Title: In Re: Amendments To Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420 And The Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: SC07-2050
State: Florida
Issuer: Florida Supreme Court
Date: March 18, 2010

Supreme Court of Florida 
 
 
____________ 
 
No. SC07-2050 
____________ 
 
 
IN RE:  AMENDMENTS TO FLORIDA RULE OF JUDICIAL 
ADMINISTRATION 2.420 AND THE FLORIDA RULES OF APPELLATE 
PROCEDURE. 
 
[March 18, 2010] 
 
PER CURIAM. 
We have for consideration three sets of proposed amendments to Florida 
Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420, the rule that governs public access to 
judicial branch records.1  A thorough understanding of these proposals is critical to 
ensure the integrity of court records as we move inevitably into the electronic age.  
The amendments we adopt address procedures for the clerks to identify a narrow 
set of records as confidential, procedures for sealing and unsealing records, 
specific procedures targeted at criminal cases, and related appellate procedures.  
                                          
 
 
1.  We have jurisdiction.  See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const. 
 
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The first set of amendments is proposed by the Committee on Access to 
Court Records (Access Committee).  Those amendments provide a mechanism to 
protect confidential information in court records from public view.  Enacting a 
procedure that ensures the confidentiality of a narrow set of court records is a 
necessary prerequisite to the Court‘s ongoing effort to provide the public with 
electronic access to court records.  While there are enormous benefits to electronic 
access to court records, the Court has an ongoing concern that we not sacrifice the 
important goal of protecting those records that are confidential. 
The other proposals deal specifically with the issue of sealing and unsealing 
court records both in criminal and civil cases.  The proposals refine the procedures 
developed in 2007 for sealing and unsealing noncriminal trial court records and 
specifically include procedures targeted at criminal and appellate court records.  In 
conjunction with these proposals, the Court also considers related amendments to 
the Rules of Appellate Procedure, which clarify that requests to seal appellate court 
records are governed by rule 2.420 and provide for review of court orders granting 
access to judicial branch records and proceedings, in addition to orders denying 
access.  
We adopt the majority of the proposals, with only minor modifications.  The 
goal of the comprehensive amendments to rule 2.420 is to balance the public‘s 
constitutional right to access to court records with the courts‘ responsibility to 
 
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protect from public access court records that are confidential.  The amendments 
also bring our court system closer to providing the public with electronic access to 
court records.   
BACKGROUND 
Privacy Committee Recommendations and Access Committee Charge  
A number of the proposed amendments regarding the treatment of 
confidential information that is included in court records began with the 
recommendations of the Committee on Privacy and Court Records (Privacy 
Committee), established in November 2003.  While this Court recognized the 
advantages of greater access to court records by electronic means, it had become 
aware of the potential for abuse if otherwise confidential information was available 
online.   
The Privacy Committee was charged with providing recommendations to the 
Court regarding electronic access to court records in Florida.2  In August 2005, the 
Privacy Committee submitted its report and recommendations.3  The Court 
solicited comments and held three public hearings on the recommendations.  The 
                                          
 
 
2.  See In re Committee on Privacy and Court Records, Fla. Admin. Order 
No. AOSC04-04 (Feb. 12, 2004) (substituted for AOSC03-49). 
 
 
3.  See Committee on Privacy and Court Records, Privacy, Access and Court 
Records: the Report and Recommendations of the Committee on Privacy and Court 
Records (2005) (―Privacy Committee Report‖). 
 
 
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Court received helpful comments from, among others, various media groups and 
the clerks of court.  After consultation with the Court, in June 2006, then Chief 
Justice Pariente and Chief Justice-Elect Lewis issued an administrative order 
partially implementing the Privacy Committee‘s recommendations.4  By separate 
administrative order, the Access Committee was created to further study and 
implement a number of the Privacy Committee‘s recommendations,5 including the 
recommendations concerning rule 2.420 at issue here.6   
The Privacy Committee had concluded in its report, and the Court agreed, 
that the Florida judicial branch should have a goal of providing the public with 
electronic access to nonconfidential court records when appropriate conditions are 
met.7  The Access Committee was created to assist in establishing those necessary 
conditions, one of which was the need to narrow the scope of subdivision (c)(8) of 
rule 2.420 to a finite set of public records exemptions that are appropriate for court 
                                          
 
 
4.  See In re Implementation of Report and Recommendations of the 
Committee on Privacy and Court Records, Fla. Admin. Order No. AOSC06-20 
(June 30, 2006) (―Admin. Order No. AOSC06-20‖). 
 
5.  See In re Committee on Access to Court Records, Fla. Admin. Order No. 
AOSC06-27 (Aug. 21, 2006) (―Admin. Order AOSC06-27‖). 
 
6.  The recommendations of the Privacy Committee at issue here are 
Recommendations Two (Scope of Confidentiality); Thirteen (Confidential 
Information); Sixteen (Unsealing of Records); and Seventeen (Responsibility of 
Filer). 
 
7.  See Admin. Order AOSC06-20 at 1, 9.   
 
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records and are identifiable.  The ability to identify a finite set of public records 
exemptions that apply to court records under the rule was critical to the larger task 
of allowing electronic access to court records.8  Accordingly, the Access 
Committee was charged with reviewing rule 2.420 and proposing amendments to 
the rule consistent with the Privacy Committee‘s recommendations.9   
                                          
 
 
8.  The Privacy Committee recognized that the task of applying all statutory 
exemptions to court records would be a practically impossible task for the clerks of 
court.  The need for the clerks to screen all court records and redact all confidential 
information before storing the records on a publicly accessible electronic system 
would be an insurmountable obstacle to the implementation of public online access 
to court records.  See Privacy Committee Report at 33-34. 
 
9.  Specifically, the Access Committee was charged as follows with respect 
to rule 2.420: 
 
The primary purpose of the Committee is to review [rule 2.420] 
and develop proposed revisions to the rule with regard to the 
following matters: 
 
 
1.  Recommendation Two.  Scope of Confidentiality.  Review 
and explore revisions to rule [2.420] to narrow its application to a 
finite set of exemptions that are appropriate in the court context and 
are identifiable.  The Committee should note that the Supreme Court 
has not made a decision as to whether the absorption doctrine applies. 
 
. . . . 
 
4.  Recommendation Thirteen: Confidential Information.  
Propose revisions to rule [2.420] to clarify that those records defined 
in the rule are confidential and may not be released except as 
provided.  Because this requirement is already established in existing 
law, the Committee is directed to propose a rule amendment or 
committee note that is consistent with the recognition of the current 
legal requirements. 
 
5.  Recommendation Sixteen: Unsealing of Records.  Propose 
revisions to rule [2.420] to provide a clear and effective mechanism 
 
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Development of Procedures for Sealing Court Records 
 
While the Access Committee was developing its proposed amendments to 
rule 2.420, the Court issued an opinion in the initial ―sealing case,‖ In re 
Amendments to Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420—Sealing of Court 
Records & Dockets, 954 So. 2d 16 (Fla. 2007).  There, in response to Florida news 
media reports of ―hidden cases and secret dockets,‖ the Court adopted new rule 
2.420(d)10 to provide a procedure for seeking to seal noncriminal trial court records 
under rule 2.420(c)(9)11 and for seeking to unseal those records.  954 So. 2d at 17.   
                                                                                                                                        
through which a preliminary determination that a record is exempt or 
confidential can be challenged and reviewed. 
 
6.  Recommendation Seventeen: Responsibility of Filer.  
Propose revisions to rule [2.420] to provide for certain responsibilities 
of the filer of court documents regarding confidential information. 
 
Admin. Order AOSC06-27 at 2-4. 
 
10.  Renumbered rule 2.420(e) here. 
 
11.  The subdivision (c)(9) factors for determining the confidentiality of 
court records are derived from the Court‘s decision in Barron v. Florida Freedom 
Newspapers, Inc., 531 So. 2d 113, 118 (Fla. 1988).  The subdivision provides for 
confidentiality for 
[a]ny court record determined to be confidential in case decision or 
court rule on the grounds that  
(A) confidentiality is required to 
(i)  prevent a serious and imminent threat to the fair, impartial, 
and orderly administration of justice;  
(ii)  protect trade secrets;  
 
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Because the Rules of Judicial Administration Committee (RJA Committee) 
had focused only on the sealing of noncriminal court records, the Court declined to 
adopt suggested procedures that would have broadly required that all sealing orders 
in criminal cases be kept confidential and not posted in order to protect 
confidential informants.  See id. at 23 n.13 (declining to adopt proposals by the 
Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association and the Florida Public Defender 
Association to keep sealing orders in criminal cases confidential in order to protect 
confidential informants).  Rather, the Court asked the RJA Committee to work 
with the Criminal Procedure Rules Committee (CPR Committee) ―to propose rule 
amendments to address the sealing of court records in criminal cases.‖  954 So. 2d 
                                                                                                                                        
(iii)  protect a compelling governmental interest;  
(iv)  obtain evidence to determine legal issues in a case;  
(v)  avoid substantial injury to innocent third parties;  
(vi)  avoid substantial injury to a party by disclosure of matters 
protected by a common law or privacy right not generally inherent in 
the specific type of proceeding sought to be closed;  
(vii) comply with established public policy set forth in the 
Florida or United States Constitution or statutes or Florida rules or 
case law;  
(B) the degree, duration, and manner of confidentiality ordered 
by the court shall be no broader than necessary to protect the interests 
set forth in subdivision (A); and 
(C) no less restrictive measures are available to protect the 
interests set forth in subdivision (A). 
Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 2.420(c)(9).  
 
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at 23.  By follow-up letter, the committees were asked to specifically address the 
concerns raised about the need to protect confidential informants.  The Court also 
asked the RJA Committee to work with the Appellate Court Rules Committee 
(ACR Committee) ―to consider the need for rules governing requests to seal 
appellate court records.‖  Id.  
In October 2007, the RJA Committee filed its report and proposals, 
encompassing the work of the three rules committees.  The proposals, which were 
endorsed by the CPR Committee, included new procedures for sealing criminal 
trial court records.  The RJA Committee offered, with the endorsement of the ACR 
Committee, a brief commentary to rule 2.420 to address the sealing of appellate 
court records.  The RJA Committee‘s report is the subject of the instant case.   
Before the RJA Committee‘s proposals were filed, the Court had sua sponte 
drafted a new rule to govern the sealing of appellate court records and sought input 
on the procedures from the chief judges of the district courts of appeal.  After the 
chief judges had commented and after the RJA Committee‘s report was filed, the 
Court drafted additional changes to rule 2.420, incorporating most of the RJA 
Committee‘s proposals into its proposed amendments.   
The Court sought comments on the two sets of amendments.  A number of 
comments were filed, including comments from The Florida Bar‘s Special Joint 
 
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Committee on Changes to Rule 2.420 (Special Joint Committee),12 which was 
created to study the Court‘s proposals for sealing appellate court records.   
Access Committee Proposals 
In October 2008, before the Court considered the comments to the two sets 
of sealing proposals, the Access Committee filed its petition to amend rule 2.420 to 
implement the Privacy Committee‘s recommendations.13  The Access Committee 
used the Court‘s proposed version of the rule as the foundation for its proposals.  
The Access Committee‘s proposals, the focal point of which is a new procedure for 
the identification and segregation of confidential information in court records, were 
consolidated with the pending sealing proposals in this case and were published for 
comment.  
Comments, Oral Argument, and Further Refinement by the Court 
                                          
 
 
12.  The Special Joint Committee is composed of members of the RJA and 
ACR committees, assisted by representatives from the CPR Committee and the 
Access Committee.  The Special Joint Committee greatly assisted the Court in 
refining the new procedures.    
 
13.  The Access Committee has also submitted a comprehensive report of 
proposed amendments to various rules of procedure to minimize unnecessary 
personal information in court records, which is being considered separately in In re 
Implementation of Committee on Privacy and Court Records Recommendations, 
No. SC08-2443 (Fla. petition filed Dec. 22, 2008).  Implementation 
recommendations concerning electronic access to court records contained in the 
Access Committee‘s final report and recommendations submitted in September 
2008 also are being considered separately.  See Committee on Access to Court 
Records, Final Report and Recommendations (2008) (―Access Committee 
Report‖).        
 
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Comments addressing the various amendments at issue here were filed by 
the ACR Committee, the CPR Committee, the Special Joint Committee, Florida 
Media Organizations,14 the First Amendment Foundation, Reporters Committee for 
Freedom of the Press, the Volusia County, Sarasota County, and Miami-Dade 
County Clerks of Court, the Florida Public Defender Association, and the Florida 
Prosecuting Attorneys Association.  The RJA Committee filed comments as well 
as a response to other comments.  The Florida Courts Technology Commission‘s 
Subcommittee on Access to Court Records (Access Subcommittee), which is the 
successor to the Access Committee,15 also filed a response and comments.  
In September 2009, after holding separate arguments on each of the major 
topics at issue here, the Court further revised the pending amendments and sought 
comments on its revisions from the various committees and those who filed 
comments.  See In re Amends. to Fla. Rule of Jud. Admin. 2.420, No. SC07-2050 
(Fla. order filed Sept. 9, 2009).  The Court also asked the committees, with input 
                                          
 
 
14.  ―Florida Media Organizations‖ include: Media General Operations, Inc., 
d/b/a The Tampa Tribune, WFLA-TV/News Channel 8; NYT Management 
Services, Inc., publisher of the (Sarasota) Herald-Tribune, (Lakeland) Ledger, 
Gainesville Sun and (Ocala) Star-Banner; Sun-Sentinel Company, d/b/a the South 
Florida Sun-Sentinel; and The Florida Press Association. 
 
15.  See In re Fla. Courts Tech. Comm‘n, Subcomm. on Access to Court 
Records, Fla. Admin. Order No. AOSC09-3 (Jan. 27, 2009) (directing commission 
to establish a Subcommittee on Access to Court Records to act as the successor to 
the Access Committee for the purpose of advancing the Access Committee‘s 
proposals). 
 
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from the clerks of court, to develop a new form to be used with the proposed rule 
for identifying and designating confidential information.   
Further comments were received, including comments from The Florida 
Bar‘s newly created Consolidated Rules Committee, which submitted the 
requested new form and suggested additional revisions to the rule.16  The Access 
Subcommittee concurs with the majority of the Consolidated Rules Committee‘s 
suggested revisions.   
After considering the various proposals, the numerous comments, and 
suggested revisions, as well as the issues addressed at oral argument, we amend 
Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420 and the Rules of Appellate Procedure to 
provide comprehensive procedures for identifying and segregating confidential 
information in court records, for sealing and unsealing court records, and for 
reviewing orders issued under the rule.  We discuss the more significant 
amendments below.    
AMENDMENTS 
                                          
 
 
16.  The Consolidated Rules Committee is composed of representatives from 
the RJA Committee, ACR Committee, and CPR Committee.  The Consolidated 
Rules Committee received input from the Access Subcommittee, the offices of the 
clerks of court of the Seventh and Thirteenth Judicial Circuits, and various media 
organizations.  We commend the Consolidated Rules Committee and those who 
provided input to the committee for their thorough review of the proposed 
procedures and for assisting the Court in finalizing the procedures.  
 
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Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420, Public Access to Judicial Branch 
Records 
 
New Subdivision (b)(4), Confidential 
New subdivision (b)(4) defines the term ―confidential‖ as used in the rule.  
The new definition is in response to Privacy Committee Recommendation Thirteen 
(Confidential Information),17 and the Access Committee‘s charge to ―[p]ropose 
revisions to rule [2.420] to clarify that those records defined in the rule are 
confidential and may not be released except as provided.‖  Admin. Order 
AOSC06-27 at 3.  The new subdivision clarifies that ― ‗[c]onfidential,‘ as applied 
to information contained within a record of the judicial branch, means that such 
                                          
 
17.  In Recommendation Thirteen (Confidential Information), the Privacy 
Committee reported: 
 
The Committee has found that the responsibility of protecting 
confidential information is a constitutional mandate upon the judicial 
branch and that any access to court records must be conditioned on the 
effective identification and protection of confidential information.  
Ultimate responsibility for protecting confidential information in court 
records belongs to the court.  The responsibility of the court extends 
to the clerk of court as the custodian of the court‘s records pursuant to 
Article V of the Florida Constitution. 
Confidential Information Not to be Released 
 
The Committee recommends that the Supreme Court direct revision of 
Rule [2.420] to clarify that those records defined in Rule [2.420](c) of 
the judicial branch are confidential and may not be released except as 
provided.   
Privacy Committee Report at 59. 
 
 
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information is exempt from the public right of access under article I, section 24(a) 
of the Florida Constitution and may be released only to the persons or 
organizations designated by law, statute, or court order.‖  It also explains that ―[a]s 
applied to information contained within a court record, ‗exempt‘ means that such 
information is confidential‖ and that ―[c]onfidential information includes 
information that is confidential under this rule or under a court order entered 
pursuant to this rule.‖  
The definition further provides that ―[t]o the extent reasonably practicable, 
restriction of access to confidential information shall be implemented in a manner 
that does not restrict access to any portion of the record that is not confidential.‖   
The RJA Committee originally suggested the ―[t]o the extent reasonably 
practicable‖ qualifier be added to the caveat on restriction of access and the 
language be included in retitled subdivision (c), Confidential and Exempt Records.  
We declined to adopt most of the RJA Committee‘s revisions to subdivision (c) 
because they merely restated much of new subdivision (b)(4).  However, we added 
the suggested qualifying language to subdivision (b)(4) in recognition that there 
likely will be instances when it will not be reasonably practicable for the clerk to 
redact all the confidential information in a document and the clerk will have to 
treat the entire document as confidential.   
New Subdivision (b)(5), Affected Non-Party  
 
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New subdivision (b)(5) defines the term ―affected non-party,‖ as used in the 
rule, to mean ―any non-party identified by name in a court record that contains 
confidential information pertaining to that non-party.‖  The new definition was 
proposed by the Consolidated Rules Committee to clarify the non-parties who are 
entitled to receive notice of certain filings under the revised rule.  The new 
definition and notice requirements throughout the rule, see rule 2.420(d)(4), (e)(5), 
(g)(5), respond to Privacy Committee Recommendation Seventeen, which urged 
that the rule be amended to require a filer to give a non-party notice of the filing of 
confidential information that pertains to the non-party.  See Privacy Committee 
Report at 64.  
New Subdivision (d), Procedures for Determining Confidentiality of Court 
Records 
 
New subdivision (d), Procedures for Determining Confidentiality of Court 
Records, is the cornerstone of the Access Committee‘s work.18  It moves Florida 
courts a step closer to providing the public electronic access to court records by 
providing a mechanism that will allow clerks of court to more readily identify 
confidential information that must be screened from public view.19  It also provides 
                                          
 
 
18.  See Admin. Order AOSC06-27 at 2 (directing Access Committee to 
―[r]eview and explore revisions to rule [2.420] to narrow its application to a finite 
set of exemptions that are appropriate in the court context and are identifiable‖). 
 
19.  On July 1, 2009, the Florida Supreme Court Statewide Standards for 
Electronic Access to the Courts (―Standards‖) were adopted by administrative 
 
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a procedure to ensure that confidential information that is not automatically 
screened from public view by the clerk will be the subject of a determination of 
confidentiality by the court.   
In its 2005 report, the Privacy Committee recommended a plan for providing 
the public with electronic access to court records, but recommended that 
implementation of the plan be deferred until rule 2.420 could be revised to reduce 
the scope of records that are automatically confidential under subdivision (c)(8) of 
the rule and that must be identified by court clerks and screened from public view.  
In Recommendation Two (Scope of Confidentiality), the Privacy Committee 
explained: 
Any system of access to court records must identify and protect 
information that is confidential.  Confidentiality of Florida court 
                                                                                                                                        
order.  See In re Statewide Standards for Electronic Access to the Courts, Fla. 
Admin Order No. AOSC09-30 (July 1, 2009).  The Standards were developed in 
response to chapter 2009-61, section 16, Laws of Florida, which requested that the 
Court establish statewide e-filing standards to be used by the clerks of court to 
implement electronic filing.  Standard 4.1.15, Documents Exempt from Public 
Access, was included in the Standards to serve as a ―placeholder‖ for the procedure 
adopted here.  Standard 4.1.15 provides: 
If a filer who electronically files a document containing information 
identified as exempt from public access pursuant to Rule 2.420, 
Florida Rules of Judicial Administration and applicable statute, the 
filer shall indicate that the document contains confidential information 
by placing the notation ―confidential‖ in the comments section.  
Documents that are exempt or claimed to be exempt from public 
access shall be processed pursuant to Rule 2.420. 
Standards at 12.   
 
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records is controlled by Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 
[2.420].  The Committee has concluded that subdivision (c)(8) of the 
rule incorporates state and federal laws, making the relevant 
information confidential from disclosure under the rule.  The 
Committee recognizes that to implement an electronic access system 
with the capacity to identify and redact all information in court files 
embraced by the current rule would be exceedingly difficult, if not 
impossible given the foreseeable resources of the judicial branch.    
However, it is the further view of the Committee that some of 
the incorporated exemptions in Florida law may be unnecessary or 
overly broad in the judicial context where a strong presumption of 
openness exists.  The Committee is of the opinion that it is within the 
rule-making power of the Supreme Court, and not contrary to the 
Florida Constitution, to effectively expand public access to court 
records by reducing the scope of confidentiality under subdivision 
(c)(8) of the rule.  Protections provided by other subdivisions of the 
rule should remain in effect.  The electronic access plan set out in [the 
report] should be deferred pending completion of this revision 
process. 
Privacy Committee Report at 47.  Because the Committee concluded ―that 
implementation of a system that allows large volumes of court records to be 
released electronically cannot be responsibly achieved‖ under the current rule, it 
urged a review of the scope of subdivision (c)(8) of the rule and revision of the rule 
to narrow ―its application to a finite set of exemptions that are appropriate in the 
court context and are readily identifiable.‖  Id.  New subdivision (d) implements 
that recommendation.  
Privacy Committee Recommendation Two is based on the Committee‘s 
conclusion that subdivision (c)(8) of the rule ―generally absorbs Florida statutory 
exemptions and federal confidentialities.‖  Privacy Committee Report at 60.  In 
 
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other words, the Committee determined that subdivision (c)(8) ―incorporates by 
reference statutory exemptions of Florida and federal law, making the statutory 
exemptions rule-based confidentialities pursuant to the grandfather clause for rules 
of court in Section 24(d) of the Florida Constitution.‖ Id.; see also id. at 29-33, 60-
61.20  This interpretation of the interplay between statutory public records 
                                          
 
20.  Article I, section 24 of the Florida Constitution, titled ―Access to public 
records and meetings,‖ was adopted in November 1992 and became effective July 
1, 1993.  It provides in relevant part:   
 
 
(a) Every person has the right to inspect or copy any public 
record made or received in connection with the official business of 
any public body, officer, or employee of the state, or persons acting 
on their behalf, except with respect to records exempted pursuant to 
this section or specifically made confidential by this Constitution. 
This section specifically includes the legislative, executive, and 
judicial branches of government and each agency or department 
created thereunder . . . . 
 
. . . . 
 
(c) This section shall be self-executing.  The legislature, 
however, may provide by general law passed by a two-thirds vote of 
each house for the exemption of records from the requirements of 
subsection (a) . . . provided that such law shall state with specificity 
the public necessity justifying the exemption and shall be no broader 
than necessary to accomplish the stated purpose of the law. . . . 
 
(d) All laws that are in effect on July 1, 1993 that limit public 
access to records or meetings shall remain in force, and such laws 
apply to records of the legislative and judicial branches, until they are 
repealed.  Rules of court that are in effect on the date of adoption of 
this section that limit access to records shall remain in effect until they 
are repealed. 
 
Art. I, § 24, Fla. Const. (emphasis added). 
Immediately prior to adoption of article I, section 24 by the electors, the 
Court adopted rule 2.051, Public Access to Judicial [Branch] Records, [since 
 
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exemptions and the subdivision (c)(8) exceptions to the mandate that the public 
shall have access to all judicial branch records has been referred to as the 
―absorption doctrine.‖  See Admin. Order AOSC06-27 at 2.    
In referring Recommendation Two to the Access Committee, the Court 
emphasized that it ―has not made a decision as to whether the absorption doctrine 
applies.‖  Id.  In adopting a procedure for identifying and segregating confidential 
information in court records, we, likewise, do not decide the adsorption issue here.  
As the Privacy Committee noted in Recommendation Fourteen of its report, the 
absorption issue is better left for a proper case and controversy.  See Privacy 
Committee Report at 60 (noting that ―the interplay of the statutes and the rule 
                                                                                                                                        
renumbered 2.420], effective October 29, 1992.  In re Amends. to Fla. Rules of 
Jud. Admin.—Public Access to Jud. Records, 608 So. 2d 472, 473-74 (Fla. 1992).  
The rule states that ―[t]he public shall have access to all records of the judicial 
branch, except as provided [therein].‖  Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 2.420(a).  The rule 
2.420 exceptions that were in effect at the time article I, section 24 was adopted are 
currently provided in subdivision (c), Exemptions.   
As relevant here, subdivision (c) provides:  
 
The following records of the judicial branch shall be confidential:  . . . 
(7) All records made confidential under the Florida and United 
States Constitutions and Florida and federal law; 
(8) All records presently deemed to be confidential by court 
rule, including the Rules for Admission to the Bar, by Florida 
Statutes, by prior case law of the State of Florida, and by the rules of 
the Judicial Qualifications Commission; 
 
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presents substantial legal issues requiring resolution in properly contested cases or 
controversies‖).   
New subdivision (d) sets forth the procedure for the clerks of court to 
designate court records as confidential under subdivisions (c)(1) through (c)(8) and 
limits the subdivision (c)(7) and (c)(8) records that must be automatically 
designated confidential to a ―finite set‖ of nineteen statutory exemptions.  It also 
provides a mechanism for the filer to seek a judicial determination of 
confidentiality as to subdivision (c)(7) and (c)(8) records that are not automatically 
designated confidential by the clerk. 
In developing the new procedures for designating court records as 
confidential, the Access Committee reviewed the over 1000 statutory public 
records exemptions and identified nineteen exemptions it determined are 
applicable in the context of court records and readily identifiable to clerks of court.  
The Access Committee refers to confidential information covered by the nineteen 
identified exemptions as ―type I information.‖  Examples of type I information 
include adoption records, social security numbers, and information identifying 
victims of sexual offenses.  New subdivision (d)(1)(B) contains the nineteen 
exemptions identified by the Committee, with minor revision by the Court.21   
                                          
 
 
21.  We revised subdivision (d)(1)(B)(v) to clarify that test results 
concerning sexually transmitted diseases and the identities of patients within the 
test results, which are exempt under section 384.29, Florida Statutes (2009), are 
 
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New subdivision (d)(1) requires the clerk of court to designate and maintain 
as confidential information governed by existing subdivisions (c)(1) through (c)(6) 
and information that is confidential or exempt under a subdivision (d)(1)(B) 
exemption (type I information).  The clerk‘s responsibility under the new 
subdivision is independent of the responsibility of the filer.   
Subdivision (d)(2) requires a filer to identify type I information to the clerk 
at the time of filing by filing a ―Notice of Confidential Information Within Court 
Filing.‖22  The notice form, which is added to the end of rule 2.420, identifies the 
applicable provision of subdivision (d)(1)(B) and the specific location of the 
confidential information within the document being filed.  This subdivision is in 
response to Privacy Committee Recommendation Seventeen, addressing the duty 
of the filer to identify confidential information.  Privacy Committee Report at 64.   
Under subdivision (d)(2), the clerk of court must review the information 
identified by the filer to determine whether the information is facially subject to the 
                                                                                                                                        
confidential under the rule when provided by the Department of Health or the 
department‘s authorized representative.   
 
 
22.  We agree with the Access Subcommittee that revisions to subdivision 
(d)(2) suggested by the Consolidated Rules Committee, which would apply the 
new subdivision to documents introduced into evidence during court proceedings, 
do not give adequate guidance as to the procedures the judge would follow or how 
a party or other interested person would seek review of the court‘s decision as to 
the documents.  Therefore, we decline to adopt the suggested revisions at this time.  
However, we encourage the RJA Committee, in consultation with the Access 
Subcommittee, to consider the matter for possible future amendment.  
 
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identified provision.  If the clerk determines that the information is not facially 
subject to the provision, the clerk must give the filer written notice of the 
determination and maintain the information as confidential for ten days or until the 
court rules on a motion to determine the confidentiality of the information, if one 
has been filed.  
New subdivision (d)(3) applies to what the Access Committee refers to as 
―type II information,‖ which is information that may be confidential under 
subdivisions (c)(7) or (c)(8), but that is not automatically confidential under the 
new rule.  Under this subdivision, the filer of a document has a duty to determine 
whether type II information is contained in the document being filed.  If the filer 
has a good faith belief the document contains confidential information, the filer 
must file a ―Motion to Determine Confidentiality of Court Records,‖ requesting a 
judicial determination of confidentiality, unless the filer is the only person whose 
confidential information is included in the document or is the attorney representing 
all such persons, and a waiver of confidential status is intended.  Any interested 
person also may request that type II information be maintained confidential by 
filing a motion to determine confidentiality.  
The Court added new subdivision (d)(4) to require a filer to give a non-party 
notice of certain filings involving confidential information pertaining to the non-
party.  Under the new subdivision, a person filing a notice of confidential 
 
- 22 - 
information or filing a motion under the rule must give notice of the filing to an 
affected non-party, as defined under new subdivision (b)(5).   
Renumbered Subdivision (e), Request to Determine Confidentiality of Trial 
Court Records in Noncriminal Cases 
 
Existing subdivision (d) is renumbered (e) and retitled ―Request to 
Determine Confidentiality of Trial Court Records in Noncriminal Cases.‖  The 
subdivision currently provides a procedure for seeking a judicial determination that 
trial court records in noncriminal cases are confidential under subdivision (c)(9) 
(the Barron test)23 and for unsealing those records.  See In re Amends. to Fla. Rule 
of Jud. Admin. 2.420—Sealing of Court Records & Dockets, 954 So. 2d at 17.  
This procedure serves as the foundation for the new procedures for seeking a 
judicial determination as to type II information discussed above.  It also effectively 
implements Privacy Committee Recommendation Sixteen (Unsealing of 
Records)24 by providing a clear mechanism for seeking to unseal records sealed 
under the rule.25 
The scope of renumbered subdivision (e) is expanded to provide for motions 
based on other provisions of subdivision (c), Confidential and Exempt Records, not 
                                          
 
 
23.  See supra note 11.  
 
24.  See Privacy Report at 63. 
 
25.  Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.100(d) provides the procedure for 
seeking review of orders granting or denying access to court records. 
 
- 23 - 
just motions based on subdivision (c)(9).  This will permit motions to seal based on 
statutory exemptions or federal confidentiality laws that are arguably incorporated 
into the rule through subdivisions (c)(7) or (c)(8), but not among the nineteen 
exemptions listed in subdivision (d)(1)(B).  This concept is continued in new 
subdivisions (f) (criminal court records) and (g) (appellate court records).   
Another significant amendment to this subdivision is the addition of 
provisions to subdivisions (e)(2) and (e)(5) that provide for expedited 
consideration and rulings on motions to seal or unseal.  Also significant are the 
amendments to subdivision (e)(6) that provide for sanctions in connection with 
bad-faith designations of confidential information or sealing motions.  The 
amendments also provide for sanctions for the failure to comply with the 
requirements for filing confidential information.  This is consistent with that 
portion of Privacy Committee Recommendation Seventeen urging that filers be 
subject to sanctions for willfully failing to comply with requirements for the filing 
of confidential information.  See Privacy Committee Report at 64.   
New Subdivision (f), Request to Determine Confidentiality of Court Records 
in Criminal Cases 
 
Subdivision (f) is new and provides the procedures for requesting a 
confidentiality determination for criminal trial and appellate court records.  The 
new subdivision is the culmination of suggestions, which were intended to protect 
the identities of confidential informants, made by the Florida Prosecuting 
 
- 24 - 
Attorneys Association and the Florida Public Defender Association in the original 
sealing case,26 the subsequent joint work of the RJA and CPR Committees, the 
alternative proposal of the Access Committee, and later suggestions by the 
Consolidated Rules Committee.  The more restrictive subdivision (f)(3) procedures 
we adopt here balance the established policy of protecting from public disclosure 
information that reveals the identity of a confidential informant or concerns an 
active criminal investigation27 with the public‘s constitutional right to access to 
court records.    
Under subdivisions (f)(1) and (f)(2), the subdivision (e) procedures for 
noncriminal trial court records and subdivision (g) procedures for noncriminal  
appellate court records apply to the majority of motions to determine the 
confidentiality of court records in criminal cases.  The exception is the narrow set 
of records governed by the more restrictive subdivision (f)(3) procedures.  
The Court revised the proposals submitted by the committees to ensure that 
the more restrictive procedures that apply under this subdivision are narrowly 
applied.  As revised, the restrictive procedures apply to requests to determine the 
                                          
 
 
26.  See 954 So. 2d at 23 n.13. 
 
27.  See §§ 119.071(2)(c) (public records exemption for active criminal 
investigative information); 119.071(2)(f) (public records exemption for 
information revealing the identity of a confidential informant); 119.0714(1)(f) 
(application of section 119.071(2)(f) to court files), Fla. Stat. (2009).  
 
- 25 - 
confidentiality of criminal court records that pertain to a plea agreement, 
substantial assistance agreement, or other court record that reveals the identity of a 
confidential informant or active criminal investigative information.  A subdivision 
(f)(3) motion must be based on a request for confidentiality under subdivisions 
(c)(9)(A)(i) (confidentiality required to prevent a serious and imminent threat to 
administration of justice), (c)(9)(A)(iii) (confidentiality required to protect a 
compelling governmental interest),28 (c)(9)(A)(v) (confidentiality required to avoid 
substantial injury to innocent third parties), or (c)(9)(A)(vii) (confidentiality 
required to comply with established public policy) of the rule.   
Information that is the subject of a subdivision (f)(3) motion must be treated 
as confidential by the clerk pending a ruling on the motion.  At the urging of the 
Consolidated Rules Committee, with the support of the Access Subcommittee and 
the Florida Public Defender Association, we have included a provision that 
requires that a subdivision (f)(3) motion be treated as confidential pending a ruling 
on the motion or until otherwise ordered by the court.  Cf. §§ 119.071(2)(c); 
119.071(2)(f); 119.0714(1)(f), Fla. Stat. (2009).  However, we reject the suggestion 
that the motion and the court records that are the subject of the motion must not be 
indicated on the public docket.  If filings that are subject to this subdivision are not 
                                          
 
 
28.  In Barron, 531 So. 2d at 118, the Court recognized the need to protect a 
compelling governmental interest as a reason to seal records pertaining to 
confidential informants.   
 
- 26 - 
noted on the docket, the result would be a ―false docket,‖ by omission.  We have 
previously explained our condemnation of prior practices that resulted in reports of 
―hidden cases and secret dockets.‖  In re Amends. to Fla. Rule of Jud. Admin. 
2.420—Sealing of Court Records & Dockets, 954 So. 2d at 16.  Therefore, 
consistent with new subdivision (f)(4), which cautions that this subdivision does 
not authorize the falsification of court records or progress dockets,29 we have 
added language that requires the motion and any filings containing information that 
is the subject of the motion to be indicated on the public docket.  The filings must 
be indicated in a manner that does not reveal the confidential nature of the 
information.  To ensure that the motion, which must be indicated on the docket by 
generic title, can be docketed without revealing the nature of the motion, the 
motion must be titled ―Motion to Determine Confidentiality of Court Records,‖ as 
are other motions to seal filed under the rule.   
The subdivision (e)(3)(A)–(G) (requirements for orders granting motion), 
(e)(6) (sanctions),30 and (g)(7) (lower tribunal may revisit appellate court‘s sealing 
order) procedures apply under subdivision (f)(3).  However, the subdivision (e)(1) 
(requirements for motion), (e)(2) (requirements for hearing, record of hearing, 
                                          
 
 
29.  This cautionary provision was added at the urging of the Florida Public 
Defender Association to address concerns about prior reports of the falsification of 
court records and dockets to protect confidential informants. 
30.  Providing for sanctions will discourage abuses of the more restrictive 
procedures. 
 
- 27 - 
public notice of hearing, time for ruling), (e)(3)(H) (publishing order), (e)(4) 
(notice of order), and (e)(5) (motion to unseal) procedures do not apply.   
For subdivision (f)(3) motions filed in the trial court, unless the parties agree 
to the relief requested, the hearing on the motion must be held within fifteen days 
of the filing of the motion.  We have added the requirement that the hearing must 
be an open proceeding, but any person may request that the court conduct all or 
part of the hearing in camera to protect subdivision (c)(9)(A) interests.  A motion 
under this subdivision may be filed in an appellate court with respect to a record 
for which no confidentiality determination has been made by the lower tribunal.    
We also have endorsed provisions that will ensure that both the trial and 
appellate courts must issue a ruling on the motion expeditiously.  A trial court must 
rule within ten days of the hearing on a contested motion or within ten days of the 
filing of an agreed-upon motion.  An appellate court must rule within ten days of 
the filing of a response on a contested motion or within ten days of the filing of an 
uncontested motion.  
The records cannot be sealed, under the restrictive procedures, for longer 
than is necessary to achieve the objective of the motion and never longer than 120 
days.  Extensions for up to sixty days may be requested by filing another motion 
under the subdivision.  Orders issued under the subdivision will not be published 
 
- 28 - 
unless directed by the court and will be indicated on the docket only by noting the 
entry of the order.   
New Subdivision (g), Request to Determine Confidentiality of Appellate Court 
Records in Noncriminal Cases 
 
New subdivision (g), Request to Determine Confidentiality of Appellate 
Courts Records in Noncriminal Cases, is modeled after renumbered subdivision 
(e), which was originally adopted by the Court to govern the sealing and unsealing 
of trial court records in noncriminal cases.  See In re Amends. to Fla. Rule of Jud. 
Admin. 2.420—Sealing of Court Records & Dockets, 954 So. 2d at 17.  The most 
significant provisions of new subdivision (g) are explained below.  
A motion to seal appellate court records other than records subject to 
subdivision (f)(3) must comply with the subdivision (e)(1) requirements for a 
motion to seal trial court records.  However, no hearing is held on a motion to seal 
appellate court records.  Except as provided by law, within ten days after the entry 
of an order granting the motion, the clerk of the appellate court must post a copy of 
the order on the clerk‘s website and must provide a copy of the order to the clerk of 
the lower tribunal, with directions that the clerk is to seal the records identified in 
the order.  The order must remain posted for no fewer than thirty days.  
A request to unseal appellate court records must be made in a written motion 
filed in the appellate court.  All parties and affected non-parties must be served 
 
- 29 - 
with a copy of the motion or furnished with a copy of the motion by the court, as 
appropriate under the rule.  
Consistent with subdivision (e)(6), sanctions for bad-faith appellate motions  
or notices of confidential information are provided for in subdivision (g)(8).  The 
provision in the current rule that addresses the treatment of records sealed by a 
lower tribunal during a review proceeding has been moved to new subdivision 
(g)(9).  We also have added language to clarify that this subdivision does not 
preclude review under Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.100(d) or affect the standard 
of review of a sealing order entered by a lower tribunal. 
Renumbered Subdivision (h), Denial of Access Request for Administrative 
Records 
 
At the suggestion of the Access Committee, we have renamed and amended 
renumbered subdivision (h), which currently provides for mandamus review of 
denials of access to judicial branch records, to limit the subdivision‘s application to 
the review of administrative records of the judicial branch and to remove reference 
to an appellate remedy.  Review of court orders granting or denying access to 
judicial branch records is governed by Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.100(d), 
discussed below. 
Rules of Appellate Procedure 
Finally, we have made several suggested revisions to the Rules of Appellate 
Procedure.  First, at the suggestion of the Special Joint Committee, we have added 
 
- 30 - 
new subdivision (i) to rule 9.040 (General Provisions) and have included new 
committee notes to rules 9.100 (Original Proceedings) and 9.110 (Appeal 
Proceedings to Review Final Orders of Lower Tribunals) to clarify that requests to 
determine the confidentiality of appellate records are governed by rule 2.420.    
Finally, at the suggestion of the ACR Committee, we have made several 
revisions to rule 9.100(d), Exception; Orders Excluding Press or Public.  The most 
significant of these revisions are the addition of language that provides for review 
of court orders that deny motions to seal or otherwise grant access to judicial 
branch records or court proceedings and language that requires the proceedings or 
records that are the subject of a motion to stay to be treated as confidential pending 
a ruling on the motion.  
CONCLUSION 
We thank the various committees and those who submitted comments for 
greatly assisting the Court in adopting clear procedures for sealing and unsealing 
court records, as well as a process that will make the application of the rule more 
manageable for our clerks of court as we move toward providing electronic access 
to court records.  We especially thank the Access Committee for providing the 
Court with a workable solution to the formidable task of narrowing the scope of 
rule 2.420 in relation to the clerk of court‘s duty to screen confidential information 
 
- 31 - 
from public view, and we thank the committee for its recommendations regarding 
the transition to providing electronic access.  See Access Committee Report. 
Accordingly, we amend the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration and the 
Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure as reflected in the appendix to this opinion.   
New language is indicated by underscoring; deletions are indicated by struck-
through type.  The committee notes are offered for explanation only and are not 
adopted as an official part of the rules.  Our adoption of these rule amendments is 
not a determination of the merits of any substantive arguments concerning the new 
procedures and does not preclude the raising of those arguments in a proper case 
and controversy.  As suggested by the Access Subcommittee, new rule 2.420(d) 
shall become effective October 1, 2010, at 12:01 a.m.  The remainder of the 
amendments shall become effective immediately upon the release of this opinion.   
It is so ordered. 
QUINCE, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, CANADY, POLSTON, LABARGA, 
and PERRY, JJ., concur. 
 
THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER THE 
EFFECTIVE DATE OF THESE AMENDMENTS. 
 
 
Original Proceeding – Florida Rules of Judicial Administration Committee and 
Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure Committee 
 
Judge Lisa Davidson, Chair, Rules of Judicial Administration Committee, 
Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, Viera, Florida, Scott M. Dimond, Past Chair, Miami, 
Florida; John F. Harkness, Jr., Executive Director, The Florida Bar, Tallahassee, 
Florida; Judge Judith L. Kreeger, Chair, Committee on Access to Court Records, 
 
- 32 - 
Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Miami, Florida, and Jonathan D. Kaney, Jr., 
Subcommittee on Access to Court Records, Daytona Beach, Florida, 
 
 
for Petitioners 
 
Carol Jean LoCicero and Deanna K. Shullman of Thomas and LoCicero, PL, on 
behalf of the Florida Media Organizations, Tampa, Florida; Carol M. Touhy and 
Laura E. Roth, on behalf of Diane M. Matousek, Clerk of the Circuit Court, 
Seventh Judicial Circuit, Deland, Florida; Beth C. Weitzner, Assistant Public 
Defender, Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Miami, Florida, and Robert Dewitt Trammell, 
General Counsel on behalf of The Florida Public Defender Association, 
Tallahassee, Florida; Barbara A. Petersen, President and Adria E. Harper, Director, 
on behalf of First Amendment Foundation, Tallahassee, Florida; Matthew B. 
Pollack, on behalf of The Reporters Committee on Freedom of the Press, 
Arlington, Virginia; Fleur J. Lobree, Chair, H. Scott Fingerhut, Past Chair, Miami, 
Florida, and Thomas H. Bateman, III, Past Chair, Tallahassee, Florida, Criminal 
Procedure Rules Committee; Arthur I. Jacobs, General Counsel, Fernandina Beach, 
Florida and Penny H. Brill, Assistant State Attorney, Eleventh Judicial Circuit, 
Miami, Florida, on behalf of Florida Prosecuting Attorneys;  John G. Crabtree, 
Chair, Miami, Florida, Steven L. Brannock, Past Chair, Holland, and Knight, 
Tampa, Florida, and John S. Mills, Past Chair, Jacksonville, Florida, on behalf of 
the Appellate Court Rules Committee; Irene G. Plank, Director of Court Services, 
Twelfth Judicial Circuit, Sarasota, Florida, on behalf of Karen E. Rushing, Clerk of 
Circuit Court and County Comptroller, Sarasota County; Mark Martinez, Chief, 
Family Court Division, Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Miami, Florida, on behalf of 
Harvey Ruvin, Clerk of Courts, Miami-Dade County; Stanford R. Solomon, Chair, 
Special Joint Committee on Rule 2.420, Tampa, Florida; 
 
 
Responding with comments 
 
- 33 - 
APPENDIX 
 
RULE 2.420.  PUBLIC ACCESS TO JUDICIAL BRANCH RECORDS  
 
(a) [No change] 
 
(b) Definitions. 
 
(1)-(3) [No change] 
 
(4) ―Confidential,‖ as applied to information contained within a record of the 
judicial branch, means that such information is exempt from the public right of 
access under article I, section 24(a) of the Florida Constitution and may be released 
only to the persons or organizations designated by law, statute, or court order. As 
applied to information contained within a court record, the term ―exempt‖ means 
that such information is confidential. Confidential information includes 
information that is confidential under this rule or under a court order entered 
pursuant to this rule. To the extent reasonably practicable, restriction of access to 
confidential information shall be implemented in a manner that does not restrict 
access to any portion of the record that is not confidential. 
(5) ―Affected non-party‖ means any non-party identified by name in a court 
record that contains confidential information pertaining to that non-party. 
(c)  Exemptions.Confidential and Exempt Records. The following records of 
the judicial branch shall be confidential:  
 
(1)-(9) [No change]  
 
(10) The names and any identifying information of judges mentioned in an 
advisory opinion of the Committee on Standards of Conduct for JudgesJudicial 
Ethics Advisory Committee.  
 
(d)  Procedures for Determining Confidentiality of Court Records. 
 
(1) The clerk of the court shall designate and maintain the confidentiality of any 
information contained within a court record that is described in subdivision 
(d)(1)(A) or (d)(1)(B) of this rule. The following information shall be maintained 
as confidential: 
 
- 34 - 
 
(A) information described by any of subdivisions (c)(1) through (c)(6) of this 
rule; and 
 
(B) except as provided by court order, information subject to subdivision (c)(7) 
or (c)(8) of this rule that is currently confidential or exempt from section 119.07, 
Florida Statutes, and article I, section 24(a) of the Florida Constitution under any 
of the following statutes or as they may be amended or renumbered: 
 
(i) Chapter 39 records relating to dependency matters, termination of 
parental rights, guardians ad litem, child abuse, neglect, and abandonment. § 
39.0132(3), Fla. Stat. 
 
(ii) Adoption records. § 63.162, Fla. Stat. 
 
(iii) Social Security, bank account, charge, debit, and credit card numbers in 
court records. § 119.0714(1)(i)–(j), (2)(a)-(e), Fla. Stat. (Unless redaction is 
requested pursuant to 119.0714(2), this information is exempt only as of January 1, 
2011.) 
 
(iv) HIV test results and patient identity within those test results. § 
381.004(3)(e), Fla. Stat. 
 
(v) Sexually transmitted diseases - test results and identity within the test 
results when provided by the Department of Health or the department‘s authorized 
representative. § 384.29, Fla. Stat. 
 
(vi) Birth and death certificates, including court-issued delayed birth 
certificates and fetal death certificates. §§ 382.008(6), 382.025(1)(a), Fla. Stat. 
 
(vii) Identifying information in a petition by a minor for waiver of parental 
notice when seeking to terminate pregnancy. § 390.01116, Fla. Stat. 
 
(viii) Identifying information in clinical mental health records under the 
Baker Act. § 394.4615(7), Fla. Stat. 
 
(ix) Records of substance abuse service providers which pertain to the 
identity, diagnosis, and prognosis of and service provision to individuals who have 
received services from substance abuse service providers. § 397.501(7), Fla. Stat. 
 
 
- 35 - 
(x) Identifying information in clinical records of detained criminal 
defendants found incompetent to proceed or acquitted by reason of insanity. § 
916.107(8), Fla. Stat. 
 
(xi) Estate inventories and accountings. § 733.604(1), Fla. Stat. 
 
(xii) The victim‘s address in a domestic violence action on petitioner‘s 
request. § 741.30(3)(b), Fla. Stat. 
 
(xiii) Information identifying victims of sexual offenses, including child 
sexual abuse. §§ 119.071(2)(h), 119.0714(1)(h), Fla. Stat. 
 
(xiv) Gestational surrogacy records. § 742.16(9), Fla. Stat. 
 
(xv) Guardianship reports and orders appointing court monitors in 
guardianship cases. §§ 744.1076, 744.3701, Fla. Stat. 
 
(xvi) Grand jury records. Ch. 905, Fla. Stat. 
 
(xvii) Information acquired by courts and law enforcement regarding family 
services for children. § 984.06(3)-(4), Fla. Stat. 
 
(xviii) 
 Juvenile delinquency records. §§ 985.04(1), 985.045(2), Fla. Stat. 
 
(xix) Information disclosing the identity of persons subject to tuberculosis 
proceedings and records of the Department of Health in suspected tuberculosis 
cases. §§ 392.545, 392.65, Fla. Stat. 
 
(2) Any person filing any document containing confidential information shall, 
at the time of filing, file with the clerk a ―Notice of Confidential Information 
within Court Filing‖ in order to: (A) indicate that confidential information 
described in subdivision (d)(1)(B) of this rule is included within the document 
being filed; (B) identify the provision of subdivision (d)(1)(B) of this rule that 
applies to the identified information; and (C) identify the precise location of the 
confidential information within the document being filed. A form Notice of 
Confidential Information within Court Filing accompanies this rule. The clerk of 
court shall review filings identified by filers as containing confidential information 
to determine whether the purported confidential information is facially subject to 
confidentiality under the identified provision in subdivision (d)(1)(B). If the clerk 
determines that filed information is not subject to confidentiality under the 
 
- 36 - 
identified provision, the clerk shall notify the person who filed the document in 
writing within 5 days of the filing and thereafter shall maintain the information as 
confidential for 10 days from the day such notice is served. The information shall 
not be held as confidential for more than 10 days, unless the filer has filed a motion 
pursuant to subdivision (d)(3). 
(3) Any person filing a document with the court shall ascertain whether any 
information contained within the document may be confidential under subdivision 
(c) of this rule notwithstanding that such information is not itemized at subdivision 
(d)(1) of this rule. A person filing information that he or she believes in good faith 
to be confidential but that is not described in subdivision (d)(1) of this rule shall 
request that the information be maintained as confidential by filing a ―Motion to 
Determine Confidentiality of Court Records‖ under the procedures set forth in 
subdivision (e), (f), or (g), unless (A) the person filing the information is the only 
individual whose confidential information is included in the document to be filed  
or is the attorney representing all such individuals; and (B) a knowing waiver of 
the confidential status of that information is intended by the person filing the 
information. Any interested person may request that information within a court file 
be maintained as confidential by filing a motion as provided in subdivision (e), (f), 
or (g). 
(4) If a notice of confidential information is filed pursuant to subdivision (d)(2), 
or a motion is filed pursuant to subdivision (e)(1) seeking to determine that 
information contained in court records is confidential, or pursuant to subdivision 
(e)(5) seeking to vacate an order that has determined that information in a court 
record is confidential or seeking to unseal information designated as confidential 
by the clerk of court, then the person filing the notice or motion shall give notice of 
such filing to any affected non-party. Notice pursuant to this provision must: 
 
(A) be filed with the court; 
 
(B) identify the case by docket number; 
 
(C) describe the confidential information with as much specificity as possible 
without revealing the confidential information, including specifying the precise 
location of the information within the court record; and 
 
(D) include: 
 
 
- 37 - 
(i) in the case of a request to deem materials confidential, a statement that if 
the motion is denied then the subject material will not be treated as confidential by 
the clerk; and 
 
(ii) in the case of a motion to unseal confidential records or a motion to 
vacate an order deeming records confidential, a statement that if the motion is 
granted, the subject material will no longer be treated as confidential by the clerk. 
 
Any notice described herein must be served together with the motion that gave rise 
to the notice in accordance with subdivision (e)(5) or (g)(5). When serving the 
notice and motion described in this subdivision on a non-party, the server shall use 
reasonable efforts to locate the non-party and may serve such non-party by any 
method set forth in Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.080(b). 
 
(de)  Request to MakeDetermine Confidentiality of Circuit and CountyTrial 
Court Records in Noncriminal Cases Confidential. 
 
(1) A request to makedetermine the confidentiality of circuit and countytrial 
court records in noncriminal cases confidential under subdivision (c)(9) must be 
made in the form of a written motion captioned ―Motion to MakeDetermine 
Confidentiality of Court Records Confidential.‖ A motion made under this 
subdivision must: 
 
(A) identify the particular court records or a portion of a record that the 
movant seeks to make have determined as confidential with as much specificity as 
possible without revealing the information to be made confidentialsubject to the 
confidentiality determination; and 
 
(B) specify the bases for makingdetermining that such court records are 
confidential.; and 
 
(C) set forth the specific legal authority and any applicable legal standards for 
determining such court records to be confidential. 
 
Any motion made under this subdivision must include a signed certification by the 
party or the attorney for the party making the request that the motion is being made 
in good faith and is supported by a sound factual and legal basis. The court records 
that areInformation that is subject to such a motion made under this subdivision 
must be treated as confidential by the clerk pending the court‘s ruling on the 
motion. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, the court may not make 
 
- 38 - 
confidentialdetermine that the case number, docket number, or other number used 
by the clerk‘s office to identify the case file is confidential. 
 
(2) Except when a motion filed under subdivision (de)(1) represents that all 
parties agree to all of the relief requested, the court must, as soon as practicable but 
no later than 30 days after the filing of a motion under this subdivision, hold a 
hearing before ruling on the motion. Whether or not any motion filed under 
subdivision (de)(1) is agreed to by the parties, the court may in its discretion hold a 
hearing on such motion. Any hearing held under this subdivision must be an open 
proceeding, except that any partyperson may request that the court conduct all or 
part of the hearing in camera to protect the interests set forth in subdivision 
(c)(9)(A). Any person may request expedited consideration of and ruling on the 
motion. The moving party shall be responsible for ensuring that a complete record 
of any hearing held pursuant to this subdivision be created, either by use of a court 
reporter or by any recording device that is provided as a matter of right by the 
court. The court may in its discretion require prior public notice of the hearing on 
such a motion in accordance with the procedure for providing public notice of 
court orders set forth in subdivision (de)(4) or by providing such other public 
notice as the court deems appropriate. The court must issue a ruling on the motion 
within 30 days of the hearing. 
(3) Any order granting in whole or in part a motion filed under subdivision 
(d)(1)(e) must state the following with as much specificity as possible without 
revealing the information made confidentialsubject to the confidentiality 
determination: 
(A) The type of case in which the order is being entered; 
(B) The particular grounds under subdivision (c)(9)(A) for makingdetermining 
the court recordsinformation to be confidential; 
(C) Whether any party‘s name is to be madedetermined to be confidential and, 
if so, the particular pseudonym or other term to be substituted for the party‘s name; 
(D) Whether the progress docket or similar records generated to document 
activity in the case are determined to be madeconfidential; 
(E) The particular court recordsinformation that are to be madeis determined 
to be confidential; 
(F) The namesIdentification of those persons who are permitted to view the 
confidential court recordsinformation; 
 
- 39 - 
(G) That the court finds that: (i) the degree, duration, and manner of 
confidentiality ordered by the court isare no broader than necessary to protect the 
interests set forth in subdivision (c)(9)(A); and (ii) no less restrictive measures are 
available to protect the interests set forth in subdivision (c)(9)(A); and 
(H) That the clerk of the court is directed to publish the order in accordance 
with subdivision (de)(4). 
(4) Except as provided by law or court rule, notice must be given of any order 
granting in whole or in part a motion made under subdivision (de)(1) as follows. 
Within 10 days following the entry of the order, the clerk of court must post a copy 
of the order on the clerk‘s website and in a prominent, public location in the 
courthouse. The order must remain posted in both locations for no less than 30 
days. This subdivision shall not apply to orders determining that court records are 
confidential under subdivision (c)(7) or (c)(8). 
(5) If a nonparty requests that the court vacate all or part of an order issued 
under subdivision (de)(3), or requests that the court order the unsealing of records 
designated as confidential under subdivision (d), the request must be made in the 
form ofby a written motion, filed in that court, that states with as much specificity 
as possible the bases for the request. The motion must set forth the specific legal 
authority and any applicable legal standards supporting the request. The movant 
must serve all parties in the action and all affected non-parties with a copy of the 
motion. In the event thatIf the subject order specifiesdetermines that the names or 
addresses of one or more parties are to be made confidential, the movant must state 
prominently in the caption of the motion ―Confidential Party — Court Service 
Requested.‖ When a motion so designated is filed, the court shall be responsible 
for providing a copy of the motion to theall parties and all affected non-parties in 
such a way as to not to reveal the confidential information to the movant. Except 
when a motion filed under this subdivision represents that all parties agree to all of 
the relief requested, the court must, as soon as practicable but no later than 30 days 
after the filing of a motion under this subdivision, hold a hearing before ruling on 
the motion. Regardless of wWhether or not any motion filed under this subdivision 
is agreed to by the parties, the court may in its discretion hold a hearing on such 
motion. Any person may request expedited consideration of and ruling on the 
motion. Any hearing held under this subdivision must be an open proceeding, 
except that any partyperson may request that the court conduct all or part of the 
hearing in camera to protect the interests set forth in subdivision (c)(9)(A). The 
court must issue a ruling on the motion within 30 days of the hearing. The movant 
shall be responsible for ensuring that a complete record of any hearing held under 
this subdivision be created, either by use of a court reporter or by any recording 
 
- 40 - 
device that is provided as a matter of right by the court. This subdivision shall not 
apply to orders determining that court records are confidential under subdivision 
(c)(7) or (c)(8). 
 
 (6) If the court determines that a motion made under subdivision (d)(1) was not 
made in good faith and supported by a sound legal and factual basis, the court may 
impose sanctions upon the movant.After notice and an opportunity to respond, the 
court may impose sanctions against any party or non-party and/or their attorney, if: 
 
(A) the court determines that a designation made under subdivision (d) or a 
motion made under subdivision (d)(3) or (e) was not made in good faith and was 
not supported by a sound legal or factual basis, or 
 
(B) a document is filed in violation of subdivision (d)(2) or (d)(3). 
 
(7) Court records made confidential under this rule must be treated as 
confidential during any appellate proceedings. In any case where an order making 
court records confidential remains in effect as of the time of an appeal, the clerk‘s 
index must include a statement that an order making court records confidential has 
been entered in the matter and must identify such order by date or docket number. 
 
(f)  Request to Determine Confidentiality of Court Records in Criminal 
Cases. 
 
(1) Subdivision (e) shall apply to any motion by the state or a defendant to 
determine the confidentiality of trial court records under subdivision (c), except as 
provided in subdivision (f)(3). As to any motion filed in the trial court under 
subdivision (f)(3), the following procedure shall apply: 
 
(A) Unless the motion represents that both the movant and any other party 
subject to the motion agree to all of the relief requested, as evidenced by all such 
parties signing the motion, the court shall hold a hearing on a motion filed under 
this subdivision within 15 days of the filing of the motion. Any hearing held under 
this subdivision must be an open proceeding, except that any person may request 
that the court conduct all or part of the hearing in camera to protect the interests set 
forth in subdivision (c)(9)(A). 
 
(B) The court shall issue a written ruling on a motion filed under this 
subdivision within 10 days of the hearing on a contested motion or within 10 days 
of the filing of an agreed motion. 
 
- 41 - 
 
(2) Subdivision (g) shall apply to any motion to determine the confidentiality of 
appellate court records under subdivision (c), except as provided in subdivision 
(f)(3). As to any motion filed in the appellate court under subdivision (f)(3), the 
following procedure shall apply: 
 
(A) The motion may be made with respect to a record that was presented or 
presentable to a lower tribunal, but no determination concerning confidentiality 
was made by the lower tribunal, or a record presented to an appellate court in an 
original proceeding. 
(B) A response to a motion filed under this subdivision may be served within 
10 days of service of the motion. 
(C) The court shall issue a written ruling on a motion filed under this 
subdivision within 10 days of the filing of a response on a contested motion or 
within 10 days of the filing of an uncontested motion. 
(3) Any motion to determine whether a court record that pertains to a plea 
agreement, substantial assistance agreement, or other court record that reveals the 
identity of a confidential informant or active criminal investigative information is 
confidential under subdivision (c)(9)(A)(i), (c)(9)(A)(iii), (c)(9)(A)(v), or 
(c)(9)(A)(vii) of this rule may be made in the form of a written motion captioned 
―Motion to Determine Confidentiality of Court Records.‖ Any motion made 
pursuant to this subdivision must be treated as confidential and indicated on the 
docket by generic title only, pending a ruling on the motion or further order of the 
court.  As to any motion made under this subdivision, the following procedure 
shall apply:   
(A) Information that is the subject of such motion must be treated as 
confidential by the clerk pending the court‘s ruling on the motion.  Filings 
containing the information must be indicated on the docket in a manner that does 
not reveal the confidential nature of the information. 
 (B) The provisions of subdivisions (e)(3)(A)–(G), (e)(6), and (g)(7) shall 
apply to motions made under this subdivision. The provisions of subdivisions 
(e)(1), (e)(2), (e)(3)(H), (e)(4), and (e)(5) shall not apply to motions made under 
this subdivision. 
 (C) No order entered under this subdivision may authorize or approve the 
sealing of court records for any period longer than is necessary to achieve the 
objective of the motion, and in no event longer than 120 days. Extensions of an 
order issued hereunder may be granted for 60-day periods, but each such extension 
 
- 42 - 
may be ordered only upon the filing of another motion in accordance with the 
procedures set forth under this subdivision. In the event of an appeal or review of a 
matter in which an order is entered under this subdivision, the lower tribunal shall 
retain jurisdiction to consider motions to extend orders issued hereunder during the 
course of the appeal or review proceeding. 
(D) The clerk of the court shall not publish any order of the court issued 
hereunder in accordance with subdivision (e)(4) or (g)(4) unless directed by the 
court.  The docket shall indicate only the entry of the order. 
 
(4) This subdivision does not authorize the falsification of court records or 
progress dockets. 
 
(g)  Request to Determine Confidentiality of Appellate Court Records in 
Noncriminal Cases. 
 
(1) A motion to determine the confidentiality of appellate court records in 
noncriminal cases under subdivision (c) must be filed in the appellate court and 
must be in compliance with the guidelines set forth in subdivision (e)(1). Such a 
motion may be made with respect to a record that was presented or presentable to a 
lower tribunal, but no determination concerning confidentiality was made by the 
lower tribunal, or a record presented to an appellate court in an original 
proceeding. 
 
(2) A response to a motion filed under subdivision (g)(1) may be served within 
10 days of service of the motion. 
 
(3) Any order granting in whole or in part a motion filed under subdivision 
(g)(1) must be in compliance with the guidelines set forth in subdivisions 
(e)(3)(A)-(H). Any order requiring the sealing of an appellate court record operates 
to also make those same records confidential in the lower tribunal during the 
pendency of the appellate proceeding. 
 
(4) Except as provided by law, within 10 days following the entry of an order 
granting a motion under subdivision (g)(1), the clerk of the appellate court must 
post a copy of the order on the clerk's website and must provide a copy of the order 
to the clerk of the lower tribunal, with directions that the clerk is to seal the records 
identified in the order. The order must remain posted for no less than 30 days.  
 
 
- 43 - 
(5) If a nonparty requests that the court vacate all or part of an order issued 
under subdivision (g)(3), or requests that the court order the unsealing of records 
designated as confidential under subdivision (d), the request must be made by a 
written motion, filed in that court, that states with as much specificity as possible 
the bases for the request. The motion must set forth the specific legal authority and 
any applicable legal standards supporting the request. The movant must serve all 
parties and all affected non-parties with a copy of the motion. If the subject order 
determines that the names or addresses of one or more parties are confidential, the 
movant must state prominently in the caption of the motion ―Confidential Party—
Court Service Requested.‖ When a motion so designated is filed, the court shall be 
responsible for providing a copy of the motion to all parties and all affected non-
parties in such a way as not to reveal the confidential information to the movant. A 
response to a motion may be served within 10 days of service of the motion. 
 
(6) The party seeking to have an appellate record sealed under this subdivision 
has the responsibility to ensure that the clerk of the lower tribunal is alerted to the 
issuance of the order sealing the records and to ensure that the clerk takes 
appropriate steps to seal the records in the lower tribunal. 
 
(7) Upon conclusion of the appellate proceeding, the lower tribunal may, upon 
appropriate motion showing changed circumstances, revisit the appellate court‘s 
order directing that the records be sealed. 
 
(8) If the court determines that a designation made under subdivision (d) or a 
motion made under subdivision (g)(1) was not made in good faith and was not 
supported by a sound legal or factual basis, the court may impose sanctions on the 
movant after notice and an opportunity to respond. 
 
(9) Records of a lower tribunal determined to be confidential by that tribunal 
must be treated as confidential during any review proceedings. In any case where 
information has been determined to be confidential under this rule, the clerk of the 
lower tribunal shall so indicate in the index transmitted to the appellate court. If the 
information was determined to be confidential in an order, the clerk‘s index must 
identify such order by date or docket number. This subdivision does not preclude 
review by an appellate court, under Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure 9.100(d), 
or affect the standard of review by an appellate court, of an order by a lower 
tribunal determining a record to be confidential. 
 
(eh)  Judicial Review of Denial of Access Request for Administrative 
Records. Expedited review of denials of access to administrative records of the 
 
- 44 - 
judicial branch shall be provided through an action for mandamus, or other 
appropriate reliefappellate remedy, in the following manner:  
 
(1)-(2) [No Change]  
 
(fi)  Procedure. Requests and responses to requests for access to records under 
this rule shall be made in a reasonable manner.  
 
(1)-(3) [No Change]  
 
Committee Note  
1995 Amendment.  [No Change]  
 
2002 Court Commentary  
[No Change]  
 
2005 Court Commentary  
[No Change]  
 
2007 Court Commentary  
[No Change]  
 
2007 Committee Commentary  
[No Change]  
 
- 45 - 
IN THE _________ COURT, ____________ 
JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR 
______________ COUNTY, FLORIDA 
 
CASE NO.: _____________________ 
 
_____________________ 
Plaintiff/Petitioner, 
 
v. 
 
_____________________ 
Defendant/Respondent. 
_________________________________/ 
 
NOTICE OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION WITHIN COURT FILING 
 
Pursuant to Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420(d)(2), the filer of a court record 
at the time of filing shall indicate whether any confidential information is included within the 
document being filed; identify the confidentiality provision that applies to the identified 
information; and identify the precise location of the confidential information within the 
document being filed. 
 
Title/Type of Document(s): _______________________________________________________ 
 
Indicate the applicable confidentiality provision(s) below from Rule 2.420(d)(1)(B), by 
specifying the location within the document on the space provided:  
 
_____  Chapter 39 records relating to dependency matters, termination of parental rights, 
guardians ad litem, child abuse, neglect, and abandonment. § 39.0132(3), Fla. Stat. (If the 
document is filed within a Chapter 39 case, this form is not required.) 
 
_____  Adoption records. § 63.162, Fla. Stat. (If the document is filed within a Chapter 63 
adoption case, this form is not required.) 
 
_____ Social Security, bank account, charge, debit, and credit card numbers in court records. § 
119.0714(1)(i)–(j), (2)(a)–(e), Fla. Stat. (Unless redaction is requested pursuant to § 
119.0714(2), this information is exempt only as of January 1, 2011.) 
 
_____  HIV test results and patient identity within the HIV test results. § 381.004(3)(e), Fla. Stat.  
 
_____ Sexually transmitted diseases — test results and identity within the test results when 
provided by the Department of Health or the department‘s authorized representative. § 
384.29, Fla. Stat.  
 
 
- 46 - 
_____ Birth and death certificates, including court-issued delayed birth certificates and fetal 
death certificates. §§ 382.008(6), 382.025(1)(a), Fla. Stat.  
 
_____ Identifying information in petition by minor for waiver of parental notice when seeking 
to terminate pregnancy. § 390.01116, Fla. Stat. (If the document is filed within a Ch. 390 
waiver of parental notice case, this form is not required.) 
 
_____ Identifying information in clinical mental health records under the Baker Act. 
§394.4615(7), Fla. Stat.  
 
_____ Records of substance abuse service providers which pertain to the identity, diagnosis, and 
prognosis of and service provision to individuals who have received services from 
substance abuse service providers. § 397.501(7), Fla. Stat.  
 
_____ Identifying information in clinical records of detained criminal defendants found 
incompetent to proceed or acquitted by reason of insanity. § 916.107(8), Fla. Stat.  
 
_____ Estate inventories and accountings. § 733.604(1), Fla. Stat.  
 
_____ Victim‘s address in domestic violence action on petitioner‘s request. § 741.30(3)(b), Fla. 
Stat.  
 
_____ Information identifying victims of sexual offenses, including child sexual abuse. §§ 
119.071(2)(h), 119.0714(1)(h), Fla. Stat.  
 
_____ Gestational surrogacy records. § 742.16(9), Fla. Stat.  
 
_____ Guardianship reports and orders appointing court monitors in guardianship cases. §§ 
744.1076, 744.3701, Fla. Stat.  
 
_____ Grand jury records. Ch. 905, Fla. Stat. (If the document is filed in a Ch. 905 grand jury 
proceeding, this form is not required.)  
 
_____ Information acquired by courts and law enforcement regarding family services for 
children. § 984.06(3)–(4), Fla. Stat. (If the document is filed in a Ch. 984 family services 
for children case, this form is not required.)  
 
_____ Juvenile delinquency records. §§ 985.04(1), 985.045(2), Fla. Stat. (If the document is 
filed in a Ch. 985 juvenile delinquency case, this form is not required.)  
 
_____ Information disclosing the identity of persons subject to tuberculosis proceedings and 
records of the Department of Health in suspected tuberculosis cases. §§ 392.545, 392.65, 
Fla. Stat.  
 
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE 
 
- 47 - 
 
I HEREBY CERTIFY that a copy of the foregoing was furnished by U.S. mail / personal 
service to: ______________________________________, on ___________________, 20_____. 
 
______________________________ 
Attorney Name …………………….. 
Address ……………………………. 
Phone ……………………………… 
Florida Bar No. ……………………. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note:  The clerk of court shall review filings identified as containing confidential information to determine whether 
the information is facially subject to confidentiality under the identified provision.  The clerk shall notify the filer in 
writing within 5 days if the clerk determines that the information is NOT subject to confidentiality, and the records 
shall not be held as confidential for more than 10 days, unless a motion is filed pursuant to subdivision (d)(3) of the 
Rule.  Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 2.420(d)(2). 
 
- 48 - 
RULE 9.040.  GENERAL PROVISIONS 
 
(a) – (h)  [No Change] 
 
(i)  Requests to Determine Confidentiality of Appellate Court Records. 
Requests to determine the confidentiality of appellate records are governed by 
Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420. 
 
Committee Notes 
 
[No Change] 
 
RULE 9.100.  ORIGINAL PROCEEDINGS 
 
(a) – (c) [No Change] 
 
(d) 
  Exception; Orders Excluding or Granting Access to Press or Public. 
 
(1) A petition to review an order excluding the press or public from, access to or 
granting the press or public access to, any proceeding, any part of a proceeding, or 
any judicial records of the judicial branch, if the proceeding or records are not 
required by law to be confidential, shall be filed in the court as soon as practicable 
following rendition of the order to be reviewed, if written, or announcement of the 
order to be reviewed, if oral, but no later than 30 days after rendition of the order. 
A copy of the petition shall be furnished to the person (or chairperson of the 
collegial administrative agency) issuing the order, and to the parties to the 
proceeding, and any affected non-parties, as defined in Florida Rule of Judicial 
Administration 2.420. 
 
(2) The court shall immediately consider the petition to determine 
whether a stay of proceedings in the lower tribunal or the order under review 
is appropriate, and, on its own motion or that of any party, the court may 
order a stay on such conditions as may be appropriate. Any motion to stay an 
order granting access to a proceeding, any part of a proceeding, or any 
records of the judicial branch made under this subdivision must include a 
signed certification by the movant that the motion is made in good faith and 
is supported by a sound factual and legal basis. Pending the court‘s ruling on 
the motion to stay, the clerk of the court and the lower tribunal shall treat as 
confidential those proceedings or those records of the judicial branch that are 
the subject of the motion to stay. 
 
- 49 - 
(3) If requested by the petitioner or any party, or on its own motion, the 
court may allow oral argument.Review of orders under this subdivision shall 
be expedited. 
(e) – (l) [No Change] 
 
Committee Notes 
 
1977 Amendment – 1999 Amendment [No Change] 
 
2010 Amendment.  Subdivision (d) is revised to allow review not only of 
orders that deny access to records of the judicial branch or judicial proceedings, 
but also those orders that deny motions to seal or otherwise grant access to such 
records or proceedings claimed to be confidential. This revision is intended to 
recognize and balance the equal importance of the constitutional right of privacy, 
which includes confidentiality, and the constitutional right of access to judicial 
records and proceedings. The previous rule allowed review of orders denying 
access only ―if the proceedings or records are not required by law to be 
confidential.‖ This provision is eliminated because it is unworkable in that such a 
determination of what is required by law to be confidential usually concerns the 
merits of whether the proceedings or records should be confidential in the first 
instance. Outer time limits for seeking review are added. Subdivision (d)(2) is 
revised to provide continued confidentiality of judicial proceedings and records to 
which the order under review has granted access upon the filing of a motion to stay 
that order until the court rules on the motion to stay. The former subdivision (d)(3) 
concerning oral argument is deleted as unnecessary in light of Rule 9.320. New 
subdivision (d)(3) is a recognition of the public policy that favors expedited review 
of orders denying access and the provision for expedited review in Florida Rule of 
Judicial Administration 2.420.  
 
2010 Note. As provided in Rule 9.040, request to determine the 
confidentiality of appellate court records are governed by Florida Rule of Judicial 
Administration 2.420. 
 
Court Commentary  
[No Change]  
 
- 50 - 
RULE 9.110.  APPEAL PROCEEDINGS TO REVIEW FINAL ORDERS OF 
LOWER TRIBUNALS AND ORDERS GRANTING NEW TRIAL IN JURY 
AND NON-JURY CASES  
(a) – (n) [No Change]  
Committee Notes  
1977 Amendment – 2006 Amendment. [No Change]  
2010 Note. As provided in Rule 9.040, requests to determine the 
confidentiality of appellate court records are governed by Florida Rule of 
Judicial Administration 2.420. 
Court Commentary  
[No Change]