State Attorney Worrell’s policy sparks clash over case submissions, concerns over possible delays of justice
Florida attorney general to look into Worrell over new protocol
The state attorney for Orange and Osceola counties is in hot water with the state after rolling out her latest policy. Monique Worrell told local law enforcement to get an arrest warrant for a suspect before sending the case to her office. The attorney general is now reviewing her office.
ORLANDO, Fla. - The state attorney for Orange and Osceola counties is in hot water with the state after rolling out her latest policy. Monique Worrell is now requiring local law enforcement to obtain an arrest or issue a notice to appear in court before they submit a case to her office for prosecution.
Worrell requesting13 additional prosecutors from Florida Attorney General
What we know:
State Attorney Monique Worrell of Florida’s Ninth Judicial Circuit, covering Orange and Osceola counties, has enacted a controversial new policy. Effective this week, law enforcement must now either make an arrest or issue a notice to appear in court before submitting a case for prosecution. Worrell says the policy aims to streamline her office's focus and address a growing backlog—over 13,000 non-arrest cases—by prioritizing cases that are ready for immediate prosecution.
What we don't know:
The state attorney’s office has not yet clarified which types of cases, if any, may be exempt from this new requirement. It’s also unclear how long the policy will remain in place and what metrics will be used to assess its effectiveness. Whether law enforcement agencies will comply with the new policy in full or challenge it further also remains to be seen.
The backstory:
This isn’t the first time Worrell’s prosecutorial discretion has drawn scrutiny. Her office has previously been criticized by political leaders for decisions regarding criminal justice reform and case prioritization. The latest policy appears to be both a response to internal resource challenges and an effort to compel greater cooperation from law enforcement. Still, it’s proving divisive.
Big picture view:
The policy has opened a rift between prosecutors and police, sparking debate over who should bear responsibility for building prosecutable cases. Law enforcement agencies argue the change could hinder investigations—especially in cases involving domestic violence or firearms—while attorneys say the understaffed state attorney’s office simply can’t handle the investigative burden on its own. The disagreement reflects broader tensions in Florida and across the U.S. about prosecutorial discretion, law enforcement roles, and criminal justice reform.
What they're saying:
State Attorney Monique Worrell defended the policy as a necessary step to clear a significant backlog and ensure her office can pursue justice efficiently.
"We are asking and enthusiastically looking forward to collaborating with our law enforcement partners to build the best cases possible so that when that case comes into our office, we can get right to prosecuting it and delivering justice for the community," Worrell said.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office opposes the change, citing concerns over domestic violence and firearms cases. Former law enforcement officer James Copenhaver said the new policy may keep officers and deputies from investigating less-serious crimes.
"These agencies, are going to say, ‘If she doesn't care, why should I? Why should I go through the extra effort if the case isn't going anywhere?'" Copenhaver said.
Some local attorneys have a different take. They say the state attorney's office is understaffed, and prosecutors can't conduct investigations on their own.
"Oftentimes it's difficult for those of us on the other side to get a lot of things done because we keep getting new prosecutors because everybody keeps getting shuffled around," said Orlando attorney Andrew Darling.
"The state attorney's office is being asked to be detectives and investigators. That's not their job!" Mark NeJame, Orlando attorney said.
Local attorneys said both sides are trying to hash out responsibility, almost like two baseball players trying to catch a fly ball.
"Maybe a center-fielder and a left-fielder both have an equal chance of catching the ball, and they let it drop between them. And they're looking at each other, like ‘You should have gotten it!’ and that's kind of what we're dealing with here," said Albert Yonfa, another Orlando attorney.
Former Orlando police chief Orlando Rolón said both sides need to find common ground.
"Hopefully, what they'll do is return to the table, discuss it further, and come to a conclusion as to whether they agree or disagree with the new policy going forward," Orlando Rolón said.
What's next:
We are waiting for a response from the state attorney's office on which types of cases may be excluded from this new policy.
On Friday, Worrell sent a letter to Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier requesting 13 additional prosecutors and support staff to address a growing backlog of over 13,000 non-arrest cases in the 9th Circuit. The backlog, which dates back to at least 2013, has worsened due to previous budget cuts and staffing decisions under prior administrations, as well as the region's population growth.
Worrell emphasized that additional resources are needed to ensure the successful prosecution of these cases and enhance public safety.
STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO:
- Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines
- Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar
- Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines
- FOX Local: Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Office of the State Attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida, the Orange County Sheriff's Office, security expert James Copenhaver, and Orlando attorneys Andrew Darling, Mark NeJame and Albert Yonfa, and former Orlando police chief Orlando Rolón.