Court Opinion

ID: 9893222
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-26 15:04:24.523712+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:59:50.897287
License: Public Domain

Supreme Court of Florida
                             ____________

                          No. SC2023-1388
                            ____________

     IN RE: AMENDMENTS TO FLORIDA SUPREME COURT
   APPROVED FAMILY LAW FORMS 12.902(k) AND 12.902(l).

                          October 26, 2023

PER CURIAM.

     Pursuant to the procedures approved in Amendments to the

Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure & Family Law Forms, 810 So.

2d 1, 13-14 (Fla. 2000), this Court has reviewed a proposal from the

Family Law Rules Committee and has determined that adoption of

two new Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Forms,

12.902(k) (Notice of Joint Verified Waiver of Filing Financial

Affidavits) and 12.902(l) (Affidavit of Income for Child Support), is

needed.1 Input was received from the Advisory Workgroup on the

Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Forms, which

conducted an expedited review of the proposed forms.

     1. We have jurisdiction. See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const.
                           BACKGROUND

     On September 7, 2023, this Court adopted amendments to

Florida Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.285 (Mandatory

Disclosure), allowing parties to mutually waive the requirement that

financial affidavits be filed with the court under certain

circumstances. See In re Amends. to Fla. Fam. L. Rules of Proc.

12.285, & Forms 12.902(k) & 12.902(l), 48 Fla. L. Weekly S167 (Fla.

Sept. 7, 2023). Along with the original proposal amending rule

12.285, the Committee filed a report on December 15, 2022,

proposing the adoption of two new Family Law Rules of Procedure

Forms to implement the amendment to rule 12.285. However, we

determined that the proposed forms were outside the limited list of

forms that are under the Committee’s responsibility and that may

be proposed under rule 12.015(a). This Court has now internally

reviewed the proposal and has determined that the adoption of new

forms is needed.

                            NEW FORMS

     New form 12.902(k) (Notice of Joint Verified Waiver of Filing

Financial Affidavits) is a notice to be filed with the court when a

matter is pending and the parties choose to waive the requirement

                                 -2-
to file financial affidavits pursuant to rule 12.285(c)(2). New form

12.902(l) (Affidavit of Income for Child Support) is an affidavit of

income to be filed if child support is being requested in a family

matter, pursuant to section 61.30(14), Florida Statutes (2023), and

the parties have waived filing financial affidavits with the court.

                            CONCLUSION

     The new forms are hereby adopted as set forth in the appendix

to this opinion, fully engrossed. The new forms shall become

effective on November 1, 2023, at 12:01 a.m. and may be accessed

and downloaded from the Florida State Courts’ website at

https://www.flcourts.gov/Resources-Services/Office-of-Family-

Courts/Family-Court-in-Florida/Family-Law-Forms. We direct that

the new forms be published for comment. Interested persons shall

have seventy-five days from the date of this opinion to file

comments with the Court. 2

       2. All comments must be filed with the Court on or before
January 9, 2024, as well as a separate request for oral argument if
the person filing the comment wishes to participate in oral
argument, which may be scheduled in this case. If filed by an
attorney in good standing with The Florida Bar, the comment must
be electronically filed via the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (Portal).
If filed by a nonlawyer or a lawyer not licensed to practice in
Florida, the comment may be, but is not required to be, filed via the

                                  -3-
     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

Portal. Any person unable to submit a comment electronically must
mail or hand-deliver the originally signed comment to the Florida
Supreme Court, Office of the Clerk, 500 South Duval Street,
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1927; no additional copies are required
or will be accepted.

                               -4-
                                              APPENDIX

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FLORIDA SUPREME COURT APPROVED FAMILY LAW
    FORM 12.902(k), NOTICE OF JOINT VERIFIED WAIVER OF FILING
                 FINANCIAL AFFIDAVITS (10/23)

                                  When should this form be used?
You should only complete this form if all of the following are true:
   1. You have executed this form before you enter into any agreement or s�pula�on that would be
   disposi�ve of/resolve the mater pending before the court;
   2. You have received a copy of the other party’s fully executed and complete ﬁnancial aﬃdavit;
   3. You have provided the other party with a copy of your fully executed and complete ﬁnancial
   aﬃdavit; and
   4. You and the other party prefer to keep both ﬁnancial aﬃdavits private and do not want them to
   be ﬁled with the court.

                                        What should I do next?
A copy of this form must be filed with the court and served on the other party or his or her attorney. The
copy you are serving on the other party must be either mailed, e-mailed, or hand-delivered to the
opposing party or his or her attorney on the same day indicated on the certificate of service. If it is mailed,
it must be postmarked on the date indicated in the certificate of service. Service must be in accordance
with Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.516.
                      IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING E-FILING

The Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration now require that all petitions, pleadings,
and documents be filed electronically except in certain circumstances. Self-represented litigants may file
petitions or other pleadings or documents electronically; however, they are not required to do so. If you
choose to file your pleadings or other documents electronically, you must do so in accordance with Florida
Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.525, and you must follow the procedures of the
judicial circuit in which you file. The rules and procedures should be carefully read and followed.

                     IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING E-SERVICE

After the initial service of process of the petition or supplemental petition by the sheriff or certified
process server, the Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration require that all
documents required or permitted to be served on the other party must be served by electronic mail (e-
mail) except in certain circumstances. You must strictly comply with the format requirements set forth
in the Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration, and you must review Florida Rule of
General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.516. You may find that rule at www.flcourts.org through
the link to the Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration provided under either Family Law
Forms: Getting Started, or Rules of Court in the A-Z Topical Index.

SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANTS MUST SERVE DOCUMENTS BY E-MAIL UNLESS OTHERWISE EXCUSED. If a
self-represented litigant has been excused from serving documents by e-mail and then elects to serve and
receive documents by e-mail, the procedures must always be followed once the initial election is made.
Instruc�ons for Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.902(k), No�ce of Joint Veriﬁed Waiver of
Filing Financial Aﬃdavits (10/23)
                                                    -5-
To serve and receive documents by e-mail, you must designate your e-mail address by using the
Designation of Current Mailing and E-mail Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form
12.915, and you must provide your e-mail address on each form on which your signature appears. Please
CAREFULLY read the rules and instructions for: Certificate of Service (General), Florida Supreme Court
Approved Family Law Form 12.914; Designation of Current Mailing and E-mail Address, Florida Supreme
Court Approved Family Law Form 12.915; and Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration
2.516.

                                Where can I find more information?
Before proceeding, you should read “General Information for Self-Represented Litigants” found at the
beginning of these forms. The words that are in “bold underline” in these instructions are defined there.
For further information, see section 61.30, Florida Statutes.

                                              Special notes...
Remember, a person who is NOT an attorney is called a nonlawyer. If a nonlawyer helps you fill out this
form, that person must give you a copy of a Disclosure from Nonlawyer, Florida Family Law Rules of
Procedure Form 12.900(a), before he or she helps you. A nonlawyer helping you fill out this form also
must put his or her name, address, and telephone number on the bottom of the last page of every form
he or she helps you complete.

Instruc�ons for Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.902(k), No�ce of Joint Veriﬁed Waiver of
Filing Financial Aﬃdavits (10/23)
                                                    -6-
             IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE                                      JUDICIAL CIRCUIT,
                      IN AND FOR                                      COUNTY, FLORIDA

                                                              Case No.:
                                                              Division:
                                             ,
                                  Petitioner,

                 and

                                                 ,
                                Respondent.

 NOTICE OF JOINT VERIFIED WAIVER OF FILING FINANCIAL AFFIDAVITS
The Petitioner, ______________, and the Respondent, _____________ (collectively “parties”), hereby file
this Notice of Joint Verified Waiver of Filing Financial Affidavits, as follows:

    1.       The parties acknowledge that evidence of their current or past financial circumstances may
             be necessary for future court proceedings.

    2.       The parties acknowledge 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.

    3.       The parties acknowledge that the responsibility to retain copies of all aﬃdavits exchanged
             remains solely with the par�es.

    4.       This notice to waive the filing of the financial affidavit only applies to the current filing and
             does not automatically apply to any future filings. This waiver may be revoked by either party
             at any time.

Nothing in this Notice of Joint Verified Waiver of Filing Financial Affidavits precludes any party from filing
that party’s financial affidavit or that of the other party in the future if the financial condition of a party is
relevant to a pending matter, nor shall it preclude a party from requesting the other party serve upon the
requesting party an initial or updated financial affidavit in the future.
Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have read this document and the facts stated in it are true.

 _________________________________________
Signature of Petitioner
Printed Name: _____________________________
E-mail Address: ____________________________
Address: __________________________________

Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.902(k), Notice of Joint Verified Waiver of Filing Financial
Affidavits (10/23)
                                                      -7-
City, State, Zip: _____________________________
Telephone Number: _________________________

Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have read this document and the facts stated in it are true.

 _________________________________________
Signature of Respondent
Printed Name: _____________________________
E-mail Address: ____________________________
Address: __________________________________
City, State, Zip: _____________________________
Telephone Number: _________________________

                                            CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I certify that a copy of this document was [check all used] to the person(s) listed below on
(date)________________________.

_____Petitioner: (    ) e-mailed (      ) mailed (     ) faxed (     ) hand delivered

_____Attorney for Petitioner: (      ) e-mailed (       ) mailed (     ) faxed (     ) hand delivered

_____Respondent : (      ) e-mailed (     ) mailed (     ) faxed (     ) hand delivered

_____Attorney for Respondent: (         ) e-mailed (      ) mailed (     ) faxed (     ) hand delivered

_____Other: _____________________________: ( ) e-mailed ( ) mailed ( ) faxed ( ) hand-delivered

                                                 ________________________________________________
                                                 Signature of Filing Party or his/her Attorney

                                                 Printed Name: ___________________________________
                                                 E-mail Address(es): ________________________________
                                                 Address: ________________________________________
                                                 City, State, Zip: ___________________________________
                                                 Telephone Number: _______________________________
                                                 Fax Number: _____________________________________
                                                 Florida Bar Number: _______________________________

Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.902(k), Notice of Joint Verified Waiver of Filing Financial
Affidavits (10/23)
                                                         -8-
INSTRUCTIONS FOR FLORIDA SUPREME COURT APPROVED FAMILY LAW
 FORM 12.902(l), AFFIDAVIT OF INCOME FOR CHILD SUPPORT (10/23)

                                  When should this form be used?

You should complete this affidavit if you or the other party is requesting the establishment or modification
of child support in your case, you and the other parent have agreed to keep your financial affidavits
confidential, and you have completed Florida Family Law Form 12.902(k). This form must be completed
after each party serves their financial affidavits on the other party.

This form should be typed or printed in black ink. You must file this document with the clerk of the circuit
court in the county where your case is filed and keep a copy for your records.

                                        What should I do next?

A copy of this form must be filed with the court and served on the other party in your case. Service must
be in accordance with Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.516.
                         IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING E-FILING

The Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration require that all petitions, pleadings, and
documents be filed electronically except in certain circumstances. Self-represented litigants may file
petitions or other pleadings or documents electronically; however, they are not required to do so. If you
choose to file your pleadings or other documents electronically, you must do so in accordance with Florida
Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.525, and you must follow the procedures of the
judicial circuit in which you file. The rules and procedures should be carefully read and followed.

                        IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING E-SERVICE

After the initial service of process of the petition or supplemental petition by the sheriff or a certified
process server, the Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration require that all
documents required or permitted to be served on the other party must be served by electronic mail (e-
mail) except in certain circumstances. You must strictly comply with the format requirements set forth
in the Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration, and you must review Florida Rule of
General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.516. You may find that rule at www.flcourts.org through
the link to the Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration provided under either Family Law
Forms: Getting Started, or Rules of Court in the A-Z Topical Index.

SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANTS MUST SERVE DOCUMENTS BY E-MAIL UNLESS OTHERWISE EXCUSED. If a
self-represented litigant has been excused from serving documents by e-mail and then elects to serve and
receive documents by e-mail, the procedures must always be followed once the initial election is made.

To serve and receive documents by e-mail, you must designate your e-mail address by using the
Designation of Current Mailing and E-mail Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form
12.915, and you must provide your e-mail address on each form on which your signature appears. Please
Instruc�ons for Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.902(l), Aﬃdavit of Income for Child Support
(10/23)
                                                    -9-
CAREFULLY read the rules and instructions for: Certificate of Service (General), Florida Supreme Court
Approved Family Law Form 12.914; Designation of Current Mailing and E-mail Address, Florida Supreme
Court Approved Family Law Form 12.915; and Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration
2.516.

                                Where can I find more information?
Before proceeding, you should read “General Information for Self-Represented Litigants” found at the
beginning of these forms. The words that are in “bold underline” in these instructions are defined there.
For further information, see section 61.30, Florida Statutes.

                                              Special notes...

If you want to keep your address confidential because you are the victim of sexual battery, aggravated
child abuse, aggravated stalking, harassment, aggravated battery or domestic violence, do not enter the
address, telephone, and fax information at the bottom of this form. Instead, file a Request for
Confidential Filing of Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.980(h).

The affidavit must be completed using monthly income and expense amounts. If you are paid or your
bills are due on a schedule which is not monthly, you must convert those amounts. Hints are provided
below for making these conversions.

        Hourly - If you are paid by the hour, you may convert your income to monthly as follows:
        Hourly amount xHours worked per week = Weekly amount
        Weekly amount x 52 Weeks per year = Yearly amount
        Yearly amount ÷12 Months per year = Monthly Amount
        Daily - If you are paid by the day, you may convert your income to monthly as follows:
        Daily amountxDays worked per week = Weekly amount
        Weekly amountx52 Weeks per year =Yearly amount
        Yearly amount ÷12 Months per year =Monthly Amount
        Weekly - If you are paid by the week, you may convert your income to monthly as follows:
        Weekly amountx52 Weeks per year =Yearly amount
        Yearly amount÷12 Months per year =Monthly Amount
        Bi-weekly - If you are paid every two weeks, you may convert your income to monthly as follows:
        Bi-weekly amount x 26 =Yearly amount
        Yearly amount÷12 Months per year =Monthly Amount
        Semi-monthly - If you are paid twice per month, you may convert your income to monthly as
        follows:
        Semi-monthly amountx2=Monthly Amount

Expenses may be converted in the same manner.

Remember, a person who is NOT an attorney is called a nonlawyer. If a nonlawyer helps you fill out this
form, that person must give you a copy of a Disclosure from Nonlawyer, Florida Family Law Rules of
Procedure Form 12.900(a), before he or she helps you. A nonlawyer helping you fill out this form also
must put his or her name, address, and telephone number on the bottom of the last page of every form
he or she helps you complete.

Instruc�ons for Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.902(l), Aﬃdavit of Income for Child Support
(10/23)
                                                   - 10 -
             IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE                                    JUDICIAL CIRCUIT,
                      IN AND FOR                                    COUNTY, FLORIDA

                                                           Case No.:
                                                           Division:
                                           ,
                                Petitioner,

                and

                                               ,
                              Respondent.

                      AFFIDAVIT OF INCOME FOR CHILD SUPPORT
I, {full legal name} __________________________________________________, am the {check only one}
_____ Petitioner _____ Respondent in this case, and certify that the following information is true:

_____ Check here if unemployed and explain on a separate sheet your efforts to find employment.

All amounts must be MONTHLY. See the instructions with this form to figure out money amounts for
anything that is NOT paid monthly. Attach more paper, if needed. Items included under “other” should
be listed separately with separate dollar amounts.

                                                       All amounts must be MONTHLY. See the
                                                       instructions with this form to figure out
       PRESENT MONTHLY GROSS INCOME
                                                       money amounts for anything that is NOT
                                                       paid monthly.

 1. Salary or wages

 2. Bonuses, commissions, allowances, overtime,
 tips, and other similar payments

 3. Business income from sources such as self-
 employment, partnerships, close corporations,
 and independent contracts (business income
 means gross receipts minus ordinary and
 necessary expenses required to produce
 income)
 4. Disability benefits/SSI

Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.902(l), Aﬃdavit of Income for Child Support (10/23)
                                                   - 11 -
 5. Workers' compensation benefits and
 settlements

 6. Reemployment Assistance or Unemployment
 Compensation

 7. Pension, retirement, or annuity payments

 8. Social Security benefits

 9. Spousal support received from this marriage

 10. Spousal support received from prior
 marriage

 11. Interest and dividends

 12. Rental income (gross receipts minus ordinary
 and necessary expenses required to produce
 income)

 13. Income from royalties, trusts, or estates

 14. Reimbursed expenses and in-kind payments
 to the extent that they reduce living expenses

 15. Gains derived from dealing in property
 (unless the gain is nonrecurring)

 16. Any other income of a recurring nature
 (identify source)

 17. TOTAL PRESENT MONTHLY GROSS INCOME
 (Add Lines 1-16)

                                                       All amounts must be MONTHLY. See the
        PRESENT MONTHLY DEDUCTIONS                     instructions with this form to figure out
                                                       money amounts for anything that is NOT
                                                       paid monthly.

 18. Federal, state, and local income tax
 (adjusted for actual filing status and allowable
 dependents and tax liabilities)

Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.902(l), Aﬃdavit of Income for Child Support (10/23)
                                                    - 12 -
 19a. Filing Status

 19b. Number of dependents claimed

 19c. Federal Income Tax

 19d. State Income Tax {identify which state}:

 State:

 19e. Local Income Tax {identify which locality}:

 Locality:

 20. FICA or self-employment taxes

 21. Medicare payments

 22. Mandatory Union Dues

 23. Mandatory Retirement Payments

 24. Health insurance premiums for parent
 completing this form, excluding payments for
 coverage of the minor child(ren)
 25. Health insurance premium paid by this
 parent for minor child(ren) in this case

 26. Court-ordered support for other children
 which is actually paid {identify issuing court}:

 Court:

 27. Spousal support paid in this marriage

 28. Court-ordered alimony for prior marriage
 actually paid {identify issuing court}:

 Court:

 29. TOTAL DEDUCTIONS
 (Add Lines 18-28)

Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.902(l), Aﬃdavit of Income for Child Support (10/23)
                                                    - 13 -
 30. PRESENT MONTHLY NET INCOME
 (Subtract Line 29 from Line 17)

Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have read this document and the facts stated in it are true.

 ______________________________________
Signature of party
Printed Name: __________________________
E-mail Address: _________________________
Address: _______________________________
City, State, Zip: __________________________
Telephone Number: ______________________

I certify that a copy of this Affidavit of Income for Child Support was [check all used]: ( ) e-mailed ( )
mailed ( ) faxed ( ) hand-delivered to the person(s) listed below on {date} _____________________.

Other party or their attorney:
Name: _________________________________
E-mail Address(es): _______________________
Address: _______________________________
City, State, Zip: __________________________
Telephone Number: ______________________
Fax Number: ____________________________

                                                    _________________________________________
                                                   Signature of party or their attorney
                                                   Printed Name: _____________________________
                                                   E-mail Address(es): _________________________
                                                   Address: __________________________________
                                                   City, State, Zip: _____________________________
                                                   Telephone Number: _________________________
                                                   Fax Number: _______________________________
                                                   Florida Bar Number: ________________________

IF A NONLAWYER HELPED YOU FILL OUT THIS FORM, HE/SHE MUST FILL IN THE BLANKS BELOW:
[fill in all blanks] This form was prepared for the: {choose only one} ( ) Petitioner ( ) Respondent
This form was completed with the assistance of:
{name of individual} ________________________________________________________________ ,
{name of business} _________________________________________________________________ ,
{address} _________________________________________________________________________ ,
{city} _____________________,{state} ,______ {telephone number} ________________________ .

Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.902(l), Aﬃdavit of Income for Child Support (10/23)
                                                   - 14 -