Case Name: UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION, Petitioner, v. GOODMAN, etc., et al., Respondent; Ordonez, etc., Petitioner, v. Vargas, et al., Respondent; Figueroa, etc., Petitioner, v. Grzymski, et al., Respondent; Harrington, etc., et al., Petitioner, v. Gutierrez, et al., Respondent; Ordonez, etc., Petitioner, v. Vargas, et al., Respondent; United Services Automobile Association, Petitioner, v. Goodman, etc., et al., Respondent; Progressive Southeastern Insurance Company, et al., Petitioner, v. Delgado, et al., Respondent; Figuero, etc., Petitioner, v. Grzymski, et al., Respondent
Court: Florida Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2002-04-19
Citations: 826 So. 2d 914
Docket Number: Nos. SC01-1700, SC01-1710, SC01-1797, SC01-1814, SC01-1886, SC01-1887, SC01-1913, SC01-1980
Parties: UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION, Petitioner, v. GOODMAN, etc., et al., Respondent. Ordonez, etc., Petitioner, v. Vargas, et al., Respondent. Figueroa, etc., Petitioner, v. Grzymski, et al., Respondent. Harrington, etc., et al., Petitioner, v. Gutierrez, et al., Respondent. Ordonez, etc., Petitioner, v. Vargas, et al., Respondent. United Services Automobile Association, Petitioner, v. Goodman, etc., et al., Respondent. Progressive Southeastern Insurance Company, et al., Petitioner, v. Delgado, et al., Respondent. Figuero, etc., Petitioner, v. Grzymski, et al., Respondent.
Judges: WELLS, C.J., and SHAW, HARDING, ANSTEAD and QUINCE, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 826
Pages: 914–915

Head Matter:
UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION, Petitioner, v. GOODMAN, etc., et al., Respondent. Ordonez, etc., Petitioner, v. Vargas, et al., Respondent. Figueroa, etc., Petitioner, v. Grzymski, et al., Respondent. Harrington, etc., et al., Petitioner, v. Gutierrez, et al., Respondent. Ordonez, etc., Petitioner, v. Vargas, et al., Respondent. United Services Automobile Association, Petitioner, v. Goodman, etc., et al., Respondent. Progressive Southeastern Insurance Company, et al., Petitioner, v. Delgado, et al., Respondent. Figuero, etc., Petitioner, v. Grzymski, et al., Respondent.
Nos. SC01-1700, SC01-1710, SC01-1797, SC01-1814, SC01-1886, SC01-1887, SC01-1913, SC01-1980.
Supreme Court of Florida.
April 19, 2002.

Opinion:
ORDER DIRECTING CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE TO VACATE ORDERS
These are consolidated cases before this Court involving the petitioners' requests for a writ directing Paul Siegel, Circuit Judge of the 11th Circuit Court for Miami Dade County, Florida, to vacate the following orders:
1. ORDER PROHIBITING ALLSTATE ATTORNEYS FROM USING LAW FIRM NAME IN DIVISION 27 PROCEEDINGS;
2. ORDER PROHIBITING INSURANCE COMPANY IN-HOUSE ATTORNEYS FROM USING FIRM NAMES IN DIVISION 27 PROCEEDINGS;
3. ORDER PROHIBITING INSURANCE COMPANY IN-HOUSE ATTORNEYS FROM VIOLATING THE RULES REGULATING THE FLORIDA BAR BY FAILING TO DISCLOSE INSURANCE COMPANY AFFILIATION IN SIGNING PLEADINGS IN DIVISION 27 LITIGATION.
We accept jurisdiction of these petitions on the basis of article V, section 3(b)(7), Florida Constitution.
We grant the writ and direct that Judge Siegel vacate each of the orders prohibiting defense counsel who are employed as full-time insurance company staff counsel from using their individual firm names in pleadings and correspondence, or requiring insurance company staff counsel to disclose their insurance company affiliation in filing pleadings and other papers in Division 27 litigation over which Judge Siegel presides. We determine that these prohibitions encroach upon this Court's ultimate jurisdiction to adopt rules for the courts, see article V, section 2(a), specifically Rules of Judicial Administration, Rules of Civil Procedure, and Rules Regulating The Florida Bar.
The Florida Bar has notified this Court in this proceeding that the Special Commission on Insurance Practices II has performed a comprehensive study of issues similar to those identified in Judge Siegel's orders and that the commission will submit recommendations from the study to this Court in March 2002. By granting these petitions, we are not ruling upon any matters which may be contained within the recommendations that may be provided in that report.
WELLS, C.J., and SHAW, HARDING, ANSTEAD and QUINCE, JJ., concur.
PARIENTE, J., concurs specially with an opinion in which LEWIS, J., concurs.