The Florida Legislature stands between the state Supreme Court’s approval of an assessment committee’s recommendation for a sixth appellate district and the need for six new judgeships to fill the corresponding openings.

Raoul Cantero III, a partner at White & Case in Miami, is a District Court of Appeal Workload and Jurisdiction Assessment Committee member. Cantero said the additional appellate court would enhance public trust and confidence, in part because attorneys will be familiar with its appellate judges when each district court of appeal will have a maximum of 12 jurists.