In re: Amendments to Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration, Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure, Florida Probate Rules, Florida Rules of Traffic Court, Florida Small Claims Rules, and Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure
Acting on the recommendations of its COVID-19 continuity workgroup, the Florida Supreme Court adopted sweeping, permanent amendments authorizing remote proceedings across the civil, criminal, probate, traffic, small claims, and appellate rules. Rewritten Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.530 now generally permits use of 'communication technology' in proceedings before a court official unless another rule or general law governs, with Baker Act involuntary commitment hearings expressly excluded based on Doe v. State. Companion amendments cover remote depositions (Rule 1.310), remote juror participation (Rules 1.430(d), 7.150(b), 2.451), remote mediation/arbitration (Rules 1.700, 1.720, 1.730), mandatory e-mail service designations by unrepresented parties (Rule 2.516), and remote oral argument (Rule 9.320).
Key facts
- Florida Supreme Court adopted permanent amendments to multiple procedural rules authorizing remote proceedings across civil, criminal, probate, traffic, small claims, and appellate cases, acting on recommendations from its COVID-19 continuity workgroup.
- The amendments rewrote Rule 2.530 to generally permit 'communication technology' in proceedings before court officials unless another rule or law governs, while expressly excluding Baker Act involuntary commitment hearings based on due process concerns identified in Doe v. State.
- +2 more key facts with a free trial
Why it matters
These amendments permanently restructure how Florida civil litigators conduct hearings, depositions, mediations, and even jury trials, and they took effect October 1, 2022. Practitioners must now calendar the 10-day… — full analysis with a trial
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