Florida Statute 43.26 - Full Text and Legal Analysis

The 2025 Florida Statutes

Title V
JUDICIAL BRANCH

Chapter 43
COURTS: GENERAL PROVISIONS

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F.S. 43.26

43.26 Chief judge of circuit; selection; powers.—

(1) The chief judge of each judicial circuit, who shall be a circuit judge, shall exercise administrative supervision over all the trial courts within the judicial circuit and over the judges and other officers of such courts.

(2) The chief judge of the circuit shall have the power:

(a) To assign judges to any division of the court and to determine the length of the assignment;

(b) To regulate use of courtrooms;

(d) To require attendance of state attorneys, public defenders, clerks, bailiffs, and all other officers of the court; and

(e) To do everything necessary to promote the prompt and efficient administration of justice in the courts over which he or she is chief judge.

(f) To delegate to the trial court administrator, by administrative order, the authority to bind the circuit in contract.

(g) To manage, operate, and oversee the jury system as provided in s. 40.001.

(3) The chief judge shall be responsible to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for such information as may be required by the Chief Justice, including, but not limited to, caseload, status of dockets, and disposition of cases in the courts over which he or she presides.

(4) Failure of any judge, clerk, prosecutor, public defender, or other officer of the court to comply with an order or directive of the chief judge under this section shall constitute neglect of duty for which such officer may be suspended from office as provided by law.

(5) There may be a trial court administrator who shall perform such duties as the chief judge may direct.

(6) The chief judge of each circuit is charged by s. 2(d), Art. V of the State Constitution and this section with the authority to promote the prompt and efficient administration of justice in the courts over which he or she is chief judge. The clerks of court provide court-related functions which are essential to the orderly operation of the judicial branch. The chief judge of each circuit, after consultation with the clerk of court, shall determine the priority of services provided by the clerk of court to the trial court. The clerk of court shall manage the performance of such services in a method or manner that is consistent with statute, rule, or administrative order.

History.—s. 1, ch. 71-214; s. 1, ch. 77-119; s. 260, ch. 95-147; s. 65, ch. 2003-402; s. 30, ch. 2005-236.

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Amendments to 43.26

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Cases Citing Statute 43.26

Total Results: 9

Morse v. Moxley

691 So. 2d 504, 1997 WL 97162

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Mar 7, 1997 | Docket: 1423094

Cited 5 times | Published

order apparently was entered under color of section 43.26(2)(b), Florida Statutes, which provides that

Jimenez v. Rateni

967 So. 2d 1075, 2007 WL 3307210

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Nov 9, 2007 | Docket: 1733596

Cited 2 times | Published

the judges and other officers of such courts." § 43.26(1), Fla. Stat. (2006). The clerk of court is required

Florida Board of Bar Examiners

676 So. 2d 372, 21 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 122, 1996 Fla. LEXIS 442, 1996 WL 108536

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Mar 14, 1996 | Docket: 64766074

Cited 1 times | Published

$310.00 $375.00 as prescribed under Article V, Section 43 26 and shall be filed in the Board’s office within

Knight v. Chief Judge of Florida's Twelfth Judicial Circuit

235 So. 3d 996

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Dec 27, 2017 | Docket: 60287253

Published

the judges and other officers of such courts.” § 43.26(1), Fla. Stat. (2016). The legislature has empowered

Schmidter v. State

103 So. 3d 263, 2012 Fla. App. LEXIS 21955, 2012 WL 6629772

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Dec 21, 2012 | Docket: 60227067

Published

section 2(d) of the Florida Constitution and section 43.26, Florida Statutes, the chief judge of each judicial

Spechler v. Tobin

591 F. Supp. 2d 1350, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 103693, 2008 WL 5191101

District Court, S.D. Florida | Filed: Dec 10, 2008 | Docket: 2023841

Published

circuit courts and county courts in his circuit."); § 43.26(2)(a), Fla. Stat. (2007) ("The chief judge of the

Ago

Florida Attorney General Reports | Filed: Jan 17, 2006 | Docket: 3256176

Published

v.Thompson, 101 So. 2d 381 (Fla. 1958). 8 Section 43.26(6), Fla. Stat., and cf. 29.001(2), Fla. Stat

Eastmoore v. Stone

265 So. 2d 517, 1972 Fla. App. LEXIS 6423

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Aug 10, 1972 | Docket: 64527224

Published

judges of his circuit as conferred by F.S. Section 43.26, F.S.A. Because of the foregoing reasons, we

In re Florida Rules of Civil Procedure

251 So. 2d 249, 1971 Fla. LEXIS 3465

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Aug 11, 1971 | Docket: 64521693

Published

amended Florida Statutes, Chapter 43 by-adding Section 43.26, does not fully provide for the administrative