Criminal Justice (Judges)

This bill proposes to reduce the number of judges in several Florida judicial circuits and counties, specifically decreasing the count in the First, Fifth, Seventh, Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth circuits, as well as in Duval, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lee, Miami-Dade, Orange, and Walton counties. The legislation amends state statutes to lower these judicial positions by a specific number in each location, ranging from a reduction of one to eight judges depending on the jurisdiction. These changes are scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026, and the bill is currently being reviewed by a conference committee to finalize details before becoming law.