Worrell seeks restoration of federal victim services funding, claims AG Uthmeier is withholding money

Funding dispute could cut victim services, state attorney warns

A standoff between State Attorney Monique Worrell and Attorney General James Uthmeier over federal funding for victim services could leave Orange County residents on the losing end, Worrell said.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - State Attorney Monique Worrell is urging Florida officials to reverse changes to a federal victim services contract that she says could significantly reduce support for crime victims in the Orlando area. 

The dispute centers on revisions to long-standing funding under the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA).

What we know:

Monique Worrell — whose office covers Osceola and Orange Counties — said that Attorney General James Uthmeier's office unilaterally modified the Ninth Judicial Circuit’s 2025–2026 VOCA contract in December 2025, two months after it had been approved and executed.

According to Worrell, the revised contract reduces domestic violence services by more than 80%, lowering the number of victims her office can serve from 3,750 to 689. Her office handled more than 11,000 domestic violence cases last year, she said, calling the new service targets out of step with local crime data.

The changes also impose new service requirements in other crime categories, including child abuse, that Worrell said exceed actual case volumes and would be impossible to meet. She said the Ninth Judicial Circuit is the only circuit in Florida subject to the revised terms.

The contract at issue involves nearly $485,246 in federal funding, which supports at least seven victim advocate positions in the circuit.

What we don't know:

The Attorney General’s Office has not publicly detailed its reasoning for rewriting the contract or explained why the Ninth Circuit’s funding formula differs from other judicial circuits. It is also unclear whether similar adjustments could be made to other circuits in the future.

The long-term impact on victim services remains uncertain as well, if the dispute is not resolved, including whether positions will be eliminated or whether services could be maintained through other funding sources.

What is VOCA? 

The backstory:

For nearly 40 years, the Ninth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office has received VOCA funding to support victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, homicide and other violent crimes. The funding is intended for advocacy, safety planning and trauma-informed services, not prosecution decisions.

Worrell said her office submitted its 2025–2026 VOCA application using actual victim data, consistent with the method used statewide for decades. The application was approved, deliverables were accepted, and a contract was executed in October 2025 before the changes were introduced in December.

The dispute comes after prior political tensions surrounding Worrell’s tenure, though the contract disagreement focuses specifically on victim services funding.

What they're saying:

Worrell said her office has requested that the Attorney General’s Office rescind the revised deliverables and restore the original, approved contract based on local crime data.

"When only one judicial circuit is subjected to arbitrary and punitive contract changes after an election, it creates the appearance that victims are being caught in the crossfire of politics," Worrell said.

"These modifications are not data-driven, not achievable, and not being applied equally across the state," she said, adding that VOCA funds "victim advocates — not prosecutions, politics, or charging decisions."

"VOCA was created to ensure victims receive timely, equitable, and uninterrupted services based on need — not politics," Worrell said. "Victims in the Ninth Judicial Circuit deserve the same support, fairness, and transparency as victims everywhere else in Florida."