Title: In Re: Amendments to Florida Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.340, and Forms 12.930(b) and 12.930(c)

State: florida

Issuer: Florida Supreme Court

Document:

Supreme Court of Florida 
 
____________ 
 
No. SC22-113 
____________ 
 
IN RE: AMENDMENTS TO FLORIDA FAMILY LAW RULE OF 
PROCEDURE 12.340, AND FORMS 12.930(b) AND 12.930(c). 
 
July 14, 2022 
 
PER CURIAM. 
 
The Florida Bar’s Family Law Rules Committee (Committee) 
proposes amending Florida Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.340 
(Interrogatories to Parties) and Forms 12.930(b) (Standard Family 
Law Interrogatories for Original or Enforcement Proceedings) and 
12.930(c) (Standard Family Law Interrogatories for Modification 
Proceedings).  See Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin. 12.140(b)(1).  
We have jurisdiction.  See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const. 
The Committee approved the proposed amendments to rule 
12.340 by a vote of 16-2-1 and to forms 12.930(b) and (c) by a vote 
of 9-8-2.  The Florida Bar Board of Governors unanimously 
recommends adopting the amendments.  After the Committee filed 
the proposed amendments with the Court, the Court published the 
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proposal for comment.  One comment in support of the 
amendments was received. 
We adopt the amendment to rule 12.340 as proposed by the 
Committee.  In subdivision (b) (Additional Interrogatories), we add 
the language, “The expert interrogatories authorized by rule 12.280 
are not included within the limitation of ten additional 
interrogatories to a party prescribed by this rule.”  Effectively, this 
excludes interrogatories authorized by rule 12.280 from the ten 
interrogatory limit imposed by rule 12.340. 
However, we decline to amend forms 12.930 (b) and (c) as 
proposed by the Committee.  We agree with the Committee’s 
minority that the proposal to add a standard interrogatory to each 
form that requests the names and addresses of all persons who are 
believed to have any knowledge concerning any of the issues in the 
proceeding and to specify the subject matter about which the 
person has knowledge is too expansive. 
Accordingly, the Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure are 
amended as reflected in the appendix to this opinion.  New 
language is indicated by underscoring.  The amendments shall 
become effective immediately. 
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It is so ordered. 
MUÑIZ, C.J., and CANADY, POLSTON, LABARGA, LAWSON, 
COURIEL, and GROSSHANS, JJ., concur. 
 
THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER 
THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS AMENDMENT. 
 
Original Proceeding – Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure 
 
Michael V. Andriano, Chair, Family Law Rules Committee, Orlando, 
Florida, Ashley Elizabeth Taylor, Past Chair, Family Law Rules 
Committee, Tampa, Florida, Joshua E. Doyle, Executive Director, 
and Mikalla Andies Davis, Staff Liaison, The Florida Bar, 
Tallahassee, Florida, 
 
 
for Petitioner 
 
Philip S Wartenberg, Chair, Family Law Section of The Florida Bar, 
Tampa, Florida, Heather L. Apicella, Past Chair, Family Law Section 
of The Florida Bar, Boca Raton, Florida, Kristin R.H. Kirkner, Co-
Chair, Rules and Forms Committee, Family Law Section of The 
Florida Bar, Tampa, Florida, Tenesia C. Hall, Co-Chair, Rules and 
Forms Committee, Family Law Section of The Florida Bar, Orlando, 
Florida, and Jack A. Moring, Past Co-Chair, Rules and Forms 
Committee, Family Law Section of The Florida Bar, Crystal River, 
Florida, 
 
 
Responding with comments 
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APPENDIX 
 
RULE 12.340. INTERROGATORIES TO PARTIES 
 
(a) [NO CHANGE] 
 
(b) 
Additional Interrogatories. Ten interrogatories, 
including subparts, may be sent to a party, in addition to the 
standard interrogatories contained in Florida Family Law Rules 
of Procedure Form 12.930(b) or Florida Family Law Rules of 
Procedure Form 12.930(c). A party must obtain permission of the 
court to send more than 10 additional interrogatories. The expert 
interrogatories authorized by rule 12.280 are not included within 
the limitation of ten additional interrogatories to a party 
prescribed by this rule. 
 
(c) – (h) [NO CHANGE] 
 
Commentary 
 
[NO CHANGE] 
 
Committee Note 
 
[NO CHANGE]