enabled the district courts to address increases in judicial workload  without the continued addition of new appellate judges. However, several of these courts are approaching the point when additional judgeships will be needed. In 1997 this Court directed the Judicial Management Council to conduct an in-depth study of workload, jurisdiction and related policy issues for the district courts of appeal. The Council's Committee on Appellate Court Workload and Jurisdiction proposed the adoption of a new appellate court workload standard of 225 dispositions after submission on the merits per judge and an additional appellate court workload standard of 385 case filings per judge. These two standards, whether considered separately or together, represent the levels at which a district court, presumptively, is in need of additional judicial resources. These standards are significantly higher than the current standard of 250 case filings per judge, and reflect the infusion of support staff and other resources over the last decade which have enabled the district courts to keep pace with workload increases. We certify the need for one additional judgeship for the Fifth District Court of Appeal. In 1998 the statewide average for dispositions after submission on the merits per judge was 209. The Fifth District Court of Appeal ranked first among these courts with a total of 264 dispositions after submission on the merits per judge in 1998. The 1998 statewide average for filings per judge was 349. The Fifth District Court of Appeal ranked first with 393 filings per judge in 1998. In addition to authorizing and funding an additional judge for the Fifth District Court of Appeal, we strongly urge the Legislature to fund the budget requests of the district courts of appeal for mediation services, central staff attorneys, computer technology, and additional technology staff. In examining the workload of the intermediate appellate courts we also considered the report of the Committee to Study the Need for Additional District Courts of Appeal, of the Judicial Management Council. The Committee was charged with studying both the need for and location of additional district courts. The Legislature has been provided copies of the Committee's report pursuant to proviso language in the FY 1998-99 General Appropriations Act. The Committee studied and reported on the past and projected growth in volume and distribution of caseload for the district courts of appeal, as well as their effect on court collegiality. Also considered were population projections, alternative sites for additional courts, a variety of possible realignments of the judicial circuits, and public input on draft recommendations. The Committee concluded that [w]ithin five years, there will be a need for two additional district courts of appeal. This recommendation is based upon a workload standard of 385 filings per judge and an allocation of ten judges in each court with a maximum of 12 judges in any court, and that planning should begin now for implementing this recommendation. The creation of two additional districts would require realignment of numerous judicial circuits among the district courts of appeal. The Committee proposed that the seven district courts of appeal be headquartered in Tallahassee, Orlando, Miami, West Palm Beach, Jacksonville, Tampa, and western Broward County. The Court is appreciative of the extraordinary time and effort the members of the Committee to Study the Need for Additional District Courts of Appeal gave to their assigned task. Their report is thoughtful and well substantiated. It is clear the historical growth in district court caseloads may require us to revisit this concern in the future. However, there are several reasons the Court is reluctant to recommend the Legislature initiate planning on the Committee's recommended plan for seven district courts at this time. First, while case filings from 1993 through 1998 increased by 25 percent, the rate of growth in district court of appeal caseloads in the past few years has slowed. There were actually 891 fewer total filings in 1998 than in 1997. A number of other factors outside the Committee's charge need to be addressed as a plan for increasing the number of district courts is developed. This Court is concerned that as new courts are brought on line the  number of conflicting rulings will increase. The creation of additional courts will require the development of plans for and reallocation of judges and court staff. Further, the substantial fiscal implications of the Committee's proposals or others the Legislature may consider should be examined carefully. Again, it is noted that the Committee was not asked to make an assessment of either the fiscal or operational impacts of the various alternatives for increasing or reconfiguring the district courts. These and other pertinent factors should, however, be part of the future dialogue between the judicial and legislative branches on the need for additional courts.