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Justice Administrative Commission

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History of the Justice Administrative Commission

The Justice Administrative Commission (JAC), created in 1965, provides administrative services on behalf of 49 judicial related offices. Over the years, JAC’s statutory charge has experienced many changes. In 2004 JAC’s duties were expanded to provide compliance and financial review of billings for services provided by private court-appointed attorneys representing indigent persons and associated due process vendors. Subsequently, the Offices of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel and Clerks of Court Operations Corporation were added to the list of offices administratively served by JAC in 2007 and 2009 respectively. Then, in 2011, the Legislature repealed s. 27.709, F.S., effectively eliminating the Commission on Capital Cases. That same year, s. 27.710, F.S., was amended to require JAC to maintain the registry of private attorneys who indicate that they are eligible to be appointed to represent indigent defendants in Capital Collateral cases. In 2013, JAC inherited the “contracting and payment” of private court-appointed counsel representing individuals in capital collateral cases from the Department of Financial Services, and the payment of private court-appointed representation in death penalty clemency cases from the Department of Corrections. That same year, through additional legislative action, the Clerks of Court Operations Corporation is no longer served by JAC. In 2014, the Legislature transferred the contracting and payment of private court-appointed attorney representation for death penalty clemency cases to the newly renamed office of the Board of Executive Clemency, while JAC began the contracting and payment of private court-appointment counsel in dependency proceedings for children with special needs.

Currently, the JAC administratively serves 20 Offices of State Attorney, 20 Offices of Public Defender, 5 Offices of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel, 3 Offices of Capital Collateral Regional Counsel, and the Statewide Guardian ad Litem Program. Services provided are primarily in the areas of accounting, budget, financial services, and human resources. While the JAC administratively serves these offices, the JAC does not supervise, direct, or control the offices it serves. Overall, each year, JAC performs over 421,000 financial transactions for approximately 20,000 employees and vendors throughout the state.

The Commission is comprised of two State Attorneys, appointed by the President of the Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association, and two Public Defenders, appointed by the President of the Florida Public Defender Association. The Commission appoints an Executive Director, who is charged with oversight of necessary staff to efficiently and effectively carry out the JAC's duties.

JAC's Vision: To be the model of exemplary state government.

JAC's Mission: To support the entities we serve and Florida’s judicial system with fiscal controls, best practices, and exemplary service.

JAC's Core Competencies:

  1. Administrative Service
  2. Communication and Collaboration
  3. Prompt-Payment
  4. Fiscal Accountability
  5. Continuous Improvement and Innovation
JAC's Core Values: We take great pride in exemplary service, adaptability, honesty, integrity, and diversity, as well as respectful and ethical conduct.