Title: In Re: Amendments to Florida Rule For Certified and Court-Appointed Mediators 10.910

State: florida

Issuer: Florida Supreme Court

Document:

Supreme Court of Florida 
 
 
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No. SC17-935 
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IN RE:  AMENDMENTS TO FLORIDA RULE FOR CERTIFIED AND 
COURT-APPOINTED MEDIATORS 10.910. 
 
[March 15, 2018] 
 
PER CURIAM. 
In the June 22, 2017, opinion in this case, we adopted amendments to 
Florida Rule for Certified and Court-Appointed Mediators (Mediator Rule) 10.910 
(Mediator Ethics Advisory Committee).  See In re Amends. to Fla. Rule for 
Certified & Court-Appointed Mediators 10.910 (In re Mediator Rules), 220 So. 3d 
408 (Fla. 2017).1  Specifically, as relevant here, we amended Mediator Rule 10.910 
in subdivision (e) (Opinions) to allow the Dispute Resolution Center (DRC) greater 
latitude in publishing advisory opinions of the Mediator Ethics Advisory 
Committee (MEAC) by removing the specification that the opinions be published 
in the DRC’s newsletter.   
                                          
 
 
1.  We have jurisdiction.  See art. V, §2(a), Fla. Const.; see also § 44.106, 
Fla. Stat. (2016). 
 
 
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Because the Committee on Alternative Dispute Resolution Rules and Policy 
(Committee) filed a time-sensitive petition proposing the amendments, the 
proposed amendments were not published for comment prior to being adopted.  
Accordingly, in adopting the Committee’s proposed amendments, we provided for 
a period of sixty days after the date of the Court’s opinion for interested persons to 
file comments with the Court, followed by a period of twenty-one days for the 
Committee to file a response to any comments filed.  See In re Mediator Rules, 220 
So. 3d at 409 & n.1.   
The Court received three comments concerning subdivision (e) (Opinions).  
The Committee filed a response to the comments, which included an additional 
proposed amendment to subdivision (e) to specify that advisory opinions of the 
MEAC are to be published in the DRC’s newsletter or on the DRC’s website.  
Upon consideration of the comments filed, and the Committee’s response, we 
adopt the amendment to subdivision (e) as proposed by the Committee.  We amend 
Mediator Rule 10.910 in subdivision (e) to require that advisory opinions of the 
MEAC be published either in the DRC’s newsletter or on its website.    
Accordingly, the Florida Rules for Certified and Court-Appointed Mediators 
are hereby amended as reflected in the appendix to this opinion.  New language is 
indicated by underscoring.  The amendments shall become effective immediately 
upon release of this opinion.  
 
 
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It is so ordered.   
LABARGA, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, QUINCE, CANADY, POLSTON, 
and LAWSON, JJ., concur. 
 
THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER THE 
EFFECTIVE DATE OF THESE AMENDMENTS. 
 
Original Proceeding – Florida Rules for Certified and Court-Appointed Mediators 
 
Judge Rodney Smith, Chair, Committee on Alternative Dispute Resolution Rules 
and Policy, Miami, Florida; and Juan R. Collins, Senior Attorney, Dispute 
Resolution Center, Tallahassee, Florida, 
 
 
for Petitioner 
 
Irwin R. Eisenstein, Orlando, Florida; Dwayne E. Hickman Sr. of Hickman 
Mediations & Arbitrations LLC., Kissimmee, Florida; Jack Hughes of Lee County 
Justice Center, Fort Myers, Florida; and Matthew B. Capstraw of The Marks Law 
Firm, P.A., Orlando, Florida,   
 
 
Responding with comments 
 
 
 
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APPENDIX 
 
Rule 10.910. 
MEDIATOR ETHICS ADVISORY COMMITTEE  
 
(a)-(d) 
[No change] 
 
(e) Opinions.  Upon due deliberation, and upon the concurrence of a majority of 
the committee, the committee shall render opinions.  A majority of all 
members shall be required to concur in any advisory opinion issued by the 
committee.  The opinions shall be signed by the chair, or vice-chair in the 
absence of the chair, filed with the Dispute Resolution Center, published by 
the Dispute Resolution Center in its newsletter, or by posting on the DRC 
website, and be made available upon request. 
 
(f)-(h) 
[No change]   
 
 
Committee Notes 
[No change]