Title: In Re: Amendments To Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.540

State: florida

Issuer: Florida Supreme Court

Document:

Supreme Court of Florida 
 
 
____________ 
 
No. SC09-1487 
____________ 
 
 
IN RE:  AMENDMENTS TO FLORIDA RULE OF JUDICIAL 
ADMINISTRATION 2.540. 
 
[May 20, 2010] 
 
PER CURIAM. 
 
The Florida Bar’s Rules of Judicial Administration Committee (Committee) 
has filed an out-of-cycle report proposing amendments to Florida Rule of Judicial 
Administration 2.540, Notices to Persons with Disabilities.  We have jurisdiction.  
See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const. 
BACKGROUND 
 
The Committee has proposed extensive amendments to rule 2.540 in order to 
better guide Florida courts and members of the public as to their rights and 
obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).  See 42 
U.S.C. §§ 12101-12213 (2006).  These amendments are also intended to promote 
uniformity in the provision of accommodations to individuals with disabilities.  
The Committee’s proposal was drafted with input and comments from various 
 
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groups, including the Equal Opportunity Law Section of the Florida Bar (EOLS), 
the Office of the State Court Administrator (OSCA), and the Judicial 
Administration Committee of the Conference of Circuit Judges.  Additionally, the 
Small Claims Rules Committee (SCRC) has independently suggested amendments 
to rule 2.540; the Committee indicated that it did not incorporate the SCRC’s 
suggestions into its own proposal, but it is not opposed to those changes. 
 
The Court published the proposed amendments in the October 1, 2009, 
edition of The Florida Bar News and received several comments.  The Committee 
filed a response to the comments.  After considering the proposal, the comments, 
and the Committee’s response, we adopt the amendments to rule 2.540 as 
proposed, with the exception of the specific revisions outlined below. 
AMENDMENTS 
 
Rule 2.540 provides for notice to persons with disabilities of their right to 
request accommodations.  New subdivisions have been added governing the 
provision of such accommodations.  Accordingly, the title of rule 2.540 is changed 
from “Notices to Persons with Disabilities” to “Requests for Accommodations by 
Persons with Disabilities” in order to reflect the broader content.   
The rule is organized into six new subdivisions.  Subdivision (a), Duties of 
Court, recognizes the court system’s obligation to provide accommodations to 
qualified persons with disabilities.  This subdivision provides that a qualified 
 
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individual with a disability will be provided, at the court’s expense, with 
accommodations, reasonable modifications to court rules and practices, and the 
provision of auxiliary aids or services.  Subdivision (b), Definitions, incorporates 
the definitions from the ADA into rule 2.540.   
Subdivision (c), Notice Requirement, encompasses the requirement under 
the ADA that public entities, including courts, notify persons with disabilities of 
their right to request accommodations.  Subdivision (c)(1) incorporates text from 
the current rule, which requires that standard language informing individuals of 
their right to request disability accommodations be included in all notices of court 
proceedings and process compelling attendance in court.  At the suggestion of the 
SCRC, we have added the requirement that the standard notice shall be printed in 
boldface, 14-point Times New Roman or Courier font.  We also added the 
requirement that individuals who wish to request an accommodation must contact 
the appropriate court at least seven days before their scheduled court appearance, 
or immediately upon receiving the notification if the time before the scheduled 
appearance is less than seven days.  Subdivision (c)(2) of the rule contains new 
language that requires trial and appellate courts to post the procedures for 
requesting accommodations and the grievance procedures outlined in subdivision 
(f) throughout each court’s building and on its website.   
 
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Subdivision (d), Process for Requesting Accommodations, sets out the 
procedure for requesting disability accommodations.  Subdivision (d)(1) provides 
the form in which such requests may be presented to the court.  We have revised 
the Committee’s proposal to state that the request for accommodations must be 
made within the timeframe provided in subdivision (d)(3).  Subdivision (d)(2) 
requires that the request for accommodations include a description of the 
accommodation sought; a statement of the impairment that necessitates the 
accommodation; and the duration that the accommodation is to be provided.  
Finally, subdivision (d)(3) sets forth the time frame in which requests for disability 
accommodations should be made.  We have revised the Committee’s proposal so 
that the time provided is identical to the time frame given to request an 
accommodation under subdivision (c)(1), at least seven days before the scheduled 
court appearance or immediately upon receiving notification if the time before the 
scheduled court appearance is less than seven days. 
Subdivision (e), Response to Accommodation Request, outlines the process 
through which a court will respond to a request for accommodations and either 
grant, grant in part, or deny the request.  Subdivision (e)(1) states that the court 
must consider, but is not limited by, the provisions of the ADA in reviewing a 
request for accommodations and determining the appropriate response.  
Subdivision (e)(2) describes the manner in which the court will respond to the 
 
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accommodation request.  The Committee’s original proposal required the court to 
respond to every request for disability accommodations in writing.  Based upon the 
comments directed to this subdivision, as well as the Committee’s response to 
those comments, we have modified the Committee’s proposal.  As revised, 
subdivision (e)(2) provides that if the request for accommodation is granted in its 
entirety, the court shall respond to the individual with a disability by any 
appropriate method.  If the request is denied or granted only in part, or if an 
alternative accommodation is granted, the court must respond to the individual 
with a disability in writing.  Lastly, subdivision (e)(3) provides that if a court 
determines that an individual is a qualified person with a disability and an 
accommodation is needed, the court may only deny the request if it determines that 
the requested accommodation would create an undue financial or administrative 
burden on the court or would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, 
program, or activity.   
Finally, subdivision (f), Grievance Procedure, directs each judicial circuit 
and appellate court to establish and publish grievance procedures that allow for the 
resolution of complaints.   
CONCLUSION 
Accordingly, we amend Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.540 as 
reflected in the appendix to this opinion.  New language is indicated by 
 
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underscoring; deletions are indicated by struck-through type.  These amendments 
shall become effective immediately upon the release of this opinion. 
The Court wishes to thank the Rules of Judicial Administration Committee, 
as well as the Equal Opportunity Law Section of the Bar, OSCA, the SCRC, and 
all the other commentors, for their valuable insight and assistance in addressing 
this important matter. 
It is so ordered. 
QUINCE, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, CANADY, POLSTON, LABARGA, 
and PERRY, JJ., concur. 
 
NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO FILE REHEARING MOTION, AND 
IF FILED, DETERMINED. 
 
 
Original Proceedings – Florida Rules of Judicial Administration 
 
Judge Lisa Davidson, Chair, Florida Rules of Judicial Administration Committee, 
Eighteen Judicial Circuit, Viera, Florida, John F. Harkness, Jr., Executive Director, 
The Florida Bar, Tallahassee, Florida, 
 
 
for Petitioner 
 
B. Elaine New, Court Counsel, for J. Thomas McGrady, Chief Judge, Sixth 
Judicial Circuit, St. Petersburg, Florida; Lee E. Haworth, Chief Judge, Twelfth 
Judicial Circuit and Chair, Florida Conference of Circuit Judges Judicial 
Administration Committee, Sarasota, Florida; Manuel Menendez, Jr., Chief Judge, 
and David A. Rowland, General Counsel, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, Tampa, 
Florida;  
 
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APPENDIX 
 
RULE 2.540. NOTICES TO REQUESTS FOR ACCOMMODATIONS BY 
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES 
 
(a) Duties of Court. Qualified individuals with a disability will be provided, at 
the court’s expense, with accommodations, reasonable modifications to rules, 
policies, or practices, or the provision of auxiliary aids and services, in order to 
participate in programs or activities provided by the courts of this state. The court 
may deny a request only in accordance with subdivision (e). 
 
(b) Definitions. The definitions encompassed in the Americans with 
Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. § 12101, et seq., are incorporated into this rule. 
 
(c) Notice Requirement. 
 
(1) All notices of court proceedings to be held in a public facility, and all 
process compelling appearance at such proceedings, shall include the following 
statement in bold face, 14-point Times New Roman or Courier font: 
 
“If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order 
to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision 
of certain assistance. Please contact [identify applicable court personnel by name, 
address, and telephone number] within 2 days of your receipt of this [describe 
notice] at least 7 days before your scheduled court appearance, or immediately 
upon receiving this notification if the time before the scheduled appearance is less 
than 7 days; if you are hearing or voice impaired, call 711.” 
 
(2) Each trial and appellate court shall post on its respective website and in 
each court facility the procedures for obtaining an accommodation as well as the 
grievance procedure adopted by that court. 
 
(d) Process for Requesting Accommodations. The process for requesting 
accommodations is as follows: 
 
(1) Requests for accommodations under this rule may be presented on a 
form approved or substantially similar to one approved by the Office of the State 
Courts Administrator, in another written format, or orally. Requests must be 
forwarded to the ADA coordinator, or designee, within the time frame provided in 
subdivision (d)(3). 
 
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(2) Requests for accommodations must include a description of the 
accommodation sought, along with a statement of the impairment that necessitates 
the accommodation and the duration that the accommodation is to be provided. 
The court, in its discretion, may require the individual with a disability to provide 
additional information about the impairment. Requests for accommodation shall 
not include any information regarding the merits of the case. 
 
(3) Requests for accommodations must be made at least 7 days before the 
scheduled court appearance, or immediately upon receiving notification if the time 
before the scheduled court appearance is less than 7 days.  The court may, in its 
discretion, waive this requirement. 
 
(e) Response to Accommodation Request. The court must respond to a 
request for accommodation as follows: 
 
(1) The court must consider, but is not limited by, the provisions of the 
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 in determining whether to provide an 
accommodation or an appropriate alternative accommodation. 
 
(2) The court must inform the individual with a disability of the following: 
 
(A) That the request for accommodation is granted or denied, in whole 
or in part, and if the request for accommodation is denied, the reason therefor; or 
that an alternative accommodation is granted; 
 
(B) The nature of the accommodation to be provided, if any; and 
 
(C) The duration of the accommodation to be provided. 
 
If the request for accommodation is granted in its entirety, the court shall 
respond to the individual with a disability by any appropriate method.  If the 
request is denied or granted only in part, or if an alternative accommodation is 
granted, the court must respond to the individual with a disability in writing, as 
may be appropriate, and if applicable, in an alternative format. 
 
(3) If the court determines that a person is a qualified person with a 
disability and an accommodation is needed, a request for accommodation may be 
denied only when the court determines that the requested accommodation would 
 
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create an undue financial or administrative burden on the court or would 
fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program, or activity. 
 
(f) Grievance Procedure. 
 
(1) Each judicial circuit and appellate court shall establish and publish 
grievance procedures that allow for the resolution of complaints. Those procedures 
may be used by anyone who wishes to file a complaint alleging discrimination on 
the basis of disability in the provision of services, activities, programs, or benefits 
by the Florida State Courts System. 
 
(2) 
If such grievance involves a matter that may affect the orderly 
administration of justice, it is within the discretion of the presiding judge to stay 
the proceeding and seek expedited resolution of the grievance.