Court Opinion

ID: 9838666
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-07 15:06:15.276578+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:52:37.903778
License: Public Domain

Supreme Court of Florida
                             ____________

                          No. SC2022-1738
                            ____________

  IN RE: AMENDMENTS TO FLORIDA FAMILY LAW RULES OF
  PROCEDURE 12.285, AND FORMS 12.902(k) AND 12.902(l).

                          September 7, 2023

PER CURIAM.

     On December 15, 2022, the Family Law Rules Committee filed

a report proposing amendments to Florida Family Law Rule of

Procedure 12.285 (Mandatory Disclosure), and new forms 12.902(k)

(Notice of Joint Verified Waiver of Filing Financial Affidavits) and

12.902(l) (Affidavit of Income for Child Support). The proposed

amendments would allow parties to mutually waive the requirement

that financial affidavits be filed with the court under certain

circumstances. The Committee approved the proposed

amendments to rule 12.285 and new form 12.902(k) by a vote of

18-2-1, and new proposed form 12.902(l) by a vote of 21-0-0. The

Florida Bar Board of Governors unanimously recommended

acceptance of the proposed rule amendments.
     The Committee published its proposal for comment and

received one comment from The Florida Bar’s Family Law Section.

The Committee considered the comment and determined no

amendments to the proposal were needed. After the proposed

amendments were filed, the Court published the proposal for

comment, and five comments were received. Having reviewed the

Committee’s proposal, the comments, and the Committee’s

response, we adopt the proposed amendments to rule 12.285 with

modifications but decline to adopt the new forms at this time.

     First, addressing the proposed forms, under Florida Family

Law Rule of Procedure 12.015(a) (Forms Adopted as Rules), the

Committee may propose amendments to a limited list of forms.

Additionally, subdivision (b) (Other Family Law Forms) provides that

“[a]ll additional Supreme Court approved forms shall be adopted by

opinion of the Supreme Court of Florida and outside of the

rulemaking procedures required by rule 2.140.” Thus, the Court

will forward the proposal to the Advisory Workgroup on The Florida

Supreme Court Approved Family Law Forms for expedited

consideration as part of the internal review and amendment process

under rule 12.015(b). See In re Amends. to Fla. Fam. L. Rule of Proc.

                                -2-
Forms 12.9835(a)–(c), No. SC2022-1112, 2022 WL 4397525 (Fla.

Sept. 23, 2022).

     As to the amendments to rule 12.285, we add new subdivision

(c)(2) that will allow parties to waive the requirement to file financial

affidavits in certain circumstances, although the affidavits must

still be exchanged by the parties. We modify the Committee’s

proposed language by deleting the reference to “Florida Supreme

Court Approved Form 12.902(k) (Notice of Joint Verified Waiver of

Filing Financial Affidavits).” We also modify the broad language

proposed by the Committee in subdivision (c) to instead require the

parties acknowledge that the responsibility to retain records rests

solely with them. We also include an additional subsection that

clarifies waiver revocation.

     Additionally, we amend subdivisions (a)(1), (d)(1), and (e)(1), as

proposed by the Committee, to eliminate statements requiring

financial affidavits be filed with the court.

     Accordingly, the Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure are

amended as reflected in the appendix to this opinion. New

language is indicated by underscoring; deletions are indicated by

                                  -3-
struck-through type. The amendments shall take effect on

November 1, 2023, at 12:01 a.m.

     It is so ordered.

MUÑIZ, C.J., and CANADY, LABARGA, COURIEL, GROSSHANS,
FRANCIS, and SASSO, JJ., concur.

THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER
THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THESE AMENDMENTS.

Original Proceeding – Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure

Hon. Howard Ogle McGillin, Jr., Chair, Family Law Rules
Committee, Palatka, Florida, Michael V. Andriano, Past Chair,
Family Law Rules Committee, Lakeland, Florida, Joshua E. Doyle,
Executive Director, The Florida Bar, Tallahassee, Florida, and Kelly
N. Smith, Staff Liaison, The Florida Bar, Tallahassee, Florida,

     for Petitioner

Ralph Fisher of Fisher’s Law Office, Lutz, Florida; Mark F. Baseman
of Felix, Felix & Baseman, Tampa, Florida; Keith M. Schenck on
behalf of the Association of Florida Magistrates and Hearing
Officers, Iverness, Florida, and Diane M. Kirigin on behalf of the
Association of Florida Magistrates and Hearing Officers, Delray
Beach, Florida, and K. Beth Luna on behalf of the Association of
Florida Magistrates and Hearing Officers, Jacksonville, Florida;
Sarah Elizabeth Kay, Chair, Family Law Section of The Florida Bar,
Tampa, Florida, Philip S. Wartenberg, Past Chair, Family Law
Section of The Florida Bar, Tampa, Florida, Temi N. Zeitenberg, Co-
Chair, Family Law Section of The Florida Bar, Rules and Forms
Committee, Boca Raton, Florida, Marck K. Joseph, Jr., Co-Chair,
Family Law Section of The Florida Bar, Rules and Forms
Committee, Miami, Florida, Kristin R.H. Kirkner, Past Co-Chair,
Family Law Section of The Florida Bar, Rules and Forms
Committee, Tampa, Florida, Tenesia C. Hall, Past Co-Chair, Family
Law Section of The Florida Bar, Rules and Forms Committee,

                                -4-
Orlando, Florida; and Robert J. Merlin of Robert J. Merlin, P.A.,
Coral Gables, Florida,

     Responding with comments

                                -5-
                              APPENDIX

RULE 12.285. MANDATORY DISCLOSURE

     (a) Application.

           (1) Scope. This rule applies to all proceedings within the
scope of these rules except proceedings involving adoption,
simplified dissolution, enforcement, contempt, injunctions for
protection against domestic, repeat, dating, or sexual violence, or
stalking, and uncontested dissolutions when the respondent is
served by publication and does not file an answer. Additionally, no
financial affidavit or other documents shall be required under this
rule from a party seeking attorneys’ fees, suit money, or costs, if the
basis for the request is solely under section 57.105, Florida
Statutes, or any successor statute. Except for the provisions as to
financial affidavits and child support guidelines worksheets, any
portion of this rule may be modified by order of the court or
agreement of the parties.

           (2) – (3) [NO CHANGE]

     (b) [NO CHANGE]

    (c) Exemption from Requirement to File and Serve
Financial Affidavit.

           (1) The parties are not required to file andor serve a
financial affidavit under subdivisions (d) and (e) if they are seeking a
simplified dissolution of marriage under rule 12.105, they have no
minor children, have no support issues, and have filed a written
settlement agreement disposing of all financial issues, or if the
court lacks jurisdiction to determine any financial issues.

            (2) Upon agreement of the parties and filing of a notice of
joint verified waiver of filing financial affidavits, the court shall not
require that financial affidavits be filed. In the notice, both parties
must acknowledge:
              (A) that evidence of their current or past financial
circumstances may be necessary for future court proceedings;

              (B) they each have provided the other with a fully
executed and sworn financial affidavit in conformity with Florida
Family Law Form 12.902(b) or 12.902(c), as applicable;

                (C) that the responsibility to retain copies of all
affidavits exchanged rests solely with the parties;

               (D) that the waiver only applies to the current filing
and does not automatically apply to any future filings; and

                (E) that the waiver may be revoked by either party
at any time.

     (d) Disclosure Requirements for Temporary Financial
Relief. In any proceeding for temporary financial relief heard
within 45 days of the service of the initial pleading or within any
extension of the time for complying with mandatory disclosure
granted by the court or agreed to by the parties, the following
documents must be served on the other party:

           (1) A financial affidavit in substantial conformity with
Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Form 12.902(b) if the party’s
gross annual income is less than $50,000, or Florida Family Law
Rules of Procedure Form 12.902(c) if the party’s gross annual
income is equal to or more than $50,000. This requirement cannot
be waived by the parties. The affidavit must also be filed with the
court.

           (2) – (4) [NO CHANGE]

      (e) Parties’ Disclosure Requirements for Initial or
Supplemental Proceedings. A party must serve the following
documents in any proceeding for an initial or supplemental request
for permanent financial relief, including, but not limited to, a

                                  -7-
request for child support, alimony, equitable distribution of assets
or debts, or attorneys’ fees, suit money, or costs:

            (1) A financial affidavit in substantial conformity with
Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Form 12.902(b) if the party’s
gross annual income is less than $50,000, or Florida Family Law
Rules of Procedure Form 12.902(c) if the party’s gross annual
income is equal to or more than $50,000, which requirement
cannot be waived by the parties. The financial affidavits must also
be filed with the court. A party may request, by using the Standard
Family Law Interrogatories, or the court on its own motion may
order, a party whose gross annual income is less than $50,000 to
complete Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Form 12.902(c).
All documents supporting the income, assets, and liabilities figures
entered into the financial affidavit must also be produced.

          (2) - (17) [NO CHANGE]

     (f) – (m) [NO CHANGE]

                           Commentary

     [NO CHANGE]

                         Committee Notes

     [NO CHANGE]

                                -8-