Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal

The Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida.



History
The Fifth District Court of Appeal was created by the 1979 session of the Florida Legislature. The addition of the Florida Sixth District Court of Appeal in 2023 changed the caseload of the Fifth DCA.

Previously, the Fifth DCA handled cases from the following counties and circuit courts: Lake, Marion, Sumter, Citrus & Hernando (Fifth Circuit); Volusia, Flagler, Putnam & St. Johns (Seventh Circuit); Orange & Osceola (Ninth Circuit); and Brevard & Seminole (18th Circuit). The Ninth Circuit was reassigned to the Sixth DCA and the Fourth Circuit (Clay, Duval & Nassau) was added from the First DCA.

Chief Judges
Judges who have served as Chief Judge of the Fifth DCA include:


 * Thomas D. Sawaya (2003–2005)
 * Robert J. Pleus Jr. (2005–2007)
 * David A. Monaco (2009–2011)
 * Richard B. Orfinger (2011–2013)
 * Jay P. Cohen (2017–2018)
 * Kerry I. Evander (2019-2021)

Active Judges
Judges who are currently serving on the Fifth DCA include:

Senior Judges
Senior judges are appointed to temporary judicial duty. Judges who are on senior status at the Fifth DCA include:


 * Richard B. Orfinger
 * Emerson R. Thompson Jr.
 * Bruce W. Jacobus
 * Thomas D. Sawaya