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Florida District Courts Of AppealThe Florida District Courts of Appeal provide the intermediate level of judicial review in the state of Florida, having authority over the decisions of county courts and state circuit courts, and falling under the authority of the Florida Supreme Court. The state of Florida created the District Courts of Appeal in 1957, thanks in part to a lobbying effort by Florida Supreme Court Justice Elwyn Thomas, to handle the ever-increasing court docket. The State Constitution now requires the Legislature to divide the State into appellate court districts, providing each with a District Court of Appeal ("DCA"). At this point, there are five DCA's: - The First District Court of Appeal is headquartered in Tallahassee
- The Second District Court of Appeal is headquartered in Lakeland
- The Third District Court of Appeal is headquartered in Miami
- The Fourth District Court of Appeal is headquartered in West Palm Beach
- The Fifth District Court of Appeal is headquartered in Daytona Beach
DCA judges, like Florida Supreme Court Justices, are initially appointed by the governor, but must be retained by the voters every six years. DCA's have different numbers of judges - currently ranging from 11 to 15 - based on their regional needs. Appeals are usually heard by a three-judge panel, although occasionally a DCA will hold an en banc hearing, in which all the judges participate. Because the Florida Supreme Court has predominantly discretionary jurisdiction (i.e., can choose which cases it wants to hear)) the DCA's give the final word on the vast majority of cases appealed in the State of Florida. External Link Website of the Florida District Courts of Appeal
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