Foreclosure glut swarms judges

The Florida Supreme Court, in a new report, says it will take at least 63 new judges to clear up the backlog of foreclosures that continues to clog up courtrooms statewide.

Judges are currently taking on some work staff used to do, according to a News Service of Florida account of the Supreme Court report. Court officials recognize funds for that many new judges is a stretch, but they emphasize the need is legitimate.

“We observe that state revenues, while gradually improving, continue to lag, thereby creating competition between funding new judgeships and attending to other critical state needs,” the court wrote, according to the News Service. “Yet, as we have noted in previous opinions, our judges and court staff continue to work conscientiously to administer justice and resolve disputes promptly. They do so despite a demonstrated need for new judges and with a smaller staffing complement.”

The report additionally stated that the “workload associated with the residential mortgage foreclosure crisis continues to impede disposition times and rates in our circuit civil divisions.”

Court officials examined case data and judicial workload, and they looked at a three-year average need to come up with the recommendations. The report officially requests 16 new circuit judges and 47 county court judges, the News Service story states.

“Several of the chief judges cited problems of fewer staff to assist with case processing matters...” the court wrote. “Our judges continue to absorb the work previously performed by case managers, law clerks, magistrates, and other supplemental support staff lost in the budget reductions of recent years.”