Florida's Other Courts

Pushing past the standard federal-state narrative, the essays in Florida's Other Courts examine eight little-known Florida courts. In doing so, they fill a longstanding gap in the state's legal literature. In Part I, the contributors profile Florida's courts under the Spanish and British empires and during its existence as a U.S. territory and a member of the Confederate States of America. In Part II, they describe four modern-era courts: those governing military personnel stationed in Florida; adherents of specific religious faiths in Florida; residents of Miami's black neighborhoods during the waning days of Jim Crow segregation; and members of the Miccosukee and Seminole Indian tribes. Including extensive notes, a detailed index, and a complete table of cases, this volume offers a new and compelling look at the development of justice in Florida.