Florida Chief Justice Carlos G. Muñiz issued a statewide mandate Thursday, ordering every judicial circuit in the state to establish a formal technology governance committee by the end of the year.
The administrative order, AOSC26-10, aims to eliminate the patchwork of digital tools currently used in Florida’s courtrooms in favor of a more unified, high-tech infrastructure.
The order requires each circuit’s chief judge to create these committees by December 30, 2026. The goal is to ensure that every county within a specific circuit uses the same Court Application Processing System (CAPS).
While the state is not moving toward one single system for all 67 counties, the Court is demanding that multi-county circuits stop using different software from one courthouse to the next.
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This directive follows years of study by the Workgroup on Trial Court Technology Strategies, which first flagged the need for better management tools in 2021. According to the final report, a standardized governance structure is necessary to “avoid technology-related disruptions to critical trial court operations.”
Under the new rules, these committees will be led by the chief judge or a judicial designee and will include a broad mix of stakeholders, such as trial court administrators, clerks of court, and IT officers. Judges also have the option to bring in representatives from the State Attorney’s office, Public Defenders, and local Sheriffs to ensure that data-sharing between agencies doesn’t break down during software upgrades or system migrations.
The committees are tasked with several key responsibilities, including:
- Prioritizing local tech projects and standardizing them across the circuit.
- Developing training programs to help staff navigate new digital resources.
- Working directly with the Florida Courts Technology Commission to report on progress.
- Managing cybersecurity standards and disaster recovery planning.
“Establishing a baseline for circuit technology governance promotes consistent practices and procedures across the state,” the order reads. It also notes that this coordination will help justice system partners share information more efficiently, ultimately benefiting the public who use the courts.
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For circuits that cannot meet the December 2026 deadline, the Supreme Court is requiring quarterly progress reports to be filed with the Commission until the new governance structure is fully operational. Each committee chair will also be required to submit an annual report detailing their circuit’s technological health and any policy recommendations to improve workloads.
The move marks a significant shift toward professionalizing how Florida’s judiciary handles its digital footprint, moving away from independent county-level decisions and toward a more cohesive, circuit-wide strategy.
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