Florida HB 1391: Judge Report Cards Could Transform Family Court

Florida Wants to Grade Its Family Court Judges — and the Results Would Be Public

According to the Florida Senate legislative database, a bipartisan pair of bills — House Bill 1391 and its companion Senate Bill 452 — would require the Office of State Courts Administrator to prepare and publish annual "report cards" for every family court judge in every judicial circuit across the state. The publicly accessible online database would track performance metrics in family law proceedings and deliver annual summaries directly to the Legislature. HB 1391 is currently working its way through the Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee.

If you are going through a divorce in Florida, or think you might be heading that direction, this is a bill worth watching. It could fundamentally change how family law is practiced in this state — and it could give you information that, until now, has been almost impossible to find.

What These Bills Would Actually Do

Right now, if you want to know what a particular family court judge is like, your options are limited. You can ask your attorney, who may have appeared before that judge a handful of times. You can search online for anecdotal reviews that may or may not be accurate. You can check bar association polls that measure general approval but tell you nothing about specific performance in family law matters.

HB 1391 and SB 452 would change that by creating a standardized, data-driven evaluation system. While the full details of what metrics would be tracked are still being shaped through the committee process, the concept of a judicial report card typically encompasses things like:

• Case disposition timelines (how long it takes a judge to resolve cases)
• Reversal rates on appeal
• Compliance with statutory deadlines
• Litigant and attorney satisfaction surveys
• Caseload management efficiency

The key word here is "publicly accessible." This would not be an internal evaluation that sits in a filing cabinet somewhere. It would be an online database that anyone — you, your attorney, a journalist, a legislator — could access and review.

Why This Matters for Florida Divorce Cases

As a Florida family law attorney, I can tell you that the judge assigned to your case matters enormously. Two judges in the same courthouse, applying the same Florida Statutes, can approach issues like equitable distribution, alimony, and time-sharing in meaningfully different ways. Not because they are applying the law incorrectly, but because family law involves a tremendous amount of judicial discretion.

Under Florida Statute 61.075, for example, a court must begin with the premise that marital assets should be distributed equally — but the judge has broad authority to make an unequal distribution if the circumstances justify it. How a particular judge exercises that discretion can have a six-figure impact on the outcome of your case.

The same is true in contested divorces, where the pace at which a judge moves through their docket can mean the difference between a resolution in six months and one that drags on for over a year. If you have ever wondered why some divorces seem to take forever while others move efficiently, the judge is often the single biggest variable.

Public report cards would pull back the curtain on these differences in a way that has never been done before in Florida family courts.

How This Could Change Case Strategy

Let me be direct about one of the most significant practical implications of this legislation: venue and judge selection strategy.

Florida law generally requires that a divorce be filed in the county where the respondent lives, or in the county where the parties last lived together. Under Florida Statute 47.011, the rules about proper venue are fairly specific. But in circuits with multiple family court judges, there is typically a random assignment process.

If report card data showed that one judge in a particular circuit consistently resolved cases faster, had fewer reversals on appeal, or scored higher on litigant satisfaction, that information could influence everything from how aggressively a party pursues settlement to whether they invest in collaborative divorce processes versus preparing for trial.

It could also create a powerful accountability mechanism. Judges who know their performance is being publicly tracked and reported to the Legislature every year have an incentive to manage their dockets efficiently and apply the law consistently. That is good for everyone who walks into a family courtroom.

The Other Side of the Argument

I want to be fair here, because there are legitimate concerns about judicial report cards that deserve acknowledgment.

Family law is messy. Cases involve deeply personal issues — children, finances, domestic violence, substance abuse — that do not lend themselves to tidy metrics. A judge who takes longer to resolve cases might be doing so because they are handling more complex matters with greater care. A judge with a higher reversal rate might be making bold but defensible calls on novel legal questions.

There is also a concern about judicial independence. If judges feel pressured to hit certain performance benchmarks, they might prioritize speed over thoroughness, or settle for outcomes that look good on paper rather than doing justice in individual cases.

These are real concerns, and the committee process should address them. But on balance, I believe transparency is almost always better than opacity — especially in a system that has such a profound impact on families and children.

What About Florida SB 1128?

It is worth noting that this is not the only bill this session aimed at improving how Florida family courts function. Senate Bill 1128, which recently passed its committee 11-0, would create after-hours judges to handle emergency time-sharing and custody enforcement disputes. Together, these bills suggest a growing legislative appetite for family court reform in Florida — and a recognition that the system, as it currently operates, has room for improvement.

That is a good thing. Family court touches more Floridians than almost any other part of the judicial system, and for most people, their divorce is the only time they will ever stand before a judge. They deserve a system that is transparent, efficient, and accountable.

What You Should Do Right Now

These bills have not passed yet. HB 1391 still needs to clear the Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee and advance through the full legislative process, and the Senate companion bill faces its own committee path. There is no guarantee either bill becomes law.

But here is what you can do in the meantime:

• If you are starting a divorce, ask your attorney what they know about the judges in your circuit. Experienced family law attorneys have this institutional knowledge even without a public database.
• If you are already in a case and concerned about how it is being handled, understand your options for judicial reassignment or appeal. These are limited, but they exist.
• If you care about family court reform, contact your state representative and senator. Bipartisan bills like this one move through the Legislature faster when constituents express support.
• Make sure your case is properly prepared regardless of which judge you draw. Having the right documents and forms in order and your financial disclosures complete gives you the best possible foundation no matter who is on the bench.

Frequently Asked Questions

Would judge report cards let me choose which judge hears my divorce?

No. Florida has established rules about venue and judicial assignment, and report cards would not change those rules. What they would do is give you and your attorney better information to develop your case strategy based on the judge you are assigned. Knowing how a particular judge tends to handle timelines, contested hearings, and discretionary decisions is valuable intelligence for preparing your case.

When would these judge report cards become available if the bills pass?

The bills direct the Office of State Courts Administrator to create and maintain the database, but the full implementation timeline would depend on the final version of the legislation. Typically, new Florida laws take effect on July 1 of the year they are passed, but a system this complex would likely include a phase-in period. For now, HB 1391 is still in committee and has not yet received a floor vote.

Do any other states publish family court judge performance data?

Several states have experimented with judicial performance evaluation programs, with varying degrees of public transparency. Arizona, Colorado, and Utah are among the states that publish some form of judicial evaluation data. However, a system specifically focused on family court performance with a publicly accessible online database, as proposed by HB 1391 and SB 452, would make Florida one of the most transparent states in the country on this issue.

If you are navigating a Florida divorce and want to understand how your judge, your circuit, and the current legal landscape affect your case, consider scheduling a strategy session with our team. We can help you build a plan based on the realities of your specific situation.

This article discusses recent news and provides general legal commentary. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon for legal decisions. Every divorce case is unique. If you are facing a similar situation, consult with a qualified Florida family law attorney. Contact Divorce.law for a strategy session.