By Justin L. Seekamp
Seminole County Chief Judge, Alan Dickey, has scheduled to be heard, starting today, January 17, 2012, and coming to an end this Thursday, January 19, 2012, three-hundred (300) foreclosure cases as was reported recently in the Orlando Sentinel.
Judge Dickey was quoted as saying, “If everybody shows up, I’ll have about 30 seconds a case.” Why such an onslaught of cases? Well, most Florida foreclosure attorneys and even Judge Dickey attribute this situation to the fact that the Florida Legislature ended funding for senior judges, who became the workhorses of foreclosure cases in counties in most states. The use of these senior judges began in the summer of 2010 and ended this past summer as part of the state’s $6 million dollar program to help deal with the overflow of foreclosure cases clogging the courthouses in most every county in Florida. It is an unfortunate situation for all parties involved homeowners and Judge's alike.
The end of the senior judge program and the situation with Judge Dickey is dealing with this week only looks to get worse as foreclosure filings are on the rise, as was recently reported here. Judge Dickey appeared vigilant in attempting to deal with the increased case load when he was quoted saying, “We’re just pushing the cases through.”
It should be clear from report that the foreclosure backlog is effecting not only homeowners but also the courts which deal with these foreclosures. Something clearly needs to be done to remedy such a situation. But, as always, should you be served with foreclosure paperwork and are looking for someone to fight for your rights as a borrower, then seeking representation from a qualified and experienced Florida foreclosure attorney may be the best way to do so.
