Florida Statutes
Fla. Stat. § 26.021 (2025)
Judicial circuits; judges.
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26.021 Judicial circuits; judges.—The state is divided into 20 judicial circuits:
(1) The first circuit is composed of Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Walton Counties.
(2) The second circuit is composed of Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, and Wakulla Counties.
(3) The third circuit is composed of Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee, and Taylor Counties.
(4) The fourth circuit is composed of Clay, Duval, and Nassau Counties.
(5) The fifth circuit is composed of Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion, and Sumter Counties.
(6) The sixth circuit is composed of Pasco and Pinellas Counties.
(7) The seventh circuit is composed of Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, and Volusia Counties.
(8) The eighth circuit is composed of Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, Levy, and Union Counties.
(9) The ninth circuit is composed of Orange and Osceola Counties.
(10) The tenth circuit is composed of Hardee, Highlands, and Polk Counties.
(11) The eleventh circuit is composed of Miami-Dade County.
(12) The twelfth circuit is composed of DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota Counties.
(13) The thirteenth circuit is composed of Hillsborough County.
(14) The fourteenth circuit is composed of Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, and Washington Counties.
(15) The fifteenth circuit is composed of Palm Beach County.
(16) The sixteenth circuit is composed of Monroe County.
(17) The seventeenth circuit is composed of Broward County.
(18) The eighteenth circuit is composed of Brevard and Seminole Counties.
(19) The nineteenth circuit is composed of Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie Counties.
(20) The twentieth circuit is composed of Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee Counties.
(21) Notwithstanding subsections (1)-(20), the territorial jurisdiction of a circuit court may be expanded as provided for in s. 910.03(3).
The judicial nominating commission of each circuit, in submitting nominations for any vacancy in a judgeship, and the Governor, in filling any vacancy for a judgeship, shall consider whether the existing judges within the circuit, together with potential nominees or appointees, reflect the geographic distribution of the population within the circuit, the geographic distribution of the caseload within the circuit, the racial and ethnic diversity of the population within the circuit, and the geographic distribution of the racial and ethnic minority population within the circuit.
History.—s. 4, ch. 72-404; s. 1, ch. 80-164; s. 1, ch. 81-220; s. 1, ch. 82-238; s. 1, ch. 94-137; s. 2, ch. 94-184; s. 8, ch. 2008-4; s. 7, ch. 2014-182.
Note.—Former ss. 26.02, 26.03, 26.04, 26.05, 26.06, 26.07, 26.08-26.16, and 26.161-26.165.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 14
cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1984–2026 · leading case: Nipper v. Smith, 39 F.3d 1494 (11th Cir. 1994).
Nipper v. Smith, 39 F.3d 1494 (11th Cir. 1994). “See Fla.Stat.Ann. § 26.021 (West 1988). Each circuit judge has jurisdiction or authority within the entire circuit; similarly, the jurisdiction of each judge of the county court extends throughout the county.”
Ward v. State, 753 So. 2d 705 (Fla. 1st DCA 2000). “…NOTES [1] The Second Judicial Circuit comprises Leon, Gadsden, Jefferson, Wakulla, Liberty, and Franklin Counties. § 26.021(2), Fla. Stat. (1997).”
Mallory v. Harkness, 895 F. Supp. 1556 (S.D. Fla. 1995). “021 to provide that [t]he judicial nominating commission of each circuit, in submitting nominations for any vacancy in a judgeship, and the Governor, in filling any vacancy for a judgeship, shall consider whether the existing judges within the circuit, together with potential…”
Bd. of T. of Int. Imp. Trust F. v. Mobil Oil, 455 So. 2d 412 (Fla. 2d DCA 1984). “The geographical boundaries of a circuit court along county lines were designed and prescribed with a definite object in view to constrict the extent of a circuit court's operation and authority.”
To v. Alachua Juv. Det. Ctr., 668 So. 2d 243 (Fla. 1st DCA 1996). “First, however, a jurisdictional issue must be addressed. The order of detention was issued by the Putnam County Circuit Court, a court within the jurisdiction of the Seventh Judicial Circuit.”
Egner v. Unemployment Appeals Com'n, 633 So. 2d 1157 (Fla. 1st DCA 1994). “See §§ 26.021(6) and 35.03, Fla. Stat. (1993).”
Jacobs v. State, 687 So. 2d 24 (Fla. 5th DCA 1996). “") (footnotes omitted); see also § 26.021(9) Fla. Stat. (1995) (stating that Orange County is located the Ninth Judicial Circuit); § 35.”
Stanek-Cousins v. State, 896 So. 2d 865 (Fla. 5th DCA 2005). “Cousins elected to be tried in Palm Beach County, and the trial court granted the motion. Thus, venue was transferred, and she was tried and convicted in Palm Beach County, which is in the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit.”
In Re: Jud. Circuit Assessment (Fla. 2023). “12 See § 26.021, Fla. Stat. (2023); § 26.01, Fla.”
Kohut v. Evans, 623 So. 2d 569 (Fla. 4th DCA 1993). “Section 26.021(13), Florida Statutes (1991), defines the territory of the Thirteenth Circuit as Hillsborough County, and Section 26.”
State v. Alves, 610 So. 2d 591 (Fla. 5th DCA 1992). “V, § 4(b)(1); § 26.021, Fla. Stat. (1991); Fla.R.App.P.”
John A. Greager, II, M.D. v. Dep't of Health, Bd. of Med. (Fla. 6th DCA 2026). “; § 26.021(2), Fla. Stat. Naples, Florida, is located in Collier County in the Sixth District.”
— 26.021(13) — 1 case
Kohut v. Evans, 623 So. 2d 569 (Fla. 4th DCA 1993). “Section 26.021(13), Florida Statutes (1991), defines the territory of the Thirteenth Circuit as Hillsborough County, and Section 26.”
— 26.021(15) — 2 cases
Stanek-Cousins v. State, 896 So. 2d 865 (Fla. 5th DCA 2005). “Cousins elected to be tried in Palm Beach County, and the trial court granted the motion. Thus, venue was transferred, and she was tried and convicted in Palm Beach County, which is in the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit.”
Kohut v. Evans, 623 So. 2d 569 (Fla. 4th DCA 1993). “Section 26.021(13), Florida Statutes (1991), defines the territory of the Thirteenth Circuit as Hillsborough County, and Section 26.”
— 26.021(2) — 2 cases
Ward v. State, 753 So. 2d 705 (Fla. 1st DCA 2000). “…NOTES [1] The Second Judicial Circuit comprises Leon, Gadsden, Jefferson, Wakulla, Liberty, and Franklin Counties. § 26.021(2), Fla. Stat. (1997).”
John A. Greager, II, M.D. v. Dep't of Health, Bd. of Med. (Fla. 6th DCA 2026). “; § 26.021(2), Fla. Stat. Naples, Florida, is located in Collier County in the Sixth District.”
— 26.021(20) — 1 case
John A. Greager, II, M.D. v. Dep't of Health, Bd. of Med. (Fla. 6th DCA 2026). “; § 26.021(2), Fla. Stat. Naples, Florida, is located in Collier County in the Sixth District.”
— 26.021(5) — 1 case
Brooks v. Lockett, 658 So. 2d 1205 (Fla. 5th DCA 1995).
— 26.021(6) — 1 case
Egner v. Unemployment Appeals Com'n, 633 So. 2d 1157 (Fla. 1st DCA 1994). “See §§ 26.021(6) and 35.03, Fla. Stat. (1993).”
— 26.021(7) — 1 case
To v. Alachua Juv. Det. Ctr., 668 So. 2d 243 (Fla. 1st DCA 1996). “First, however, a jurisdictional issue must be addressed. The order of detention was issued by the Putnam County Circuit Court, a court within the jurisdiction of the Seventh Judicial Circuit.”
— 26.021(9) — 2 cases
Jacobs v. State, 687 So. 2d 24 (Fla. 5th DCA 1996). “") (footnotes omitted); see also § 26.021(9) Fla. Stat. (1995) (stating that Orange County is located the Ninth Judicial Circuit); § 35.”
Brooks v. Lockett, 658 So. 2d 1205 (Fla. 5th DCA 1995).
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