Title: In Re: Amendments To Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure 3.172 and 3.985 and Amendments To Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.985

State: florida

Issuer: Florida Supreme Court

Document:

Supreme Court of Florida 
 
 
____________ 
 
No. SC09-282 
____________ 
 
 
 
IN RE:  AMENDMENTS TO FLORIDA RULES OF CRIMINAL 
PROCEDURE 3.172 AND 3.985 AND AMENDMENTS TO FLORIDA RULE 
OF CIVIL PROCEDURE 1.985. 
 
 
[October 1, 2009] 
 
 
CANADY, J. 
 
This matter is before the Court for consideration of proposed amendments to 
Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure 3.172 and 3.985.  We have jurisdiction.  See 
art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const.; Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 2.140(e); Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 
2.140(f). 
 
On February 18, 2009, the Criminal Procedure Rules Committee 
(Committee) filed an out-of-cycle report proposing amendments to rules 3.172, 
Acceptance of Guilty or Nolo Contendere Plea, and 3.985, Standard Jury 
Instructions. 
 
 
- 2 - 
The proposed amendment to rule 3.172 derived from this Court’s decision in 
Bolware v. State, 995 So. 2d 268 (Fla. 2008), where we concluded that, while not a 
direct consequence of a guilty plea or plea of nolo contendere, the suspension or 
revocation of a driver’s license constitutes such a serious consequence that a 
defendant should be informed of it pursuant to rule.  We adopt the Committee’s 
proposal with minor modification, thus amending rule 3.172(c) to require, pursuant 
to subdivision (10), that the trial judge determine whether the defendant 
understands 
that if the defendant pleads guilty or nolo contendere and the offense 
to which the defendant is pleading is one for which automatic, 
mandatory driver’s license suspension or revocation is required by 
law to be imposed (either by the court or by a separate agency), the 
plea will provide the basis for the suspension or revocation of the 
defendant’s driver’s license. 
 
The Committee also proposes amending rule 3.985, which directs where trial 
judges may find the standard criminal jury instructions to be used by courts in 
charging juries in criminal cases, to the extent that the instructions are applicable 
and not determined to be erroneous or inadequate.  The rule amendment changes 
the reference from the forms published by The Florida Bar to those appearing on 
the Court’s website.  This change recognizes the practice, as represented by the 
Committee, of the Office of the State Courts Administrator posting all criminal 
jury instructions on this Court’s website within a business day of release.  
Consistent with this rule change, the Court sua sponte amends the parallel rule of 
 
 
- 3 - 
civil procedure, rule 1.985, to reflect that the civil jury instructions are also 
available from the Court’s website. 
We hereby adopt the amendments to the Florida Rules of Criminal 
Procedure and Florida Rules of Civil Procedure as set forth 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 filing of this opinion. 
 
It is so ordered. 
QUINCE, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, POLSTON, LABARGA, and PERRY, 
JJ., concur. 
 
NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO FILE REHEARING MOTION, AND 
IF FILED, DETERMINED. 
 
Original Proceeding – Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure Committee and Florida 
Rule of Civil Procedure Committee 
 
Fleur J. Lobree, Chair, Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure Committee, Office of 
the State Attorney, Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Miami, Florida, Thomas Howell 
Bateman, III, Past Chair, Florida Criminal Procedure Rules Committee, Messer, 
Caparello and Self, P.A, Tallahassee, Florida; Mark A. Romance, Chair, Florida 
Rules of Civil Procedure Committee, Richman Greer, P.A., Miami, Florida; John 
F. Harkness, Jr., Executive Director, Jodi Jennings and Madelon Horwich, Staff 
Liaisons, The Florida Bar, Tallahassee, Florida, 
 
 
for Petitioner 
 
 
 
- 4 - 
APPENDIX 
 
RULE 1.985.  STANDARD JURY INSTRUCTIONS 
 
The forms of Florida Standard Jury Instructions published by The Florida Bar 
pursuant to authority of the supreme court appearing on the court’s website at 
www.floridasupremecourt.org/jury_instructions/instructions.shtml may be used by 
the trial judges of this state in charging the jury in civil actions to the extent that the 
forms are applicable, unless the trial judge determines that an applicable form of 
instruction is erroneous or inadequate.  In that event the trial judge shall modify the 
form or give such other instruction as the judge determines necessary to accurately 
and sufficiently instruct the jury in the circumstances of the action.  In that event the 
trial judge shall state on the record or in a separate order the manner in which the 
judge finds the standard form erroneous or inadequate and the legal basis of that 
finding.  Similarly, in all circumstances in which the notes accompanying the 
Florida Standard Jury Instructions contain a recommendation that a certain type of 
instruction not be given, the trial judge may follow the recommendation unless the 
judge determines that the giving of such an instruction is necessary to accurately and 
sufficiently instruct the jury, in which event the judge shall give such instruction as 
the judge deems appropriate and necessary.  In that event the trial judge shall state 
on the record or on a separate order the legal basis of the determination that such 
instruction is necessary. 
 
 
RULE 3.172.  ACCEPTANCE OF GUILTY OR NOLO CONTENDERE 
PLEA 
 
 
(a)-(b)  [No change] 
 
 
(c)  Determination of Voluntariness.   [No change] 
 
 
 
(1)-(9)  [No change] 
 
       (10) that if the defendant pleads guilty or nolo contendere and 
the offense to which the defendant is pleading is one for which 
automatic, mandatory driver’s license suspension or revocation is 
required by law to be imposed (either by the court or by a separate 
agency), the plea will provide the basis for the suspension or 
revocation of the defendant’s driver’s license. 
 
 
- 5 - 
 
 
(d)-(j)  [No change] 
Committee Notes 
[No change] 
 
RULE 3.985.  STANDARD JURY INSTRUCTIONS 
 
The forms of Florida Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases published 
by The Florida Bar pursuant to authority of the court appearing on the court’s 
website at www.floridasupremecourt.org/jury_instructions/instructions.shtml may 
be used by the trial judges of this state in charging the jury in every criminal case 
to the extent that the forms are applicable, unless the trial judge shall determine 
that an applicable form of instruction is erroneous or inadequate, in which event 
the judge shall modify or amend the form or give such other instruction as the trial 
judge shall determine to be necessary to instruct the jury accurately and 
sufficiently on the circumstances of the case; and, in such event, the trial judge 
shall state on the record or in a separate order the respect in which the judge finds 
the standard form erroneous or inadequate and the legal basis of the judge’s 
finding. Similarly, in all circumstances in which the notes accompanying the 
Florida Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases contain a recommendation 
that a certain type of instruction not be given, the trial judge may follow the 
recommendation unless the judge shall determine that the giving of such an 
instruction is necessary to instruct the jury accurately and sufficiently, in which 
event the judge shall give such instruction as the judge shall deem appropriate and 
necessary; and, in such event, the trial judge shall state on the record or in a 
separate order the legal basis of the determination that the instruction is necessary. 
 
Committee Notes 
[No change]