Florida County and Circuit (Trial) Court Overview

Florida County and Circuit (Trial) Court Overview

This article provides an overview of county courts and circuit courts, which conduct trials of civil and criminal matters in Florida. The Florida Constitution establishes a county court in each of Florida’s 67 counties. The trial jurisdiction of county courts is established by statute. The jurisdiction of county courts extends to civil disputes involving $30,000 or less and criminal prosecutions for misdemeanors.

For all other matters, the Legislature has established twenty judicial circuits under the Constitution and each is served by a circuit court. Circuit courts have general trial jurisdiction over appeals from county court cases and all matters not assigned by statute to the county courts.

The trial jurisdiction of circuit courts includes:

• civil disputes involving more than $30,000;
• controversies involving the estates of decedents, minors, and persons adjudicated as incapacitated;
• cases relating to juveniles;
• criminal prosecutions for all felonies;
• tax disputes;
• actions to determine the title and boundaries of real property;
• suits for declaratory judgments (to determine the legal rights or responsibilities of parties under the terms of written instruments, laws, or regulations before a dispute arises and leads to litigation);
• requests for injunctions to prevent persons or entities from acting in a manner that is asserted to be unlawful; and
• the power to issue the extraordinary writs of certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, and habeas corpus, and all other writs necessary to the complete exercise of their jurisdiction.

Florida Circuit Court Websites