Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Photo: Alicia Vera/Bloomberg. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Photo: Alicia Vera/Bloomberg.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a bill that will set a higher dollar limit for lawsuits entering circuit court.

County court is home to small claims, which include disputes up to $15,000. But that ceiling will rise to $30,000 on Jan. 1, 2020, and then increase again to $50,000 on Jan. 1, 2023.

It's the first time the jurisdictional limit has changed since 1992, according to House staff.

Rep. Tom Leek, R-Ormond Beach, sponsored the bill, HB 337.

The move could impact case composition in Florida courts, diverting thousands of civil cases from circuit to county court dockets, covering disputes like vehicle repossession and credit card debt collection.

The consequences of that remain to be seen, as many small claims courthouses aren't equipped for large trials, have small parking lots and could need a new pool of staff.

Read the full bill:

 

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