Case Title: In Re: Amendments to the Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure

Citation: 

Docket Number: SC20-1564

State: florida

Court: Florida Supreme Court

Date: 2021-06-10T00:00:00Z

Document:
Supreme Court of Florida 
 
 
 
 
 
 
No. SC20-1564 
 
 
IN RE: AMENDMENTS TO THE FLORIDA RULES OF CRIMINAL 
PROCEDURE. 
 
June 10, 2021 
 
PER CURIAM. 
 
This matter is before the Court for consideration of proposed 
amendments to the Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure.  We have 
jurisdiction.  See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const.  With slight 
modification, we adopt The Florida Bar’s Criminal Procedure Rules 
Committee’s (Committee) amendments as proposed. 
BACKGROUND 
 
The Committee filed a report proposing amendments to the 
following rules: 3.131 (Pretrial Release); 3.220 (Discovery); 3.800 
(Correction, Reduction, and Modification of Sentences); 3.9855 
(Juror Voir Dire Questionnaire); and 3.987 (Motion for 
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Postconviction Relief).  The Committee and the Court previously 
published the proposals for comment, but no comments were 
received.  As discussed below, we adopt the Committee’s 
amendments as proposed with one modification to rule 3.9855 
(Juror Voir Dire Questionnaire). 
AMENDMENTS 
 
First, rule 3.131 (Pretrial Release) is amended to add the term 
“community control” in subdivision (b)(3) (Hearing at First 
Appearance—Conditions of Release), to ensure that specific and 
correct terminology is used to describe pretrial release where other 
conditions already apply, such as probation, parole, and other 
posttrial release programs. 
Next, we amend rule 3.220 (Discovery) to add a sentence in 
subdivision (h)(5) (Discovery Depositions; Depositions of Law 
Enforcement Officers), that requires the prosecuting attorney to 
provide a physical or email address designated by a law 
enforcement agency or department for service of a notice of 
deposition with discovery.  This change is intended to provide 
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defense attorneys with the most accurate information to effectuate 
service on law enforcement officers for depositions. 
Next, we amend rule 3.800 (Correction, Reduction, and 
Modification of Sentences) to update subdivision (b)(1)(A) (Motion to 
Correct Sentencing Error; Motion Before Appeal), to properly cross-
reference Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.020, subdivision 
“Rendition (of an Order),” from (i) to (h).  See In re Amends. to Fla. R. 
App. P.—2017 Regular-Cycle Report, 256 So. 3d 1218, 1219, 1228 
(Fla. 2018). 
 
Next, rule 3.9855 (Juror Voir Dire Questionnaire) is amended 
to add directions at the top of the form to redact the juror’s month 
and date of birth, but retain the year, in compliance with Florida 
Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.425(a)(2) 
(Minimization of the Filing of Sensitive Information; Limitation for 
Court Filings).  The month and date of birth are used to determine 
identity and eligibility of the jurors but are also considered sensitive 
information that should be removed if the forms are filed and could 
potentially become public record.  The amendment includes a 
citation to rule 2.425(a)(2).  Because we recently updated the name 
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of the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration to the Florida Rules 
of General Practice and Judicial Administration, we also amend the 
abbreviation to reflect the updated name, which is now abbreviated 
“Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin.”  See In re Amends. to Fla. Rules 
of Jud. Admin.—2020 Regular-Cycle Report, 310 So. 3d 374 (Fla. 
2021). 
 
Finally, rule 3.987 (Motion for Postconviction Relief) is 
amended to clarify the oath requirement for a postconviction 
motion.  This change will make the rule consistent with the oath 
requirement for postconviction proceedings required by other rules, 
specifically rule 3.850 (Motion to Vacate; Set Aside; or Correct 
Sentence).  See In re Amends. to Fla. Rules of Crim. P. & Fla. Rules of 
App. P., 132 So. 3d 734, 738, 746-78 (Fla. 2013). 
CONCLUSION 
Accordingly, we amend the Florida Rules of Criminal 
Procedure as reflected in the appendix to this opinion.  New 
language is indicated by underscoring; deletions are indicated by 
struck-through type.  The amendments to the rules shall become 
effective July 1, 2021, at 12:01 a.m. 
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It is so ordered. 
 
CANADY, C.J., and POLSTON, LABARGA, LAWSON, MUÑIZ, 
COURIEL, and GROSSHANS, JJ., concur. 
 
THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER 
THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THESE AMENDMENTS. 
 
Original Proceedings – Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure 
 
Honorable Angela Cote Dempsey, Chair, Criminal Procedure Rules 
Committee, Tallahassee, Florida, Joshua E. Doyle, Executive 
Director, and Mikalla Andies Davis, Staff Liaison, The Florida Bar, 
Tallahassee, Florida, 
 
 
for Petitioner 
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APPENDIX                                    
RULE 3.131. 
PRETRIAL RELEASE 
(a) 
Right to Pretrial Release. [No changes] 
 
(b) 
Hearing at First Appearance—Conditions of Release. 
 
(1-2) [No changes] 
 
(3) 
In determining whether to release a defendant on bail or other 
conditions, and what that bail or those conditions may be, the court may consider 
the nature and circumstances of the offense charged and the penalty provided by 
law; the weight of the evidence against the defendant; the defendant’s family ties, 
length of residence in the community, employment history, financial resources, 
need for substance abuse evaluation and/or treatment, and mental condition; the 
defendant’s past and present conduct, including any record of convictions, 
previous flight to avoid prosecution, or failure to appear at court proceedings; the 
nature and probability of danger that the defendant’s release poses to the 
community; the source of funds 
used to post bail; whether the defendant is already 
on release pending resolution of another criminal proceeding or is on probation, 
community control, parole, or other release pending completion of sentence; and 
any other facts the court considers relevant. 
 
(4-6) [No changes] 
 
(c - l) [No changes] 
 
COMMITTEE