Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Laurel Lee (FL-15) questioned witnesses Feb. 25 at the House Judiciary Committee hearing, “Crisis of Undermanned Federal Courts.”

District courts nationwide are facing more than 700,000 pending cases due to a shortage of judgeship.
The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, which includes Florida’s 15th District, has more than 10 million people living there, with the active caseloads per judge 20% above the national average.

In the 118th Congress, the House and Senate passed the Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved Act of 2024 (JUDGES Act) but was vetoed by President Joe Biden. 

The JUDGES Act would have created 63 permanent judgeships in six phases from 2025 to 2035; tasked the U.S. Government Accountability Office with evaluating the efficiency of federal courts and assessing detention space needs; and would have required the Judicial Conference to publicly release its judicial seat recommendations and methodology.

Below is a transcript of Lee questioning U.S. Circuit Judge Timothy Tymkovich about judges during the hearing: 

 

Laurel Lee

During your opening statement, you referenced the bipartisan JUDGES Act and the veto and message associated there from the White House. 

It indicated that it was not reflective of reality and a misunderstanding of the facts.

I agree completely and believe that is such an important part of this hearing today.
First, it’s also important to note that the suggestion that that act was partisan is not rooted in facts. It was a bipartisan bill that would have not only added additional Article III judges, it would have staged the addition of those judges so that they crossed multiple administrations.

So it was an unnecessary and an unwarranted veto that has exacerbated the burden on the courts and continued to inhibit access to justice. 

I come from the Middle District of Florida where, as I’m sure you know, is one of the most populous and the busiest districts anywhere in the United States of America. Whether we go by weighted caseloads or unweighted, it is an incredibly busy district.

I had the privilege early in my career of serving as a judicial law clerk to one of our Article III  judges. 

Later as an AFPD (Assistant Federal Public Defender) and an AUSA (Assistant United States Attorney), I spent much of my career inside the walls of the Tampa Federal Courthouse and can attest first hand as to just how diligent and hardworking those judges, the magistrates and everyone else in that courthouse is and how vital it is that we properly fund our courts as a co-equal, independent branch of government that needs to be properly staffed and funded to do its job.  

You mentioned something else in your opening that I want to go back to and that is the concept of speedy trial.  

For those who are not criminal practitioners, would you please elaborate for us, your honor, on the distinction between civil and criminal cases?

What happens if criminal defendants do invoke their right to a speedy trial, what then happens to a judge’s civil docket and how does that affect access to courts?

 

Timothy Tymkovich

As you know as a former law clerk, the criminal cases take precedent over the civil cases.

A defendant in our system of justice is entitled to statutory protections that ensure that the trial occurs on a speedy basis.

The Constitution also has a due process guarantee that requires judges to expedite those cases within timelines set either by statute or by case law. 

If we have in inadequate number of judges in district courts with particularly heavy criminal dockets, presumably the Middle District of Florida, which I see would be eligible for several new judgeships, it can be put a lot of pressure on the rest of the civil docket if those criminal cases are taking over the time that’s necessary to try them. 

 

Laurel Lee

That’s exactly, I think, something that’s very important to understand.

So when that happens, then civil litigants, individuals and businesses that have disputes that need resolution in the courts, their cases will get delayed.

Another thing that you touched on is the concept that when that happens, when those delays are too pronounced, when they’re too long. That can have a chilling effect on people coming to court or electing to use a trial as a potential resolution for their dispute. 

Would you share with us a little bit more about your view on why it’s important that Americans who have a dispute, that want it resolved, that would like to go to trial, have the ability to utilize our courts efficiently and effectively to do that?

 

Timothy Tymkovich

Every dispute in this country should be resolved quickly, fairly and efficiently. 

The current status of the federal courts because of our judgeship needs is compromising the ability of those types of cases and those types of litigants to have their day in court. 

Without getting their day in court, we think that erodes trust in the judiciary and the faith in our system. To the extent we have an adequate number of judges to maintain and move our dockets, everybody benefits from that.

 

Laurel Lee

I noted in your introduction today that you take on a number of special responsibilities within the judicial conference and I know many of your colleagues also do this.

We’re talking with one of the easiest to access data points, which is the overwhelming number of cases that are assigned to every judge across America. 

Tell me why those extra responsibilities, judges who are willing to teach, to take on the FISA court, to work on cybersecurity, why are those important and how does that add to the workload of a judge who’s really performing their job very well?

 

Timothy Tymkovich

It’s an important question and it’s also equally important to note that the survey results, the  methodology that we use to estimate the number of judgeships that are needed, is not based on those extra duties. 

The numbers that you get for the basis for this legislation are purely based on whether the court is doing deciding cases. 

Most of our judges do extracurricular activities – teaching, going out into the community, serving on judicial conference committees like I am. Those are all important functions for the judges.

I think it’s important for the public at large but we don’t get credit for those for purposes of this judgeship bill. Just note that that’s in addition to what the basis for this request is.

 

LUTZ – St. Joseph’s Hospital-North celebrated its 15th birthday on Feb. 15, marking 15 years of service to the north Tampa community.  

The hospital provides medical and surgical services in more than 20 specialties including breast health, cancer, gastroenterology, heart and vascular, interventional radiology, maternity, orthopedics and urology.

When it opened 15 years ago, St. Joseph’s Hospital-North became the first full-service hospital to open in Hillsborough County since 1985. 

 

Growing with the community

St. Joseph’s Hospital-North had major expansions in 2020 and 2018.

Some of the upgrades from the 2020 expansion include: 

• Added two patient floors and increased licensed bed capacity to its current total of 210. St. Joseph’s Hospital-North opened in 2010 with a licensed bed capacity of 108. 
• Increased ICU beds from 12 to 24.
• Opened a new infusion and chemotherapy center that can treat up to 15 patients at one time. The center relocated to the current Lutz campus to accommodate growth and improve patient convenience.
• Increased areas for respiratory and physical therapy.
• Expanded the clinical engineering area.
• Added a dialysis unit.

A prior expansion in 2018 added four operating rooms to bring the total to eight. Also in 2018, the hospital opened additional gastrointestinal endoscopy services.

In February 2025, an additional mammography suite for diagnostic breast mammograms and biopsies was added.

Other additions include the hospital’s Unit for Psychiatry and Medicine in 2023 and a coffeehouse staffed by people with intellectual and developmental  disabilities in 2024. 

St. Joseph’s Hospital-North is using the opportunity of its 15th birthday to announce the opening of a NICU. The NICU is scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2025.  

The NICU will supplement St. Joseph’s Hospital-North’s labor and delivery unit and Mother & Baby unit.  The NICU will offer “couplet care.” Mother and baby will be in the same room.

“Traditionally, mom and baby would have to go to separate rooms,” said Sara Dodds, St. Joseph’s Hospital-North president. “Our NICU will enable mom and baby to stay together from the very start.”

 

Celebrating with the community

St. Joseph’s Hospital-North has had much to celebrate over its 15 years: 

• St. Joseph’s Hospital-North earned four out of five stars in the latest Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospital Quality Star Ratings Report. It is among only 40% of hospitals nationally to earn a 4 or 5-star rating.  
• The hospital is accredited as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery by the Surgical Review Corporation. 
• The hospital received 2024 American Heart Association “Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Silver Plus and Target: Stroke Elite Honor Roll quality achievement awards for its care of stroke patients.
• The hospital is LEED-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a designation associated with environmental sustainability.

“There is a lot I am proud of,” said Dodds, who has been St. Joseph’s Hospital-North president since April 2023. Dodds is among 80 other team members who have been at the hospital since opening in 2010. The hospital, which opened with less than 500 team members its first year, has more than 1,000 today.

“We have gone through a lot of growth and additions of services,” she said. “I am proud of the team we have created  and culture that we have maintained over the last 15 years. As north Tampa continues to grow, we do also, with a commitment to continue offering our patients compassionate care along with modern medicine.”

 

LARGO – Barbara’s Kitchen Jams is more than a store. 

Chef Sharon Young’s products are available at events such as Shopapalooza and local stores including ones at the Tampa Bay International Airport. The company hosts classes, including jam sessions, that teach jam making and history. It also offers tea parties that teach health aspects and the history of the tea.  

“I am most proud of the quality of our jams, service and growth,” Sharon Young said. “Being at local events including Shopapalooza is a great platform for us. We get to showcase our products, and it brings people to our store.”

Barbara’s Kitchen Jams offers a selection of over 30 flavors. The company is constantly adding and changing new flavors based on customer feedback. Jam flavors include Apricot, “Oink “ Bacon Habanero, Banana Nut Bread, Black Raspberry, Blueberry, Carrot Cake and US1 Traffic Jam.  

All products are handmade using fresh ingredients from local farmers. Some of the jams are natural, with no sugar and no artificial sweetener added.  

Young and her husband, Dwight, have two other brands at their store; The Dreaded Fisherman (aged balsamic, organic seasonings, pure syrup and fermented honey) and Brie and Tiffany Organic Herbal Teas (named after her nieces).

Barbara’s Kitchen Jams has been a member of LocalShops1 and a Shopapalooza vendor for several years. The store is located at 12508 Starkey Road. Visit barbaraskitchenjams.com for details.