Florida courts seek to protect rights and liberties, uphold and interpret the law, and provide a forum for dispute resolution.

The Florida Constitution vests all judicial power in the supreme court, district courts, of appeal, circuit courts, and county courts.

• The Supreme Court, the highest court, has seven justices. One of the justices is elected to serve as chief Justice by majority vote of the justices. The chief justice services as the chief administrative officer of the judicial branch. This office is rotated every two years. The jurisdiction of the Supreme Court is set out in the Florida Constitution with some degree of flexibility by which the Legislature may add or take away certain categories of cases. The court must review final orders imposing death sentences, district court decisions declaring a state statute or provision of the Florida Constitution invalid, bond validations, and certain orders of the Public Service Commission on utility rates and services. The Supreme Court has the discretion to review, when review is sought by a party, decisions of a district court of appeal that expressly declares valid a state statute, construes a provision of the state or federal constitution, affects a class of constitutional or state officers, or directly conflicts with a decision of another district court or of the Supreme Court on the same question of law. The Supreme Court has administrative functions for the state court system, including promulgating rules governing the practice and procedure in all Florida courts; regulating the admission and discipline of lawyers via the Florida Bar; and disciplining and removing judicial officers.  
• District Courts of Appeal review decisions of lower tribunals using multi-judge panels. Additionally, the district courts have been granted the power to review final actions taken by state agencies in carrying out the duties of the executive branch of government. There are six geographic districts covering the state with district courthouses located in in the cities of Tallahassee, Tampa, Miami, West Palm Beach, Daytona Beach, and Lakeland.
• Circuit Courts have general trial jurisdiction over matters not assigned by statute to the county courts. Circuit courts hear, among other matters, civil disputes involving more than $50,000; controversies involving the estates of decedents, minors, and persons adjudicated as incapacitated; and criminal prosecutions for all felonies. 
• County Courts are established in the Florida Constitution for each county. The county courts hear, for example, traffic offenses, misdemeanor cases, and civil disputes involving $50,000 or less.
• Office of the State Courts Administrator serves under the direction of the chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court and the other six justices and oversees the operation of numerous court initiatives and administrative functions, including collecting and analyzing court-related data; preparing branch budget requests; and coordinating education programs and materials for court employees and judges.

The funding information listed below is provided by Transparency Florida. Please contact the branch for more information on its funding. Additional information about branch funding and activities is available on the State of Florida Fiscal Portal.

OPPAGA Reports and Presentations
A complete list of OPPAGA reports and presentations is available on our website. 

Other Reports
Florida Courts, Publications and Statistics
Florida Courts Technology Commission Yearly Report, Florida Courts Technology Commission, 2024
A complete list of Florida Auditor General reports is available on its website.

Websites of Interest
Florida Courts, Florida Problem-Solving Courts Directory
Florida Supreme Court, Opinions
Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission
The Florida Bar
The Florida Bar, Florida Rules of Court Procedure
National Center for State Courts
National Center for State Courts, Court Statistics Project

Article V of the Florida Constitution and Chs. 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 34, 35, 38, 40, 43, and 44 Florida Statutes

Office of the State Courts Administrator Contact Website
Office of the State Courts Administrator
500 South Duval Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1900
(850) 922-5081
Website