Florida Circuit Courts: Jurisdiction and Case Types

Florida's circuit courts occupy the primary trial court level of the state's general jurisdiction system, handling the broadest range of case types within the Florida judiciary. These courts sit above county courts but below the District Courts of Appeal in the Florida court system structure, and they process both civil and criminal matters that exceed the jurisdictional thresholds of lower courts. Understanding how circuit courts are organized, what cases they accept, and where their authority ends is essential for attorneys, litigants, and researchers navigating Florida's legal landscape.

Definition and scope

Florida's circuit courts are established under Article V, Section 5 of the Florida Constitution, which grants them jurisdiction over felony criminal cases, civil actions involving amounts greater than $50,000 (as adjusted by statute), family law matters, probate proceedings, and juvenile cases. The state is divided into 20 judicial circuits, each corresponding to one or more counties — ranging from single-county circuits such as the Seventeenth (Broward County) to multi-county circuits such as the Third (Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee, and Taylor Counties).

The governing procedural framework for civil cases is the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure promulgated by the Florida Supreme Court. Criminal proceedings follow the Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure. Both rule sets are administered under the authority of the Florida Supreme Court pursuant to Article V of the Florida Constitution, and the Florida Bar oversees attorney conduct within these proceedings.

Scope and geographic coverage: This page addresses Florida state circuit courts exclusively. Federal district courts operating within Florida — including the United States District Courts for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Florida — fall outside this scope. Tribal courts, federal administrative tribunals, and out-of-state proceedings are not covered. For the broader statutory and constitutional context governing Florida's legal system, see the regulatory context for Florida's legal system.

How it works

Circuit courts function as courts of general jurisdiction, meaning they hold original jurisdiction over the most serious classes of matters and also serve as appellate courts for decisions originating in county courts. The dual role — original trial forum and county court appellate reviewer — distinguishes circuit courts from purely trial-level or appellate-level bodies.

The structure of circuit court proceedings follows a discrete sequence:

1. Case initiation — A complaint, information, indictment, or petition is filed with the circuit court clerk. Civil cases require payment of a filing fee set under Florida Statutes § 28.241.
2. Assignment and scheduling — The case is assigned to a circuit judge. Florida's 20 circuits collectively employ approximately 600 circuit judges, with judge counts apportioned by caseload under Florida Statutes § 26.031.
3. Pre-trial proceedings — Motions, discovery, and case management conferences are governed by the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure or Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure depending on case type.
4. Trial or adjudication — Circuit courts conduct jury trials for felony criminal matters and for civil cases where either party requests one. Bench trials occur in family, probate, and juvenile divisions.
5. Post-judgment relief or appeal — Final orders from circuit courts are appealable to the Florida District Courts of Appeal, while circuit court appellate decisions reviewing county court rulings proceed by certiorari to the same District Courts.

Common scenarios

Circuit courts handle a defined set of substantive case categories. The following breakdown reflects the statutory and constitutional conferral of jurisdiction:

• Felony criminal cases — All prosecutions for crimes classified as third-degree, second-degree, or first-degree felonies under Florida Statutes Chapter 775, including capital offenses punishable by life imprisonment or death. These cases originate exclusively at the circuit level, never in county court. See Florida criminal law overview for classification detail.
• Civil cases exceeding $50,000 — Contract disputes, personal injury actions, and Florida tort law claims where the amount in controversy surpasses the county court ceiling. Business litigation, real estate title disputes, and complex commercial matters fall here as well.
• Family law matters — Dissolution of marriage, child custody, child support enforcement, adoption, and termination of parental rights proceedings. These are governed by the Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure and addressed in depth on the Florida family law overview page.
• Probate and guardianship — Administration of decedents' estates, trust disputes, and guardianship appointments under Florida Statutes Chapter 733. The Florida probate law overview covers this jurisdiction in detail.
• Juvenile cases — Dependency proceedings (child welfare) and delinquency adjudications involving minors, handled in the juvenile division under Florida Statutes Chapter 985 and Chapter 39. See Florida juvenile justice system for procedural specifics.
• Appeals from county courts — Circuit courts review county court judgments in civil matters up to $50,000 and misdemeanor criminal convictions, sitting as a two-judge appellate panel.

Decision boundaries

The jurisdictional line between circuit courts and county courts turns primarily on the monetary threshold and the offense classification. County courts hold exclusive original jurisdiction over civil claims of $50,000 or less and over misdemeanor and civil traffic offenses (Florida Statutes § 34.01). Circuit courts take over when the claim amount exceeds that ceiling or when the charged offense is a felony.

A comparison of the two trial-level courts clarifies the boundary:

Where a civil claim is filed in county court but the damages ultimately exceed $50,000, the party may move to transfer the action to circuit court under Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.060. Conversely, a circuit court may transfer a case to county court if the claim falls below the threshold.

Federal question claims and matters arising under federal statutes — even if the parties are Florida residents — belong in federal court, not Florida circuit court. The federal courts in Florida page details that parallel system. Florida circuit courts also lack jurisdiction over administrative agency decisions, which are reviewed through the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) and the District Courts of Appeal under Florida administrative law.

For foundational reference on how Florida law is codified and organized, the Florida Statutes codification process provides the structural background governing all statutes cited in circuit court proceedings.

References

• Florida Constitution, Article V — Florida Legislature
• Florida Statutes, Chapter 26 (Circuit Courts) — Florida Legislature
• Florida Statutes, Chapter 34 (County Courts) — Florida Legislature
• Florida Rules of Civil Procedure — The Florida Bar
• Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure — The Florida Bar
• Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure — The Florida Bar
• Florida Court Statistics and Reporting — Office of the State Courts Administrator
• Florida Statutes § 28.241 — Filing Fees — Florida Legislature
• Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) — State of Florida