Florida's district courts of appeal have jurisdiction to hear appeals of final judgments or orders of lower tribunals that are not directly appealable to the Supreme Court or a circuit court. The district courts of appeal (DCAs) are currently organized into five districts. The geographical boundaries of the DCAs have not changed since the addition of the Fifth District Court of Appeal in 1979. The DCAs vary in size, with the largest court being the Second DCA, composed of 16 judges, and the Third DCA being the smallest at 10 judges. Over the past 10 years, appellate case filings have declined both statewide and in four of the five DCAs.
Currently, the proportion of judgeships in each district is comparable to both the proportion of appellate filings and the population. However, forecasted population growth in the central and southwestern parts of Florida may be a factor in future judicial workload and the Legislature could consider options to modify the boundaries of the current districts.

Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.