The Brief
- A new Polk County court expansion is tackling the heavy caseload at the 10th Judicial Circuit Court in Bartow.
- Officials added a sixth family division to help distribute thousands of domestic cases and ease the heavy burden on local judges.
- The changes utilize specific zip codes to redirect future family law hearings to a government center located in Haines City.
BARTOW, Fla. – Chief Judge James Yancey established a sixth family division at Florida’s 10th Judicial Circuit Court on Monday to address an exploding population and a surging caseload in Polk County.
Polk County court expansion
What we know:
Polk County ranks as one of the fastest-growing areas in both the state and the nation. This population boom has translated into a 16% increase in all court filings during the first six months of this year compared to 2025.
To handle the influx, an administrative order added a sixth family division to the 10th Judicial Circuit Court, expanding it from five.…