Proposed Changes to Voluntary Trial Resolution

The Frame

What this does

If enacted, this bill would have allowed parties to bypass traditional court timelines by hiring a private judge, while requiring them to pay for all associated costs, including personnel and facility fees.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Civil litigants

They would have been authorized to hire private judges to resolve their cases, assuming full financial responsibility for the process.

Family law litigants

They would have been eligible to use this process for non-custody and non-support issues.

The Florida Bar members

Attorneys in good standing for over 5 years would have been eligible to be appointed as voluntary trial resolution judges.

What changed

Last recorded activity March 13, 2026.

What's next

Introduced.

Summary

This bill would have updated the process for parties in civil, family, or probate cases to hire a private judge to resolve their disputes. It established specific requirements for these ' judges' and clarified how they would interact with the public court system.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Could I use this process for a child custody dispute?

No. The bill explicitly stated that does not apply to disputes involving child custody, visitation, or child support.

Who pays for the private judge?

The parties involved in the case are responsible for compensating the judge according to their written agreement.

Is the private judge's decision final?

The enters the final judgment prepared by the judge, and parties may appeal that judgment to the appropriate appellate court.

Why It Matters

If enacted, this bill would have allowed parties to bypass traditional court timelines by hiring a private judge, while requiring them to pay for all associated costs, including personnel and facility fees.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Voting Record

Motion succeededlower2/18/2026openstates_bulkOfficial roll call ↗

Favorable With Committee Substitute (Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee)

Total

18

Yes

15

No

0

Present

0

Not Voting

3

Abstain

0

How they voted (18)

Jon Albert

Republican · yes

Kim Berfield

Republican · yes

Dean Black

Republican · yes

Michele Rayner

Democratic · yes

Traci Koster

Republican · yes

Dotie Joseph

Democratic · not voting

Anna Eskamani

Democratic · yes

Vanessa Oliver

Republican · yes

David Borrero

Republican · yes

Meg Weinberger

Republican · yes

Kim Daniels

Democratic · not voting

Paula Stark

Republican · not voting

Susan Plasencia

Republican · yes

Danny Nix

Republican · yes

Mike Gottlieb

Democratic · yes

Kim Kendall

Republican · yes

Omar Blanco

Republican · yes

Bruce Antone

Democratic · yes

Full roll-call analysis →

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Privatization of Judicial Functions

The bill represented a shift toward allowing private parties to fund and select their own judges for civil, family, and probate matters, while still utilizing public court facilities and personnel.

Florida Legislature