Title: In Re: Amendments to the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration 2.205
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: SC17-312
State: Florida
Issuer: Florida Supreme Court
Date: April 6, 2017

Supreme Court of Florida 
 
 
____________ 
 
No. SC17-312 
____________ 
 
 
IN RE: AMENDMENTS TO FLORIDA RULE OF JUDICIAL 
ADMINISTRATION 2.205. 
 
[April 6, 2017] 
 
PER CURIAM. 
 
In order to promote the effective and efficient management of judicial 
resources, this Court, on its own motion, amends Florida Rule of Judicial 
Administration 2.205(a)(4) (Internal Government; Assignments of Justices and 
Judges), as explained below.1  See Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 2.140(g). 
 
As the chief administrative officer of the judicial system under the Florida 
Constitution, the Chief Justice of this Court is vested with “the power to assign 
justices or judges, including consenting retired justices or judges, to temporary 
duty in any court for which the judge is qualified.”  See Art. V, § 2(b), Fla. Const.; 
see also Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 2.205(a)(2)(B)(iii), (a)(3)(A).  Consistent with that 
                                          
 
 
1. We have jurisdiction.  See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const. 
 
 
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grant of authority, Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.205(a)(4)(A), 
recognizes that “[w]hen a justice of [this Court] is unable to perform the duties of 
office, or when necessary for the prompt dispatch of the business of the court, the 
chief justice may assign to the court any judge who is qualified to serve, for such 
time as the chief justice may direct.”  Upon consideration of the Chief Justice’s 
authority to assign consenting retired justices and other qualified judges to 
temporary service on this Court when necessary, and in furtherance of the Court’s 
ongoing efforts to promote the effective and efficient management of judicial 
resources,2 the Court amends rule 2.205(a)(4)(A) to further provide that “no retired 
justice who is eligible to serve on assignment to temporary judicial duty or other 
judge who is qualified to serve may be assigned to the supreme court, or continue 
in such assignment, after 7 sitting duly sworn justices are available and able to 
perform the duties of office.” 
Accordingly, the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration are amended as 
set forth in the appendix to this opinion.  New language is indicated by 
                                          
 
 
2.  Cf. In re Implementation of Judicial Branch Governance Study Group 
Recommendations—Amends. to Fla. Rules of Jud. Adm., 121 So. 3d 1, 1 (Fla. 
2012) (amending the Rules of Judicial Administration, as recommended by the 
Judicial Branch Governance Study Group, to, among other goals, “improve the 
effective and efficient management of the [judicial] branch”). 
 
 
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underscoring.  The amendments shall become effective immediately upon the 
release of this opinion.  
It is so ordered. 
LABARGA, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, QUINCE, CANADY, POLSTON, 
and LAWSON, JJ., concur. 
 
THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER THE 
EFFECTIVE DATE OF THESE AMENDMENTS. 
 
Original Proceeding – Florida Rules of Judicial Administration 
 
 
 
 
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APPENDIX 
RULE 2.205. 
THE SUPREME COURT  
(a) 
 Internal Government. 
 
(1) 
Exercise of Powers and Jurisdiction. 
(A) – (C) 
[No Change] 
(2) 
Chief Justice. 
 
 
(A) 
[No Change] 
  
 
 
 
(B) 
The chief justice shall be the administrative officer of the 
judicial branch and of the supreme court and shall be responsible for the dispatch 
of the business of the branch and of the court and direct the implementation of 
policies and priorities as determined by the supreme court for the operation of the 
branch and of the court. The administrative powers and duties of the chief justice 
shall include, but not be limited to: 
 
(i) – (ii) 
[No Change] 
 
 
 
 
(iii) 
the power to assign active or retired county, 
circuit, or appellate judges or justices to judicial service in this state, in accordance 
with subdivisions (a)(3) and (a)(4) of this rule; 
 
 
 
 
 
(iv) – (vii) [No Change] 
 
 
 
 
(C) – (E) 
[No Change]  
 
(3) 
Administration. 
 
 
 
 
(A) 
The chief justice may, either upon request or when 
otherwise necessary for the prompt dispatch of business in the courts of this state, 
temporarily assign justices of the supreme court, judges of district courts of appeal, 
circuit judges, and judges of county courts to any court for which they are qualified 
to serve. Any consenting retired justice or judge may be assigned to judicial 
service and receive compensation as provided by law. 
 
 
 
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(B) 
For the purpose of judicial administration, a “retired 
judge” is defined as a judge not engaged in the practice of law who has been a 
judicial officer of this state. A retired judge shall comply with all requirements that 
the supreme court deems necessary relating to the recall of retired judges. 
 
 
 
 
(C) 
[No Change] 
  
 
 
 
(D) 
A “senior judge” is a retired judge who is eligible to 
serve on assignment to temporary judicial duty. 
 
(4) 
Assignments of Justices and Judges. 
 
 
 
 
(A) 
When a justice of the supreme court is unable to perform 
the duties of office, or when necessary for the prompt dispatch of the business of 
the court, the chief justice may assign to the court any judge who is qualified to 
serve, for such time as the chief justice may direct. However, no retired justice who 
is eligible to serve on assignment to temporary judicial duty or other judge who is 
qualified to serve may be assigned to the supreme court, or continue in such 
assignment, after 7 sitting duly sworn justices are available and able to perform the 
duties of office. 
 
 
 
 
(B) – (C) 
[No Change]  
 
(b) – (g) 
[No Change]