Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal

The Fifth District Court of Appeal was created by the 1979 session of the Florida Legislature.^[1] The addition of the Florida Sixth District Court of Appeal in 2023 changed the caseload of the Fifth DCA.

Previously, the Fifth DCA handled cases from the following counties and circuit courts: Lake, Marion, Sumter, Citrus & Hernando (Fifth Circuit); Volusia, Flagler, Putnam & St. Johns (Seventh Circuit); Orange & Osceola (Ninth Circuit); and Brevard & Seminole (18th Circuit). The Ninth Circuit was reassigned to the Sixth DCA and the Fourth Circuit (Clay, Duval & Nassau) was added from the First DCA. ^[1]

Judges who have served as Chief Judge of the Fifth DCA include:

• Thomas D. Sawaya (2003–2005)^[2]
• Robert J. Pleus Jr. (2005–2007)^[3]
• David A. Monaco (2009–2011)^[4]
• Richard B. Orfinger (2011–2013)^[5]
• Jay P. Cohen (2017–2018)^[6]
• Kerry I. Evander (2019-2021)^[7]

Judges who are currently serving on the Fifth DCA include:^[8]

Senior judges are appointed to temporary judicial duty.^[11] Judges who are on senior status at the Fifth DCA include:^[12]

• Richard B. Orfinger
• Emerson R. Thompson Jr.
• Bruce W. Jacobus
• Thomas D. Sawaya

• Florida District Courts of Appeal (for history and general overview)
• Florida First District Court of Appeal
• Florida Second District Court of Appeal
• Florida Third District Court of Appeal
• Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal
• Florida Sixth District Court of Appeal

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal.

• Website of the Florida District Courts of Appeal
• Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal Website