Supreme Court asks legislators for 110 judges.

The Supreme Court has told the legislature that to "ensure that our citizens' constitutional right of access to their courts is protected and that disputes are fairly and timely resolved" 110 new judgeships need to be created this year.

In its annual certification opinion, the court said Florida needs 67 new circuit, 41 new county, and two more appellate jurists. Writing for a unanimous court, Chief Justice Barbara Pariente said access to justice can only be guaranteed to the people of Florida if there are sufficient numbers of judges to handle evergrowing caseloads in a timely manner.

"We emphasize, as we have in past years, that our analysis of judicial need today is not a statement of what the state courts subjectively want," Chief Justice Pariente said. "Rather, it is an assessment of what the state courts need."

For the circuits, the court certified a need for:

* Seven additional circuit judges each for the Fifth, 10th, and 11th Circuits.

* Six additional circuit judges each for the 13th and 17th circuits.

* Five additional circuit judges each for the Sixth and Ninth circuits.

* Four additional circuit judges each for the Seventh and 19th circuits.

* Three additional circuit judges each for the First and 20th circuits.

* Two additional circuit judges each for the Second, Fourth, and 18th circuits.

* One additional circuit judge each for the Third, Eighth, 14th, and 15th circuits.

For the counties, the court asked for the following:

* Six additional county judges for Broward County.

* Four additional county judges each for Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Brevard counties.

* Three additional county judges for Orange County.

* Two additional county judges each for Marion, Pasco, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and Collier counties.

* One additional county judge each for Duval, Hernando, Lake, Volusia, Manatee, Bay, Seminole, Martin, St. Lucie, and Lee counties.

At the district court of appeal level, the court requested one new judge each for the Second and Fifth DCAs.

Last year the Supreme Court called for 88 new judges and received none. Eighteen new judgeships were created three years ago.

Chief Justice Pariente said the need for the new judges was made after considering judgeship requests submitted by the lower courts, examining case filing and disposition data, and analyzing various judicial workload indicators.

Pariente also noted that the implementation of Revision 7 to Art. V, Florida "now, more than ever before," has a truly unified state...