Florida Court System

State Courts

Appellate Level

• Florida Supreme Court - Highest court in the state; final appellate authority

  • 7 justices
  • Hears constitutional and case law issues

• Florida District Courts of Appeal - Intermediate appellate courts

  • 5 districts statewide
  • Reviews lower court decisions

Trial Level

• Circuit Courts - Primary trial courts

  • General jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters
  • Family law (dissolution of marriage, custody, support)
  • Felony criminal trials

• County Courts - Lower trial courts

  • Limited jurisdiction
  • Small claims and misdemeanors

Federal Courts

• U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit - Reviews federal cases from Florida
• U.S. District Courts for Florida (Northern, Middle, Southern Districts)

Court Procedures

Custody and dissolution of marriage matters in Florida are typically handled in Circuit Courts under Family Law jurisdiction, with appeals to the District Courts of Appeal and potentially the Supreme Court.

Related

• Florida - Florida jurisdiction overview
• Fla. Stat. § 61.13 - Custody and parental responsibility statute