Congratulations to Circuit Judge Raag Singhal who has been nominated by the President to serve on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida!

The Seventeenth Circuit’s 97th felony drug court graduation ceremony was held on July 25, 2019. We celebrated 206 participants who successfully completed the program!
Since its inception, drug court has helped thousands of people in the court system overcome their addictions. The ceremony was hosted by Drug Court Judges MicheleTowbin-Singer and Ari Porth and Magistrate Philip Schlissel, as well as their staff.

For the next two weeks, staff from the Department of Health Broward County will be on-site at City Hall during the Community Court dockets, offering free Hepatitis A vaccines.

Eleven young ladies from Girl Scout Troop 10115 visited the central courthouse last week, to take a tour, observe court, and have one-on-one time with a judge. Clerk of Courts Brenda Forman greeted the group with an overview of the role her office plays in the court system. After touring various courtrooms, and the jury room, the group went to Judge Tim Bailey’s courtroom for a hearing and to talk with the judge. The 5th grade scouts were there to learn about the government, in general, and the 8th grade scouts were there to earn their mediation badges.

Today, August 13, marks the first docket of the circuit’s new specialized court program, RISE, which stands for Restoring Independence, Strength and Empowerment. This specialized sub-division within the juvenile dependency and delinquency divisions will address the unique and special needs of children known or suspected of being a victim of human trafficking.

Last month, a kick-off event was held in the central courthouse, to answer questions from the public and participating agencies. With the support of many organizations, and the community, RISE Court will help our most vulnerable and exploited youth.

Last week, many of the Seventeenth’s circuit judges were away, attending the annual Florida Conference of Circuit Judges. The yearly gathering offers training and educational opportunities to circuit judges across the state.

To learn more about Florida’s State Courts, watch the presentation below.