The purpose of the Florida State Courts System is to protect rights and liberties, uphold and interpret the law, and provide for the peaceful resolution of disputes.

The Florida Constitution vests all judicial power in the supreme court, district courts of appeal, circuit courts, and county courts (i.e., the state courts system). The state courts system's activities include the following.

• The Supreme Court, the highest 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. It has the discretion to review certain district courts of appeal decisions that expressly declare valid a state statute, construe a provision of the state or federal constitution, affect a class of constitutional or state officers, or directly conflict with a decision of another district court or of the Supreme Court on the same question of law. The Supreme Court may review certain categories of judgments, decisions, and questions of law certified to it by the district courts of appeal and federal appellate courts, or render advisory opinions to the Governor on questions relating to the governor's constitutional duties and powers. It also 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. The Supreme Court has seven justices and every two years one of the justices is elected to serve as chief justice by vote of the justices. The chief justice serves as the chief administrative officer of the judicial branch. 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.
• District Courts of Appeal hear appeals from trial court cases and other matters within their jurisdiction to correct harmful errors and to promote clarity and consistency in the law by publishing opinions that set precedents. 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. They must review county court decisions that invalidate a provision of the Florida Constitution or statutes and may review decisions of a county court that are certified to be of great public importance. There are six geographic districts covering the state with district courthouses located in the cities of Tallahassee, Tampa, Miami, West Palm Beach, Daytona Beach, and Lakeland.
• Circuit Courts hear criminal felonies, juvenile delinquency and dependency, divorce, probate, guardianship, and civil matters over $50,000, among other cases. They have general trial jurisdiction over matters not assigned by statute to the county courts and hear limited appeals from county court cases. Each circuit court serves a judicial circuit established by the Legislature, of which there are twenty, each serving one or more counties.
• County Courts hear cases such as traffic offenses, landlord-tenant disputes, certain small claims cases, misdemeanor criminal matters, violations of municipal and county ordinances, and civil disputes up to $50,000. County courts are established in the Florida Constitution for each county and their jurisdiction is set by statute.
• Office of the State Courts Administrator assists with the administrative tasks and oversight necessary to operate Florida's state courts system. Among other responsibilities, the office prepares legislative budget requests for the judicial branch; collects and analyzes court-related data; manages purchasing and service contracts; trains and certifies court interpreters and mediators; and provides training for judges and court employees. It is led by a state courts administrator, who works at the direction of the chief justice and the Florida Supreme Court, and serves as a liaison between the judicial branch and the legislative and executive branches of government.

The funding information listed below is provided by Transparency Florida. Additional funding information can be obtained on the State of Florida Fiscal Portal or by contacting the Office of the State Courts Administrator.

Information on the system’s performance may be found in its Data Website.

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

Other Reports
Florida Courts, Publications and Data
Florida Courts Technology Commission 2025 Annual Report, Florida Courts Technology Commission, 2026
2022-2024 Biennial Report, Florida State Courts, 2024
Florida Judicial Workload Assessment Final Report, National Center for State Courts, 2024
A complete list of Florida Auditor General reports is available on its website.

Websites of Interest
Florida Supreme Court
Florida Division of Administrative Hearings
Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission
The Florida Bar
National Center for State Courts
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
Supreme Court of the United States

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
Supreme Court Building
500 South Duval Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1900
(850) 922-5081
Website