It may not happen in 2026, but down the road, Florida voters will see an increase in those running for local judicial seats.
Last month, the Florida Supreme Court backed a plan that would open 25 new trial court judges in the state. Thirteen would be added at the circuit court level, and 12 at the county court level.
“Depending on the timeline, most likely these would be appointed by the Governor, then when their 6-year term ends, the judicial race circuit and county will be decided by the voters,” said Elections lawyer and Analyst Lindsey Brock.
The state court said the move to increase the number of judges was due to the weighted caseload and to address parts of the state experiencing population growth.
The state court said there’s also been a rise in court filings, which in turn has increased demand for additional legal work to help meet the additional judicial time required. Plus, the expansion of problem-solving courts, which require additional judicial engagement with participants, and the growing complexity of filings, particularly in the civil and family divisions.
Some of the locations where judges may be added.
Walton County in Northwest Florida. Highlands and Lee County along Southwest Florida, and Hillsborough on the west coast.
Because of population growth in Central Florida, Orange County may see more judges added, as may Duval County in North Florida.
“The Court is mindful of the state’s current fiscal climate and projected budget shortfalls in subsequent fiscal years and recognizes that establishing new judgeships results in operational and potential fiscal impacts for justice-system partners, such as the clerks of the circuit courts, state attorneys, and public defenders,” the state court said.
Lindsay Brock says a lot of the new positions will be determined on funding by the state legislature.
“This also comes down to efficiency,” Brock said. “The state court realizes by increasing the amount of judges in the state, it will help move cases through the system at a quicker rate.”
