Amendments to the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure

894 So. 2d 202, 30 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 84, 2005 Fla. LEXIS 154, 2005 WL 242690
CourtSupreme Court of Florida
DecidedFebruary 3, 2005
DocketNo. SC04-108
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 894 So. 2d 202 (Amendments to the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Amendments to the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure, 894 So. 2d 202, 30 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 84, 2005 Fla. LEXIS 154, 2005 WL 242690 (Fla. 2005).

Opinion

PER CURIAM.

The Florida Bar’s Appellate Court Rules Committee (Committee) has filed its biennial report of regular-cycle proposed rule amendments in accordance with Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.130(c)(4). We have jurisdiction. See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const.

BACKGROUND

The Committee’s regular-cycle report proposes amendments to rules 9.020 (Definitions), 9.030 (Jurisdiction of Courts), 9.130 (Proceedings to Review Non-Final Orders and Specified Final Orders), 9.142 (Procedures for Review in Death Penalty Cases), 9.145 (Appeal Proceedings in Juvenile Delinquency Cases), 9.180 (Appeal Proceedings to Review Workers’ Compensation Cases), 9.190 (Judicial Review of Administrative Action), 9.220 (Appendix), 9.370 (Amicus Curiae), 9.420 (Filing; Service of Copies; Computation of Time), 9.430 (Proceedings by Indigents), and 9.800 (Uniform Citation System), and proposes new form 9.900(i) (Prisoner’s Motion and Affidavit to Proceed Without Prepayment of Court Costs and Fees). As required by rule 2.130(c)(2), prior to submission to the Court, the proposed rule amendments were published in The Florida Bar News and on the internet web site of The Florida Bar. One comment was received. After submission, the proposed amendments were again published for comment in the March 1, 2004 edition of The Florida Bar News and placed on the Court’s internet web site. Two comments were received.

Subsequently, the Committee submitted a supplemental report proposing an additional amendment to rule 9.331 (Determination of Causes in a District Court of Appeal En Banc). This additional proposed amendment was published for com[203]*203ment in the June 1, 2004 edition of The Florida Bar News and was placed on the Court’s internet web site. No comments were received. Having considered the Committee’s reports, we adopt the amendments proposed by the Committee with one modification as more fully discussed below.

AMENDMENTS '

First, we adopt several amendments to rules 9.020 and 9.331 in order to clarify the effect of motions for rehearing and rehearing en banc on the finality of appellate orders. New subdivision (i) is added to rule 9.020 to specifically define rendition of an appellate order.1 This new subdivision states that if a timely and authorized motion under rule 9.330 or 9.331 is filed, an appellate order shall not be deemed rendered until the motion is either abandoned or resolved by written order. Rule 9.331(d) is amended to eliminate the requirement that a motion for rehearing en banc be filed in conjunction with a motion for rehearing, to provide that a response may be served within ten days of service of the motion for rehearing en banc, and to require the appellate court to enter a written order disposing of the motion for rehearing en banc.

Next, rule 9.030(b)(1) is amended to clarify the appellate jurisdiction of the district courts over final orders of county courts declaring a state statute or provision of the Florida Constitution invalid. Although under the Florida Constitution and Florida Statutes, the district courts clearly have such appellate jurisdiction, current rule 9.030(b)(1) does not expressly provide for. it. Thus, we amend the rule to rectify this problem.

New subdivision (a)(3)(C)(viii) is added to rule 9.130 to make the rule consistent with section 70.001(6)(a), Florida Statutes (2004). That section permits a governmental entity to take an interlocutory appeal of a determination that its action has resulted in an “inordinate burden” under the Bert Harris Property Rights Protection Act. However, because there is no provision in the current rules allowing .for such an appeal, the statutory provision is a nullity. See art. V, § 4(b)(1), Fla. Const, (providing that district courts “may review interlocutory orders ... to the extent provided by rules adopted by the supreme court”); see also Osceola County v. Best Diversified, Inc., 830 So.2d 139 (Fla. 5th DCA 2002). Accordingly, rule 9.130 is amended to permit these interlocutory appeals.2

We also adopt a modified version of the Committee’s proposed amendment to rule 9.142(a)(6) governing the scope of review in death penalty appeals. Currently, this rule requires the Court to review the evidence in death cases to “determine if the interest' of justice requires a new trial, whether or not insufficiency of the evidence is an issue presented for review.” Fla. RApp. P. 9.142(a)(6). The Committee proposed an amendment to this rule deleting the words “a new trial” and substituting the words “remand for appropriate relief.”

[204]*204In considering this amendment, which is meant to make the rule consistent with this Court’s practice, we note that along with the issue of sufficiency of the evidence, we also review the issue of proportionality of the death sentence regardless of whether that issue is formally presented by the parties. Accordingly, we adopt a modified version of the proposed amendment to rule 9.142(a)(6) as follows: In death penalty cases, whether or not insufficiency of the evidence or proportionality is an issue presented for review, the court shall review the evidence to -determine if the interest of-justice requires a new trial, whether- or not insufficiency ■ of the evidence — is—an—issue—presented—for—re-viewthese issues and, if necessary, remand for the appropriate relief.

Rule 9.145(c)(2), governing non-final state appeals in juvenile dependency cases, currently fails to mention rendition when setting forth the time for filing a notice of appeal from a pre-adjudicatory hearing order. Accordingly, that rule is amended to clarify that the notice of appeal must be filed within fifteen days of rendition of the order to be reviewed.

Rule 9.180, governing appeal proceedings in workers’ compensation cases, is amended in three ways. First subdivision (b)(2) is amended to provide that failure to request separate findings of fact and conclusions of law after entry of an abbreviated order by the Judge of Compensation Claims (JCC) waives review by appeal of that order, and that filing of such a request tolls the time within which an appeal may be taken. Second, subdivision (h)(1) is amended to delete, as duplicative, the requirement that a copy of an appellant’s brief shall be served on the appellee. Third, the requirement in subdivision (b)(4) that the JCC send a copy of the notice and a certified copy of the order to the Division of Workers’ Compensation as well as to the General Counsel for the Department of Labor and Employment Security is deleted because those agencies no longer require such copies.

Rule 9.190, governing judicial review of administrative action, is amended in two respects. Subdivision (d) of this rule which addresses attorney’s fees is amended to clarify the court’s authority to remand to the lower tribunal for a determination of an amount of attorney’s fees to be awarded or refer the matter to a special magistrate. Subdivision (e)(2)(C) is amended, with an explanatory committee note, to clarify that an agency has ten days to respond to the filing of a motion for stay of an order suspending or revoking a license and requiring the court to grant a stay “unless the agency files a timely response demonstrating that a stay would constitute a probable danger to the health, safety, or welfare of the state.”

In response to concerns raised in Hill v. Hill, 778 So.2d 967, 969 (Fla.2001) (J.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Jonathan Huey Lawrence v. State of Florida
Supreme Court of Florida, 2020
Cabrera v. Outdoor Empire
108 So. 3d 691 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 2013)
Brevard County v. Stack
932 So. 2d 1258 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 2006)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
894 So. 2d 202, 30 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 84, 2005 Fla. LEXIS 154, 2005 WL 242690, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/amendments-to-the-florida-rules-of-appellate-procedure-fla-2005.