A federal judge delivered an ultimatum to attorneys representing Gov. Ron DeSantis and his administration in a lawsuit challenging a 2019 law that implemented a constitutional amendment restoring voting rights to felons who have completed their sentences.

U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle warned the state's attorneys to come up with a process to determine whether felons have paid "legal financial obligations" as required by the law and whether those felons have the ability to pay the court-ordered fees and fines. He said that work needs to be done before an April 27 trial in the case — or else.

"If the state is not going to fix it, I will," Hinkle snapped during a telephone hearing Thursday afternoon.