Title V, Judicial Branch

(1) Pursuant to s. 14(b), Art. V of the State Constitution, selected salaries, costs, and expenses of the state courts system and court-related functions shall be funded from a portion of the revenues derived from statutory fines, fees, service charges, and court costs collected …

(1) The clerks of court, through their association and in consultation with the Office of the State Courts Administrator, shall prepare and disseminate a manual of filing fees, service charges, costs, and fines imposed pursuant to state law, for each type of action and offense, a…

(1) No function of the clerk of court being performed in support of the trial courts by the individual clerks of court on July 1, 2004, may be discontinued or substantially modified on a unilateral basis except pursuant to this section. A clerk of court may discontinue performing…

Each clerk of court shall provide financial data concerning his or her expenditures for court-related duties, including expenditures for court-related information technology, to the Executive Office of the Governor for the purposes contained in ch. 2009-74, Laws of Florida, or si…

(1) On or before July 1, 2024, each clerk of the circuit court must create, maintain, and operate a free recording notification service which is open to all persons wishing to register for the service. For purposes of this section, the term:(a) “Land record” means a deed, mortgag…

(1) For the purpose of implementing s. 14, Art. V of the State Constitution, the state courts system is defined to include the enumerated elements of the Supreme Court, district courts of appeal, circuit courts, county courts, and certain supports thereto. The offices of public d…

For purposes of implementing s. 14, Art. V of the State Constitution, the elements of the state courts system to be provided from state revenues appropriated by general law are as follows:(1) Judges appointed or elected pursuant to chapters 25, 26, 34, and 35.(2) Juror compensati…

For purposes of implementing s. 14, Art. V of the State Constitution, the elements of the state attorneys’ offices to be provided from state revenues appropriated by general law are as follows:(1) The state attorney of each judicial circuit and assistant state attorneys and other…

For purposes of implementing s. 14, Art. V of the State Constitution, the elements of the public defenders’ offices and criminal conflict and civil regional counsel offices to be provided from state revenues appropriated by general law are as follows:(1)(a) The public defender of…

For purposes of implementing s. 14, Art. V of the State Constitution, the elements of court-appointed counsel to be provided from state revenues appropriated by general law are as follows:(1) Private attorneys appointed by the court to handle cases where the defendant is indigent…

(1) Counties are required by s. 14, Art. V of the State Constitution to fund the cost of communications services, existing radio systems, existing multiagency criminal justice information systems, and the cost of construction or lease, maintenance, utilities, and security of faci…

(1) A county and the chief judge of a judicial circuit that includes that county may enter into an agreement under which the county funds personnel positions to assist in the operation of the circuit.(2) The agreement shall, at a minimum, provide that:(a) Funding for the position…

(1) Each county shall submit annually to the Chief Financial Officer a statement of revenues and expenditures as set forth in this section in the form and manner prescribed by the Chief Financial Officer in consultation with the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the Hous…

Nothing in this act shall require the Legislature to fund any court function or court-related activities of the court system, the state attorneys’ offices, public defenders’ offices, conflict counsel, the statewide prosecutor, or the clerks of the circuit and county courts.Histor…

(1) An appropriation may be provided in the General Appropriations Act in the Justice Administrative Commission to serve as a contingency fund for the purpose of alleviating deficits in contracted due process services appropriation categories, including private court-appointed co…

(1) An appropriation may be provided in the General Appropriations Act for the judicial branch to serve as a contingency fund to alleviate deficits in contracted due process services appropriation categories that may occur from time to time due to extraordinary events that lead t…

For the purpose of implementing s. 14, Art. V of the State Constitution, the transfer of the funding responsibility for the state courts system shall not affect the validity of any judicial or administrative proceeding pending on the day of the transfer. The entity providing appr…

It is the intent of the Legislature to provide state-funded due-process services to the state courts system, state attorneys, public defenders, criminal conflict and civil regional counsel, and private court-appointed counsel in the most cost-effective and efficient manner. The s…

(1) Due process services may not be provided with state revenues to an individual unless the individual on whose behalf the due process services are being provided is eligible for court-appointed counsel under s. 27.40, based upon a determination of indigency under s. 27.52, rega…

Billings submitted for payment of due process services, including, but not limited to, court reporter services, court interpreter services, expert witness services, mental health evaluations, and court-appointed counsel services must be paid by the counties if the services were r…

(1) The trial court administrator of each circuit shall recover expenditures for state-funded services when those services have been furnished to a user of the state court system who possesses the present ability to pay. The rate of compensation for such services is the actual co…

In accordance with s. 287.042, the Department of Management Services may assist the Office of the State Courts Administrator and the Justice Administrative Commission with competitive solicitations for the procurement of state-funded services under this chapter. This may include …

The State Courts Revenue Trust Fund is created within the state courts system. Moneys credited to the trust fund shall be used for the purpose of funding the activities of the state courts system.History.—s. 1, ch. 2009-7; s. 2, ch. 2011-19.

(1) The salaries of justices, judges of the district courts of appeal, circuit judges, and county judges shall be fixed annually in the General Appropriations Act.(2) The clerk and the marshal of the Supreme Court, or a clerk or marshal of a district court of appeal, shall be pai…

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, by January 1, 2024, each county courthouse must provide at least one dedicated lactation space outside the confines of a restroom for members of the public to express breast milk or breastfeed in private. The space must:(a) Be hyg…

In each county of the state having a population of 150,000 or less according to the last state census, the sheriff shall give bond as required by the board of county commissioners of the county, to be filed with the clerk of the circuit court and be conditioned upon the faithful …

In each county in the state having a population in excess of 150,000 according to the last state census, the sheriff shall give bond as required by the board of county commissioners, to be filed with the clerk of the circuit court and be conditioned upon the faithful discharge of…

Each surety upon such bond may bind himself or herself for a specified sum, but the aggregate amount for which the sureties may bind themselves shall not be less than the penalty of the bond.History.—s. 9, ch. 3724, 1887; RS 1238; GS 1667; RGS 2872; CGL 4569; s. 2, ch. 17754, 193…

Each surety upon such bond shall make an affidavit that he or she is a resident of the county for which the officer is to be commissioned, and that the surety has sufficient visible property therein, unencumbered and not exempt from sale under legal process, to make good his or h…

The provisions of ss. 30.01-30.04, as to number of sureties, affidavits of residence and justification of same shall not apply to solvent surety companies authorized to do business and execute bonds in this state.History.—s. 4, ch. 3724, 1887; RS 1237; GS 1666; RGS 2871; CGL 4568…

The sureties, if any, are liable for all fines and amercements imposed upon the principal, or sheriff.History.—s. 4, ch. 987, 1859; RS 1240; GS 1669; RGS 2874; CGL 4571; s. 1, ch. 20719, 1941; s. 12, ch. 98-34.

Sheriffs may appoint deputies to act under them who shall have the same power as the sheriff appointing them, and for the neglect and default of whom in the execution of their office the sheriff shall be responsible.History.—s. 4, ch. 1659, 1868; RS 1247; GS 1675; RGS 2881; CGL 4…

(1) This act applies to all deputy sheriffs, with the following exceptions:(a) Deputy sheriffs in a county that, by special act of the Legislature, local charter, ordinance, or otherwise, has established rights and procedures for deputy sheriffs which are equivalent to or greater…

As used in this act, the term:(1) “Actual, continuous service” means the time during which a deputy sheriff performs the duties and responsibilities of the position to which she or he is appointed.(2) “Deputy sheriff” means a law enforcement officer appointed by the sheriff and c…

(1) A sheriff has exclusive power to appoint a deputy sheriff. However, a person may not be appointed as a deputy sheriff unless the person meets all qualifications set out in the Florida Statutes.(2)(a) A person’s appointment as a deputy sheriff is not a regular appointment unti…

When a deputy sheriff to whom the provisions of this act apply has served for a period of 1 calendar year, such deputy sheriff shall have attained regular deputy status in the office of the sheriff. Any deputy who is required to serve a probationary period attendant to a promotio…

(1) Each sheriff shall establish a review board to review, pursuant to appeals taken under ss. 30.071-30.079, terminations taken by the sheriff against regularly appointed deputy sheriffs for lawful off-duty political activity or for discriminatory reasons.(2) Each member of a re…

(1) The sheriff may not terminate a regularly appointed deputy sheriff for exercising lawful off-duty political rights.(2) The review board shall be utilized to make the determination as to whether or not the termination of a deputy sheriff was politically or discriminatorily mot…

A review board shall determine the truth while maintaining an atmosphere of fundamental fairness.History.—s. 8, ch. 94-143.

When a newly elected or appointed sheriff assumes office, the incoming sheriff may not terminate the employment of any deputy sheriff covered by ss. 30.071-30.079 for lawful off-duty political activity or for a discriminatory reason. The incoming sheriff may replace deputy sherif…

The provisions of this act shall not be construed to provide deputy sheriffs with a property interest or expectancy of continued appointment as a deputy sheriff, nor shall these provisions serve as a limitation of the sheriff’s authority as a constitutional officer to determine u…

(1) BOND, SURETIES, PERFORMANCE OF SERVICES.—(a) Each deputy sheriff who is appointed shall give bond as required by the board of county commissioners. The amount of the bond and the bond must be approved by the board of county commissioners. The bond must be filed with the clerk…

The place of office of every sheriff shall be at the county seat of the county.History.—s. 3, Feb. 12, 1834; RS 1248; GS 1676; RGS 2884; CGL 4581.

If any sheriff in the state fails to attend, in person or by deputy, the circuit court or county court of the county, from sickness, death, or other cause, the judge attending the court may appoint an interim sheriff, who shall assume all the responsibilities, perform all the dut…

(1) Upon the expiration of the term of office, the sheriff shall deliver to his or her successor in office, taking a receipt for the same, the following:(a) All such writs and processes as shall remain in his or her hands unexecuted; and(b) All persons who are held in confinement…

(1) Sheriffs, in their respective counties, in person or by deputy, shall:(a) Execute all process of the Supreme Court, circuit courts, county courts, and boards of county commissioners of this state, to be executed in their counties.(b) Execute such other writs, processes, warra…