Boosting civil legal aid: How Florida’s IOTA program leads the way

Retired banker says controversial rule is good for citizens — and his longtime profession.

By Jody Hudgins
| 5:00 a.m. February 1, 2024

Opinion

Since its inception in 1981, The Florida Supreme Court’s Interest on Trust Accounts (IOTA) program has pioneered a groundbreaking approach to funding civil legal aid for the underprivileged. By harnessing the previously dormant interest potential of short-term client funds held by lawyers, IOTA has become a national model, generating millions for those in need of civil legal representation.