Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Policy and Administration

Advisor

Victoria Landu-Adams

Abstract

The state of Florida approached the topic of funding for the courts system from a policy equilibrium position. The process used to fund Florida’s courts system was changed in 2004 to promote an equitable system of funding. However, a gap in knowledge remains regarding whether this new funding scheme improved the financial health of the courts system. This quantitative study, which involved using the punctuated equilibrium theory (PET) as its theoretical framework, examined funding associated with counties before (1998–2003) and after (2005–2018) the 2004 implementation of Revision 7 to Article V of the Florida Constitution. Revision 7 was examined as to how it affected funding in fiscally constrained counties. Archival-based data provided by the Florida Department of Financial Management was used to create the quantitative pretest/posttest design. The regression analysis revealed Revision 7 had a statistically significant impact on courts system funding post Revision 7. The potential positive social change impact from this research is obtaining a broader understanding of how policies are created and implemented. Legislative leaders can determine what type of tools are more effective when funding judicial services and which tools deliver a reduced impact. Identifying impacts of policy decisions serve lawmakers and citizens well by providing insight and empirical data regarding short- and long-term effects of political decisions.

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