Florida foreclosures on the rise

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Florida's courts are being overrun by home foreclosures.

The state Supreme Court released a summary Thursday that showed almost 400,000 foreclosures were filed in 2009, including nearly 113,000 alone in heavily populated Broward and Miami-Dade counties in southeast Florida.

The justices adopted recommendations in December that ordered local judges to start a mediation program to help pare down the number.

With nearly 367,000 filings in 2008, Florida courts have dealt with or are dealing with a potential caseload approaching 800,000 foreclosures.