Case Title: In Re: Amendments To The Florida Rules Of Judicial Administration – Rule 2.235

Citation: 

Docket Number: SC06-1537

State: florida

Court: Florida Supreme Court

Date: 2006-09-28T00:00:00Z

Document:
Supreme Court of Florida 
 
 
____________ 
 
No. SC06-1537 
____________ 
 
 
IN RE:  AMENDMENTS TO FLORIDA RULES OF JUDICIAL 
ADMINISTRATION––RULE 2.235. 
 
[September 28, 2006] 
 
PER CURIAM. 
 
The District Court of Appeal Budget Commission (Commission) has filed a 
petition with the Court seeking amendments to Florida Rule of Judicial 
Administration 2.235, District Court of Appeal Budget Commission.  We have 
jurisdiction and amend the rule as proposed.  See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const.; Fla. R. 
Jud. Admin. 2.140(g)(1).   
 
Rule of Judicial Administration 2.235 establishes the District Court of 
Appeal Budget Commission and charges the Commission with responsibility for 
developing and overseeing the administration of district court of appeal budgets.  
Under subdivision (e) of the rule, the membership of the Commission is comprised 
of the chief judges of the five district courts of appeal.  The proposed amendments 
to subdivision (e), Membership and Organization, expand the membership from 
five to ten judges by adding one additional judge from each district court.  The 
Commission advises that the appointment of a second member from each district 
court will facilitate the Commission’s ability to do business and will ensure 
consideration of the views of each district.  The increased membership also will 
avoid the complete turnover in membership that currently occurs every two years 
with the appointment of new chief judges in each court.  Not having a constant 
change in membership will promote continuity in the Commission by allowing for 
the development of an institutional memory and a better understanding of the 
budget process by the members.  Under the proposed amendments, the marshal of 
each district court of appeal, who essentially serves as the court’s chief financial 
officer, will serve as a nonvoting participant on the Commission. 
 
After considering the Commission’s petition, we amend rule 2.235(e), as 
proposed and reflected in the appendix to this opinion.  New language is indicated 
by underscoring; deletions are indicated by struck-through type.  The amendments 
shall become effective immediately upon the release of this opinion.  However, 
because the amendments were not published for comment prior to their adoption, 
interested persons shall have sixty days from the date of this opinion in which to 
file comments with the Court.1
                                          
 
 
1.  An original and nine paper copies of all comments must be filed with the 
Court on or before November 27, 2006, with a certificate of service verifying that a 
copy has been served on the Commission Chair, Judge Charles J. Kahn, First 
 
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It is so ordered. 
LEWIS, C.J., and WELLS, ANSTEAD, PARIENTE, QUINCE, CANTERO, and 
BELL, JJ., concur. 
 
 
THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER THE 
EFFECTIVE DATE OF THESE AMENDMENTS. 
 
 
Original Proceeding – Florida Rules of Judicial Administration 
 
Gary Devenow Fox, Chair, Rules of Judicial Administration Committee, of 
Stewart, Tilghman, Fox, et al., Miami, Florida; Honorable Charles J. Kahn, Chair, 
Florida District Court of Appeal Budget Commission, Chief Judge, First District 
Court of Appeal, Tallahassee, Florida; and John F. Harkness, Jr., Executive 
Director, The Florida Bar, Tallahassee, Florida, 
 
 
for Petitioner 
 
                                                                                                                                        
District Court of Appeal, 301 South Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd., Tallahassee, 
Florida 32399, as well as a separate request for oral argument if the person filing 
the comment wishes to participate in oral argument, which may be scheduled in 
this case.  The Commission Chair has until December 12, 2006, to file a response 
to any comments filed with the Court. Electronic copies of all comments also must 
be filed in accordance with the Court’s administrative order In re Mandatory 
Submission of Electronic Copies of Documents, Fla. Admin. Order No. AOSC04-
84 (Sept. 13, 2004). 
 
 
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APPENDIX  
 
 
RULE 2.235. 
DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL BUDGET  
 
 
   
COMMISSION 
 
(a) 
 - (d)  [No change] 
 
(e) 
 Membership and Organization. The District Court of Appeal Budget 
Commission will be composed of 510 members appointed by the chief justice who 
will represent the interests of the district courts generally rather than the individual 
interests of a particular district.   
 
(1) The membership shall include the chief judge of each district court of 
appeal, who shall serve for his or her term as chief judge.  The membership shall 
also include one additional judge from each district court of appeal, appointed by 
the chief justice, with advice from each chief judge.  The marshal of each district 
court of appeal shall serve as a nonvoting participant. 
 
(2) 
 - (3)  [No change] 
 
(f)  [No change]  
 
 
 
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