Government of Jacksonville

Jacksonville uses the Mayor-Council form of city government, also called the Strong-Mayor form, in which a mayor serves as the city's Chief Executive and Administrative officer. The mayor holds veto power over all resolutions and ordinances passed by the city council. This position also has the power to hire and fire the head of various city departments. The current mayor is Lenny Curry. He began his first term on July 1, 2015.

Jacksonville and Duval County historically maintained separate police agencies: the Jacksonville Police Department and Duval County Sheriff's Office. As part of consolidation in 1968, the two merged, creating the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO). The JSO is headed by the elected Sheriff of Duval County, currently Mike Williams, and is responsible for law enforcement and corrections in the county.

The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD) is responsible for all fire protection and rescue service (ambulance) in Duval County with exceptions. Jacksonville Beach has its own department, while Atlantic Beach provides a fire station facility that is staffed and equipped by JFRD. Baldwin has a (mostly) volunteer fire department and Neptune Beach relies on Atlantic Beach for fire protection. The current JFRD Director/Fire Chief is Kurt Wilson. This position is appointed by the Mayor.[1]

Some government services remained - as they had been prior to consolidation – independent of both city and county authority. In accordance with Florida law, the Duval County School Board continues to exist with nearly complete autonomy. Jacksonville also has several quasi-independent government agencies which only nominally answer to the consolidated authority, including JEA, Jacksonville Port Authority, Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Jacksonville Housing Authority and Jacksonville Aviation Authority. The main environmental and agricultural body is the Duval County Soil and Water Conservation District, which works closely with other area and state agencies.

The Office of the General Counsel (OGC), currently led by Jason R. Gabriel,[2] includes 39 attorneys, making it one of the largest and most diverse law firms in Jacksonville. It operates like a private firm because "clients" are billed in detail for legal services provided. Clients include the public utility provider (JEA), the school district (Duval County Public Schools), Airport, Seaport, Transportation and Housing Authorities, constitutional officers (Mayor, Supervisor of Elections, Property Appraiser, Sheriff, Tax Collector and Clerk of Court), 10 departments, 19 City Council members, and 40+ boards, commissions, and agencies.

Due to this unusual client list, the General Counsel's website states that they offer support for areas that include commercial, personal injury, constitutional & civil rights litigation, real estate, land use, environmental law, labor and employment law, education law, workers' compensation, eminent domain, foreclosures, evictions, bankruptcy, torts, municipal finance, procurement, contract negotiation and drafting, as well as a variety of economic development and transactional areas.[3]

The 1967 Charter that created Jacksonville's consolidated form of government included a provision for the Office of General Counsel. Under the Charter, the OGC represents all Jacksonville government entities. The office has developed the expertise to advise clients on municipal law and Jacksonville's Charter and consolidated form of government. The Charter also states that any legal opinion rendered by the General Counsel is binding on the entire consolidated government. Since 1968, General Counsels have issued over 370 binding legal opinions. In the early years of consolidation, legal opinions were critical to the successful establishment of Jacksonville's consolidated government and the elimination of litigation between entities.[3]

The city council has nineteen members, fourteen of whom are elected from single-member districts where each member must reside in the district that they represent.

The other five members are elected under a unique hybrid district/at-large system. Prior to the early 1990s, these members were elected at-large, with no specific residency requirements. However, over time the five members were all elected from the same side of the city. In order to increase representation from other areas, voters approved a change in the city charter that divided the city into five "super-districts" (unrelated to the 14 single-member districts), with one at-large member to represent each district. These five members are elected at-large from these super districts.

Federally, most of the city is in the 4th district, represented by Republican John Rutherford. Most of central Jacksonville is in the 5th district, represented by Democrat Al Lawson. Jacksonville is represented in the State Senate by Aaron Bean (R) and Audrey Gibson (D) and in the State House by Cord Byrd (R), Clay Yarborough (R), Tracie Davis (D), Kimberly Daniels (D), Jay Fant (R), and Jason Fischer (R).[12] Jacksonville, as well as the rest of the State of Florida, are served in the U.S. Senate by Rick Scott (R) and Marco Rubio (R); and by Governor Ron DeSantis (R).

Jacksonville is in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. There are 15 authorized judgeships in the district who are appointed by the POTUS and confirmed by the Senate. Additionally, there are 7 judges with Senior status who are eligible to hear cases. Chief Judge of the District is Patricia C. Fawsett.

A new Federal Courthouse in Jacksonville was completed in late 2002 and opened in 2003 to replace the old facility, built in 1933. On February 8, 2005, the 492,000 sq ft (45,700 m²) building at 300 North Hogan Street was named, the John Milton Bryan Simpson United States Courthouse.[13][14]

Jacksonville is in the 4th Judicial Circuit of Florida, which includes Duval, Clay and Nassau counties. Circuit Courts have jurisdiction over felonies, tax issues, real property, juvenile issues, probate, family law (dissolution of marriage, paternity and adoption) and determination of competence.

There are 29 elected circuit judges for Duval county: (8) Civil, (1) Probate, (7) Family, (8) Criminal and (4) Juvenile. Mark Mahon is chief judge of the circuit.[15]

The Jacksonville State Attorney's Office for the 4th Circuit has the responsibility for prosecuting persons charged with crimes. The position of State Attorney is an elected position and is held by Melissa Nelson (Republican), who was elected in 2016 on a platform of justice reform. She established a conviction integrity unit to review cases in which there were questions about convictions. On March 28, 2019, Clifford Williams and his nephew Nathan Myers were exonerated of charges of murder and attempted murder; their convictions were dismissed. Nelson's office had recommended this to the Duval County court after reviewing the case and finding severe weaknesses. The two men were released from prison after serving 42 years each. This was the first exoneration in Florida that was led by a prosecutor's office.[16]

Nelson's office has also worked on reforming juvenile justice, developing partnerships with the police in three counties to try to keep juveniles out of the justice system. The police have been given "far greater discretion to issue civil citations in lieu of criminal summons to eligible juveniles."[16]

The Public Defender's Office has the responsibility for defending persons charged with crimes who are subject to incarceration and judged indigent. The position of Public Defender is an elected position and is held by Charlie Cofer.

The previous courthouse was constructed in 1958, and the county's population has grown by more than 50% in the past forty years. A new $190 million Duval County Courthouse was a key component of the Better Jacksonville Plan, approved by voters in 2000. After ten years, the $350 million complex opened in 2012.[17]

County Courts primarily handle civil cases where the amount in controversy is less than $15,000, Small claims court, misdemeanors, violations of civil & municipal ordinances and traffic tickets. There are 17 elected county judges for Duval county.[15]