Title: In Re: Amendments to the Florida Rules of Traffic Court
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: SC15-96
State: Florida
Issuer: Florida Supreme Court
Date: June 4, 2015

Supreme Court of Florida 
 
 
____________ 
 
No. SC15-96 
____________ 
 
 
IN RE:  AMENDMENTS TO THE FLORIDA RULES OF TRAFFIC 
COURT. 
 
[June 4, 2015] 
 
PER CURIAM. 
 
We have for consideration the regular-cycle report of proposed amendments 
to the Florida Rules of Traffic Court filed by The Florida Bar’s Traffic Court Rules 
Committee (Committee).  See Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 2.140(b)(4).  We have 
jurisdiction1 and adopt all but one of the Committee’s proposed amendments. 
BACKGROUND 
 
The Committee proposes amendments to Florida Rules of Traffic Court 
6.190 (Procedure on Failure to Appear; Warrant; Notice); 6.380 (Nonverification 
of Pleadings); 6.460 (Evidence); and 6.630 (Civil Traffic Infraction Hearing 
Officer Program; Traffic Hearing Officers).  The Executive Committee of the 
                                          
 
 
1.  See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const. 
 
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Board of Governors of The Florida Bar approved the proposed amendments to rule 
6.460.  The Board of Governors unanimously approved the remainder of the 
proposals.  Consistent with rule 2.140(b)(2), the Committee published the 
proposals for comment before filing them with the Court.  The Committee did not 
receive any comments.  The Court also published the proposals for comment.  One 
comment was filed by Broward County Court Judge Robert W. Lee supporting the 
substantive amendments to rule 6.630.  The Committee filed a response agreeing 
with the comment.   
AMENDMENTS 
 
After considering the proposed amendments, the comment filed, and the 
Committee’s response to the comment, we adopt all the proposed amendments, 
except the proposal to amend the introductory paragraph of Florida Rule of Traffic 
Court 6.630 (Civil Traffic Infraction Hearing Officer Program; Traffic Hearing 
Officers).  We decline to amend the introductory paragraph to rule 6.630 as 
proposed because the reference to article V, section 2 of the Florida Constitution 
does not appear to be a “scrivener’s error,” as suggested by the Committee.   
All the proposed amendments we adopt are straightforward and 
noncontroversial.  Therefore, we discuss only the more significant amendments 
below. 
 
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The amendments to subdivision (b) of rule 6.460, the title of which is 
changed from “Tape Recording of Hearing” to “Recording of Hearing,” are 
intended to accommodate continuing changes in technology by allowing for the 
use of various types of equipment to record a traffic infraction hearing.  A 
committee note also is added to explain the purpose of the amendments and to 
encourage parties to contact the clerk of court prior to the hearing to confirm that 
the recording equipment they intend to use will produce a recording in a format 
acceptable to the clerk.  See amended Fla. R. Traf. Ct. 6.460(b) (requiring 
recording of traffic infraction hearing be in a format acceptable to the clerk).   
The more significant amendments to rule 6.630(g) (Training) include (1) 
allowing any level of judge to serve as a traffic hearing officer training instructor 
and (2) moving training in “handling of situations in which a defendant’s 
constitutional right against self-incrimination may be implicated” under the eleven 
hours of traffic court law and evidence training required.  The amendment to 
subdivision (h) (Continuing Legal Education) of rule 6.630 requires that the four 
hours of continuing legal education that a traffic hearing officer must complete 
each year include two hours of civil traffic infraction related education. 
CONCLUSION 
 
Accordingly, we amend the Florida Rules of Traffic Court as reflected in the 
appendix to this opinion.  New language is indicated by underscoring; deletions are 
 
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indicated by struck-through type.  The committee note is offered for explanation 
only and is not adopted as an official part of the rules.  The amendments shall 
become effective January 1, 2016, at 12:01 a.m. 
 
It is so ordered. 
LABARGA, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, QUINCE, CANADY, POLSTON, 
and PERRY, JJ., concur.  
 
THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER THE 
EFFECTIVE DATE OF THESE AMENDMENTS. 
 
Original Proceedings – Traffic Court Rules Committee 
 
Lee Francis Carney, Chair, Traffic Court Rules Committee, Bonita Springs, 
Florida; John F. Harkness, Jr., Executive Director and Josine Rene Blackwell, Bar 
Staff Liaison, The Florida Bar, Tallahassee, Florida,  
 
for Petitioner 
 
Honorable Robert Williams Lee, Broward County Court Judge, Seventeenth 
Judicial Circuit, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 
 
 
Responding with Comments 
 
 
 
 
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APPENDIX 
RULE 6.190. 
PROCEDURE ON FAILURE TO APPEAR; WARRANT; 
NOTICE 
(a) – (b) 
[No Change] 
 (c) 
Nonresident of State; Failure to Appear or Answer Summons. If a 
defendant is not a resident of this state and fails to appear or answer a traffic 
complaint, the clerk of the court or the court shall mailsend notice to the defendant 
at the address stated in the complaint and to the department. The department shall 
send notice to the license issuing agency in the defendant’s home state. If the 
defendant fails to appear or answer within 30 days after the mailing of notice is 
sent, the court shall place the case in an inactive file or file of cases disposed of, 
subject to being reopened if thereafter the defendant appears or answers or a 
warrant is issued and served.  
(d) 
[No Change] 
  
RULE 6.380. 
NONVERIFICATION OF PLEADINGS 
Except when otherwise specifically provided by these rules or an applicable 
statute, every written pleading or other paperdocument of a defendant represented 
by an attorney need not be verified or accompanied by an affidavit. 
 
RULE 6.460. 
EVIDENCE 
(a) 
[No Change] 
(b) 
Tape Recording of Hearing. Any party to a noncriminal traffic 
infraction may make a tape recording of the hearing. The provision and operation 
of the recording equipment shall be the responsibility of the defendantthat party 
unless otherwise provided by the court, and shall be in a recording format 
acceptable to the clerk. The originalA recording of the proceeding that is made by 
a party shall be delivered immediately after the hearing to the clerk, who shall 
sealsecure and file it. A certified copy of Ssuch taperecording shall be furnished by 
 
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the clerk and transcribed for an appeal if ordered by the defendanta party at that 
party’s expense. Transcription shall only be by an official court reporter at the 
defendant’srequesting party’s expense. 
Committee Notes 
2015 Amendment. In light of continuing technological advances, this rule 
was amended to accommodate continuing changes in technology and the ability to 
use various types of equipment when recording a traffic infraction hearing. Parties 
are encouraged to contact the clerk of court prior to their hearing to confirm that 
the recording equipment they intend to use will produce a recording in a format 
that is acceptable to the clerk. 
 
RULE 6.630. 
CIVIL TRAFFIC INFRACTION HEARING OFFICER 
PROGRAM; TRAFFIC HEARING OFFICERS 
Under the authority of sections 318.30–318.38, Florida Statutes, and article 
V, section 2, Florida Constitution, this court adopts the following rules and 
procedure for the Civil Traffic Infraction Hearing Officer Program: 
(a) – (f) 
[No Change] 
(g) 
Training. Traffic hearing officers must complete 40 hours of 
standardized training that has been approved by the supreme court. Instructors 
must be county court judges, hearing officers, and persons with expertise or 
knowledge with regard to specific traffic violations or traffic court. Curriculum and 
materials must be submitted to the Office of the State Courts Administrator. The 
standardized training must contain, at a minimum, all of the following: 
(1) 
28 hours of lecture sessions including 2.5 hours of ethics, 5 
hours of courtroom procedure and control (which must include handling of 
situations in which a defendant's constitutional right against self-incrimination may 
be implicated),control management, 11 hours of basic traffic court law and 
evidence (which must include handling of situations in which a defendant’s 
constitutional right against self-incrimination may be implicated), 3 hours of 
clerk’s office/DMV training, 2 hours of participant perspective 
sessions/demonstrations, 3 hours of dispositions/penalties, and 1.5 hours of civil 
infractions/jurisdiction; 
 
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(2) – (5) 
[No Change] 
(h) 
Continuing Legal Education. Traffic hearing officers must complete 
4 hours of continuing legal education per year. The continuing legal education 
program must be approved by the supreme court and must contain a minimum of 2 
hours of ethics or professionalism, and 2 hours of civil traffic infraction related 
education. Curriculum materials must be submitted to the Office of the State 
Courts Administrator. 
(i) – (n) 
[No Change] 
Committee Notes 
[No Change]