Title: In Re: Amendments to the Rules of the Supreme Court Relating to Admissions to the Bar - Rules 3-23.1 and 4-23.1
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: SC18-2001
State: Florida
Issuer: Florida Supreme Court
Date: August 29, 2019

Supreme Court of Florida 
 
 
____________ 
 
No. SC18-2001 
____________ 
 
 
IN RE:  AMENDMENTS TO THE RULES OF THE SUPREME COURT 
RELATING TO ADMISSIONS TO THE BAR—RULES 3-23.1 AND 4-23.1. 
 
August 29, 2019 
 
PER CURIAM. 
 
Before the Court is the petition of the Florida Board of Bar Examiners 
(Board) proposing amendments to the Rules of the Supreme Court Relating to 
Admissions to the Bar (Bar Admission Rules).  See Bar Admiss. R. 1-12.  We have 
jurisdiction.  See art. V, § 15, Fla. Const. 
The Board’s petition proposes amending Bar Admission Rule 3-23.1 
(Failure to File the Answer) to “harmonize” it with prior amendments to other Bar 
Admission Rules, and amending Bar Admission Rule 4-23.1 (Transfer of Score) to 
address issues regarding the transfer of Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) scores.  
The proposed amendments were published for comment.  The Court received one 
comment from Attorney Robert Phaneuf.  The Board filed a response.  
 
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Having considered the amendments proposed by the Board, the comment 
filed, and the Board’s response, the Court hereby adopts these straightforward 
amendments as proposed by the Board. 
Bar Admission Rule 3-23.1 is amended to clarify the Board’s procedure in 
the event an applicant fails to serve an answer to specifications within twenty-five 
days under Bar Admission Rule 3-23 (Specifications).  The amendments 
harmonize Bar Admission Rule 3-23.1 with the requirements of Bar Admission 
Rule 3-23 by replacing the word “file” throughout the rule with “serve,” and by 
extending the deadline to “serve” an answer from twenty days to twenty-five days.  
Bar Admission Rule 4-23.1 is amended to authorize the transfer of MBE scores 
from jurisdictions that do not utilize the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ 
score reporting service.  The rule is also amended to include new language 
establishing a deadline for the transfer of MBE scores of January 15 for the 
February bar exam, and June 15 for the July bar exam.  
Accordingly, the Rules of the Supreme Court Relating to Admissions to the 
Bar are amended as set forth in the appendix to this opinion.  Deletions are 
indicated by struck-through type, and new language is indicated by underscoring.  
The amendments shall become effective immediately upon release of this opinion. 
It is so ordered. 
CANADY, C.J., and POLSTON, LABARGA, LAWSON, LAGOA, LUCK, and 
MUÑIZ, JJ., concur. 
 
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THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER THE 
EFFECTIVE DATE OF THESE AMENDMENTS. 
 
Original Proceeding – Florida Rules Regulating The Florida Bar 
 
Scott L. Baena, Chair, Michele A. Gavagni, Executive Director, and James T. 
Almon, General Counsel, Florida Board of Bar Examiners, Tallahassee, Florida, 
 
 
for Petitioner 
 
Robert B. H. Phaneuf, Deerfield Beach, Florida, 
 
 
Responding with comments 
 
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Appendix 
3-23.1 Failure to FileServe the Answer. If an applicant or registrant fails to 
fileserve an answer to the Specifications within the 2025-day deadline or within 
any extension of time allowed by the board, the Specifications will be deemed 
admitted, and the failure to fileserve an answer shall constitute a waiver of the 
applicant’s right to a formal hearing before the board pursuant to rule 3-23.2. The 
board will enter Findings of Fact, finding the Specifications proven, and 
appropriate conclusions of law that may include a recommendation that the 
applicant not be admitted to The Florida Bar, or that the registrant has not 
established his or her qualifications as to character and fitness. 
4-23.1 Transfer of Score. A score achieved by an applicant on the 
Multistate Bar Examination administered in a jurisdiction other than the State of 
Florida will be accepted by the board if the applicant achieved the required scaled 
score under rule 4-26.2, under the individual method, within the timeframe 
required under rule 4-18.1. The score must be transferred directly to the board by 
the National Conference of Bar Examiners or from the jurisdiction where the score 
was achieved if that jurisdiction does not utilize the NCBE score reporting service.  
Transferred MBE scores must be received by January 15 if an applicant intends to 
take Part A, only, of the February General Bar Examination or by June 15 if an 
applicant intends to take Part A, only, of the July General Bar Examination.