1(1) Circuit courts shall have jurisdiction of appeals from county courts except:

(a) Appeals of county court orders or judgments where the amount in controversy is greater than $15,000. This paragraph is repealed on January 1, 2023.

(b) Appeals of county court orders or judgments declaring invalid a state statute or a provision of the State Constitution.

(c) Orders or judgments of a county court which are certified by the county court to the district court of appeal to be of great public importance and which are accepted by the district court of appeal for review.

Circuit courts shall have jurisdiction of appeals from final administrative orders of local government code enforcement boards.

(2) They shall have exclusive original jurisdiction:

(a) In all actions at law not cognizable by the county courts;

(b) Of proceedings relating to the settlement of the estates of decedents and minors, the granting of letters testamentary, guardianship, involuntary hospitalization, the determination of incompetency, and other jurisdiction usually pertaining to courts of probate;

(c) In all cases in equity including all cases relating to juveniles except traffic offenses as provided in chapters 316 and 985;

(d) Of all felonies and of all misdemeanors arising out of the same circumstances as a felony which is also charged;

(e) In all cases involving legality of any tax assessment or toll or denial of refund, except as provided in s. 72.011;

(f) In actions of ejectment; and

(g) In all actions involving the title and boundaries of real property.

(3) The circuit court may issue injunctions.

(4) The chief judge of a circuit may authorize a county court judge to order emergency hospitalizations pursuant to part I of chapter 394 in the absence from the county of the circuit judge; and the county court judge shall have the power to issue all temporary orders and temporary injunctions necessary or proper to the complete exercise of such jurisdiction.

(5) A circuit court is a trial court.

History.—s. 3, ch. 72-404; s. 1, ch. 74-209; s. 1, ch. 77-119; s. 1, ch. 80-399; s. 1, ch. 81-178; s. 22, ch. 81-259; s. 12, ch. 82-37; s. 2, ch. 84-303; s. 5, ch. 91-112; s. 27, ch. 94-353; s. 52, ch. 95-280; s. 3, ch. 98-280; s. 1, ch. 2004-11; s. 1, ch. 2019-58.

1Note.—Section 31, ch. 2019-58, provides that “[t]he amendments to the jurisdiction of a court made by this act shall apply with respect to the date of filing the cause of action, regardless of when the cause of action accrued.”