The state Legislature will not consider a proposal to consolidate judicial circuits in Florida this year after the state Supreme Court and a judicial assessment committee concluded consolidation would neither save money nor improve the judicial process. 

“This year, aided by an assessment committee, we undertook a review focused narrowly on whether there is a need to consolidate (i.e., decrease the number of) judicial circuits,” the high court’s unanimous opinion issued on Dec. 21 states. “… We do not find that there is a need to consolidate judicial circuits at this time.”

The idea of consolidating the state’s judicial circuits was proposed last year by House Speaker Paul Renner (R-Palm Coast), who suggested the 20 judicial circuits have not been adjusted in more than a half-century despite rapid demographic changes. Streamlining the circuits and equalizing their populations could lead to more efficiency within the courts and more uniformity in the judicial system, Renner said.