Florida Needs-

ORDER IN THE COURTS

REVISION OF ARTICLE V OF THE CONSTITUTION WILL BRING ODER TO THE PRESENT COURT "HODGE PODGE"

IT WOULD:

ELIMINATE DUPLICATION

Instead of 15 kinds of trial courts, there will be 2.

Circuit - Civil $2500 and over, juvenile, probate, guardianship, competency and all felonies.

County - Civil less than $2500, misdemeanors, traffic, and violations of all ordinaces.

As an example, at present, if a citizen sues for damages under $2500 he may either enter his case in a small claims court, a county court, or a county judge's court, a justice of the peace court, a magistrate's court, a court of record, a civil court of record, or a circuit court, depending upon the county where he resides.

In the proposed system he would go to a county court.

ESTABLISH RULES FOR ALL COURTS

For the first time there will be clear cut lines of responsibility and accountability.

SPEED JUSTICE

More efficient use will be made of judicial manpower by assignment of judges to the courts that need them.

New judges may be created by the legislature on the basis of need, not population.

Professional court administrators may be used allowing judfes more time to dispense justice.

BRING LOCAL JUSTICE CLOSER TO THE PEOPLE

Branch courts may be established throughout the county as needed.

Grievance procedures are provided for citizens to lodge complaints against trial judges of lower courts.

REMOVE LOCAL POLITICS FROM JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS

Judicial nominating commissions will remove patronage power which is sometimes used by elected officials to reward unqualified supporters.

PROVIDE MORE LOCAL REVENUE

The new article provides for total state funding of courts thus relieing local property taxpayers from this burden and releasing more money for local services.

ELIMINATE PART-TIME JUSTICE

All judges must serve full time removing the possibility of conflicts of interest.

PHASE OUT ALL NON-LAWYER JUDGES

Except in counties under 40,000 all non-lawyers judges will eventually be phased out.

ABOLISH THE FEE SYSTEM

In many courts fees collected from fines are used to determine judges' salaries and other court costs. This has been called a "justice-by-the-dollar" system. This practice will be abolished. Any fines and forfeitures collected will be returned to the city or county where the offense occurred.

PROMOTE COURT ROOM DECORUM & DIGNITY

At present, many municipal and justice of the peace courts are conducted in garages, auto repair shops, etc. What defendants see in such cases they use as a basis for jduging all the courts in the land. The proposed revision would ensure that all courts will be state courts with appropriate judicial procedures.

Vote FOR Amendment I

ARTICLE V REVISION ... on March 14

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF FLORIDA

1310 W. Colonial Drive - Orlando, Florida, 32804