Opinion ID: 2532893
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Operational Procedures, Reports, and Court Action

Text: Subdivision (c) of the rule requires the FCTC to establish operational procedures necessary to carry out its responsibilities, subject to final approval by the Court. For example, subdivision (c)(2) requires the Commission to establish a method for monitoring the development of new court technology projects. This would include such projects as the ongoing Manatee County pilot program for providing electronic access to court records. We have modified subdivision (c)(7) and added subdivision (c)(8) to clarify that the Commission can establish both workgroups to assist with projects of limited duration and more formal subcommittees to work on long-term projects that will require substantial effort. The work of the existing Electronic Filing Committee, which also is currently created by administrative order, [9] is an example of a long-term technology project that would justify the appointment of a more formal subcommittee. Therefore, consistent with new subdivision (c)(8), we direct the FCTC to establish the Electronic Filing Committee as a formal subcommittee of the Commission. As directed by separate administrative order, [10] the Commission established the Subcommittee on Access to Court Records (Access Subcommittee) for the limited purpose of advancing rule amendments implementing recommendations of the Committee on Privacy and Court Records. [11] The Access Subcommittee's charge is an example of the type of limited, short-term work that, under new subdivision (c)(7), would be conducted by a workgroup of the Commission. Accordingly, we direct the Commission to continue the Access Subcommittee as a workgroup of the Commission until its work is complete. Under subdivision (f), the FCTC is required to annually report its recommendations to the Court. We have added the requirement that the report include ACTC recommendations that implicate court technology policy. As noted above, the ACTC will have the ability to submit a companion report on those recommendations. Subdivision (d), as modified, makes clear that the Chief Justice and the Court have wide latitude to adopt or reject, in whole or in part, refer back, or take alternative action on the FCTC recommendations or decisions.